Urban lakelands

The suburb Lara Lakes didn't exist a generation ago, and neither did Lara Lakelands but they now fill a natural valley and filter stormwater before it drains into Hovells Creek.

This morning the Mid-week Bird Group checked out the lakes that are surrounded by residential housing. A surprising number of birds find the shallow water, muddy edges, reed beds and open grasslands suit their needs. Today we found about fifty species including Cape Barren Geese, Buff-banded Rails, Black-fronted Dotterels, several hundred Galahs, Red-rumped Parrots and Spotted Pardalotes.

It's a hidden gem.