Pelagic Expedition

A full-day pelagic expedition will take place on Thursday 19^th September 2019; it is limited to the first 20 people who register concurrently for both the conference and the pelagic expedition. Meet at Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour at 6:00AM, for 6:15AM departure.  The cost is $185 per person.

The pelagic trip is now fully booked.  Participants should have received a follow-up email from Dan Mantle.

Pre-conference Excursions in the Perth Region

On both Thursday 19^th September and Friday 20^th September, BirdLife WA members will be at a number of locations to act as guides for visitors to the BLPBC.  It is not necessary to book for these excursions; just be at the meeting place by the starting time shown.

• Lake Monger

Thursday 19th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM.  Leader: Keith Lightbody, mobile 0407 190 471

Thursday 19^th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM.  Leader: Chris Dalton, Nikon Nikon (Pro Markets Manager), Tim Williams (Product Manager; 0488 490 511), Michael Phillips (State Manager)

Friday 20^th September, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM.  Leader: Chris Dalton, Nikon Nikon (Pro Markets Manager), Tim Williams (Product Manager; 0488 490 511), Michael Phillips (State Manager)

Meet at the car park at the end of Dodd Street, which runs off Harbourne Street.  The walk around the lake will take 2-3 hours.  This is a good opportunity to see many species of ducks, waterbirds, and some bushbirds.  Spotless Crake is often seen depending on the water level.

A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Lake Monger

• Herdsman Lake

Thursday 19^th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM.  Leader: Pam Smith

Thursday 19^th September, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM.  Leader: Chris Dalton, Nikon Nikon (Pro Markets Manager), Tim Williams (Product Manager; 0488 490 511), Michael Phillips (State Manager)

Friday 20^th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM.  Leader: Pam Smith

Friday 20^th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM.  Leader: Chris Dalton, Nikon Nikon (Pro Markets Manager), Tim Williams (Product Manager; 0488 490 511), Michael Phillips (State Manager)

Friday 20th September, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM.  Leader: David Stowe, Canon

Go to the Maurice Hamer car park.  Turn off Pearson Street into Falcon Avenue, then right into Lakeside Road.  The car park is on the left, opposite Heron Place.  This is one of the waterbird refuges which never dries up and 140 species have been recorded here.

A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Herdsman Lake

• Victoria Dam

Thursday 19^th September, 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM.  Leader: Ken Glasson, mobile 0419 967 606

Friday 20^th September, 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM.  Leader: Bill Betts, mobile 04-8 094 412

Go to the car park beside the information board at the entrance to the dam.  From Perth, travel east along Welshpool Road and Welshpool Road East to the T-junction at Canning Road, turn right and travel for about 400 m to Masonmill Road.  Continue along this road for about 600 m, following the signs to the dam past the rose nursery, to the entrance to the car park.  We will follow the walking track down to the dam.

A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Victoria Dam

• Bibra Lake

Thursday 19^th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM.  Leader: Alan Watson, mobile 0439 522 398

Friday 20^th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM.  Leader: Alan Watson, mobile 0439 522 398

Park in the first car park at the southern end of the lake off Progress Drive.  This car park is between Hope Road and Gwilliam Drive.  Bibra Lake is a part of the Beeliar Wetlands chain and a large number of bushbirds and waterbirds can be seen here.  Over 130 bird species have been recorded in this reserve.

A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Bibra Lake

• Alfred Cove Nature Reserve

Thursday 19^th September, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM.  Mark Davidson, mobile 0408 977 429

Friday 20^th September, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM.  Leader: Chris Young, mobile 0447 557 003

Go to the carpark at Troy Park, accessed from Burke Drive, nearest Canning Highway.  Alfred Cove Nature Reserve forms part of the Swan Estuary Marine Park and is a significant feeding site for migratory waders.  The area of samphire within the actual cove is worth checking for feeding birds which are often well-camouflaged by the vegetation.  Birds move up and down the shoreline between here and Point Walter and numerous bushbirds make use of trees and shrubs further away from the water.  A large number of bird species have been recorded in this reserve.

A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Alfred Cove Nature Reserve

• Wungong Gorge

Thursday 19^th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM.  Leaders: Claire Gerrish and Clive Nealon, mobile 0402 009 462

Park in the first car park for Wungong Dam at the end of Admiral Road, off Albany Highway.  Over 90 species of birds have been recorded here including Red-eared Firetail, White-breasted Robin and Red-winged Fairy-wren.

A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Wungong Gorge

Post-conference Excursions in the Perth Region

It is not necessary to book for these excursions; just be at the meeting place by the starting time shown.

•  Coodanup, Mandurah

Monday 23^rd September, 7:30 AM - 10:00 AM.  Leader: Shelley Pearson, mobile 0405 249 729

Go to the carpark at end of John St near the Nairns Bird Hide. Travelling south-east on Pinjarra Rd turn right into Wanjeep St, left into Beacham St, which becomes Peel Parade, and proceed to John St.  This is about a 1 hour drive from Fremantle.

There are two Birding Guides for this area: Mandurah, and Wider Mandurah

• Lake Claremont

Monday 23^rd September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM.  Leader: David Free, mobile 0488 701 939

 Go to the Lake Claremont Golf Club car park off Davies Road, Claremont.  Look for waterbirds and bushbirds around this pleasant suburban lake.

A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Lake Claremont

Post-conference Excursions Further Afield

From Monday 23^rd September to Wednesday 25^th September, BirdLife WA members will be at several locations further away from the Perth region to provide advice and assistance to visitors to the BLPBC.  These include:

• Cheynes Beach

Monday 23rd September - Wednesday 25th September. Keith Lightbody, mobile 0407 190 471  Contact also through Cheynes Beach Caravan Park Office; they have heaps of information as to the location of birds.

Cheynes Beach is a fishing village on the edge of Waychinicup National Park, east of Albany.  It has a caravan park with cabins as well as caravan and camping facilities.  When you book your camp site, please mention that you are with BirdLife Australia.  Cabins will be popular for that weekend and there is a minimum 4-day booking, so book early.  The Cheynes Beach Caravan Park phone number is 08 9846 1247 and their address is 12 Bald Island Road, WA 6328.

A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Cheynes Beach

• Stirling Range Retreat

Monday 23rd September - Friday 27th September. Pauline Woolley, mobile 0457 367 234 (Birdlife WA Rep): contact via Retreat Office

Stirling Range Retreat is on Chester Pass Road, and has a range of chalets and camping facilities.  There are always wildflowers here and it is well-known for its rich diversity of flora and fauna.  The area has a long bird list including Western Whipbird, Western Yellow Robin, Rufous Treecreeper, Elegant and Regent Parrots, Owlet Nightjar and Crested Shrike-tit.  We will go spotlighting one night and have a BBQ on another night.  There are many different habitats in and adjacent to the ranges.

Book your own accommodation at the retreat (phone 08 9827 9229) as soon as possible, as this is a popular area.  Visit the Stirling Range Retreat website for details.

• Dryandra

Monday 23rd September - Wednesday 25th September. Peter White, mobile 0487 807 943

Dryandra is one of the most important remnant bushland in the wheatbelt, and has over 100 species of birds including Crested Shrike-tit and Bush Stone-curlew.
Dryandra is 164 km south-east of Perth and 22 km north-west of Narrogin.  From Perth, travel down Albany Highway and just past North Bannister turn left to Wandering. Travel 3 km past Wandering and turn into Fourteen Mile Brook Road for 25 km and then turn left into Williams York Road for 3 km.  We will be camping at the new campground ‘Gnaala Mia’ and the entry road is almost opposite the Congelin Campground.  It is well sign posted.  The campsites are on a first-in first-served basis and cannot be booked.  There are toilets and gas barbeque facilities.  Take your own water.

Other accommodation is available in Narrogin including a caravan park with full services.

A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Dryandra & Narrogin

Self-guided Sites

• Yanchep National Park

Yanchep National Park is about a 1 hour drive north of Fremantle.  Park near the Lakeview picnic area inside the Park.  There is an entry charge for vehicles.  Proceed through the entrance gate and go left at the roundabout where there is a large parking area.  There should be a variety of bushbirds and waterbirds.  Yanchep National Park is part of the Northern Swan Coastal Plain Key Biodiversity Area for birds including Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo.

There are two Birding Guides for this area: Yanchep NP Bush Birds, and Yanchek NP Water Birds.

• Rottnest Island

The earliest Rottnest Express leaves at 7:30 am from ‘B’ Shed, Victoria Quay, Fremantle.  Advice from the ferry company is to book well in advance through the website, www.rottnestexpress.com.au/book-ferries or 1300 467 688.

Rottnest has a variety of habitats, including the shallow salt lakes, the coast, fresh water swamps, woodland and heath.  There are 49 species that are regularly seen and more than 112 when vagrants are included.  A Birding Guide is available here: Rottnest Island

You can walk down to the salt lakes where you should have good views of the waders, then across the golf course where pheasants and Red-capped Robins are often seen.  A regular bus service travels the Island at a small cost.  Most ferries leave the island about 4:00 pm.

• Penguin Island

Catch the ferry from Mersey Point Jetty, off Arcadia Drive, Shoalwater for Penguin Island.  The ferries travel hourly between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm.  Shoalwater is about 40 minutes drive south of Fremantle.

You can walk to the various places of interest on the island, and if you wish, you can attend the penguin feeding in the DBCA facility housing injured or orphaned penguins (additional cost).  Bridled Tern, Little Penguin and Buff-banded Rail are often seen here and it is a haven for nesting sea birds.  A Visitor's Guide is available here: Penguin Island

There is a nice picnic area on the island but no shop, so take all food and drink requirements.  Also there are nice beaches and it is a good swimming area.

• King's Park, Perth

Leave your vehicle in the car park at the northern end of Forrest Drive, opposite the Pioneer Women’s Memorial in the Botanic Gardens, near the junction of Lovekin Drive.  There should be a variety of bushbirds in the area.  A Birding Guide is available here: King's Park

• Albany

Albany is not only on the cooler south coast, about 400 km south of Perth, but has excellent bird watching.  It has a wide variety of habitats from the ocean (sheltered and open), waders, shorebirds, fresh water lakes and bush birds in many different vegetation types.  Albany is central to other birding locations such as Two Peoples Bay, Cheynes Beach, Waychinicup and Torbay and Wilson Inlet.  A Birding Guide is available here: Albany

Kalgan River Chalets and Caravan Park: the park telephone number is 08 9844 7937 and their website http://www.caravan-wa.com.au/krccp.html.

You can download a pdf document containing this information here.

Other locations suggested for visits while in Western Australia include:

• Broome Bird Observatory
• Eyre Bird Observatory - limited to 8 people

Conference attendees will need to contact these venues themselves to book accommodation.  It is recommended that bookings be made at least 3 months in advance - limited numbers are available at many of these locations.

BirdLife Photography Biennial Conference 2019

Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle

BirdLife Photography gratefully acknowledges the support of this conference by these organisations:

You can download a pdf document containing this information here.

The next BirdLife Photography Biennial Conference will be held in Fremantle, WA, in September 2019.

Dates:

Saturday 21^st & Sunday 22^nd September, 2019.

Additional Dates:

19-20 September 2019 - pre-conference excursions in the Perth region.

23-25 September 2019 - post-conference excursions in Western Australia.

Details of these excursions are available here.

Venue:

ESPLANADE HOTEL FREMANTLE BY RYDGES, Corner Marine Terrace and Essex Street, Fremantle, 6160.  The Conference is fully catered in the hotel to maximise your time together.  The optional Conference dinner will be held in the Esplanade Hotel.

Initial Registration and Payment:

Registration for the 2-day conference will cost $250 for BirdLife Photography members.  Non-members who wish to include a one-year BLP membership may do so, for a cost of $265. The cost for non-members will be $295.

A conference dinner will be held on Saturday 20^th September at the Esplanade Hotel at 7 PM; the cost is $55 per person.  Partners of conference attendees are welcome.

An online registration and payment system is now available, at support.birdlife.org.au/BLPBC-2019.  Alternatively, you can download the BLPBC Registration Form (a separate form is required for each conference attendee), complete it, and email, fax or post it to BirdLife Australia - details are on the form.  

Registration on Arrival in Fremantle:

Registrations will open on Friday 20^th September in the Esplanade Hotel from 4.45 PM, and on Saturday 21^st September from 8 AM.

Program:

This is your chance to learn more about bird photography from the experts and to develop your photographic skills as International and Australian bird photographers deliver exciting and varied presentations and workshops across the weekend.  The program will include a range of bird photography topics and skills plus you can enjoy the chance to learn and pick the brains of "the experts".

The program for the Conference is available here.

Equipment:

We are working to organise displays of camera and lens equipment from the major manufacturers.

Accommodation:

The Esplanade Hotel is offering a special conference rate for attendees; otherwise a huge range of accommodation options is available through the City of Fremantle’s Fremantle Visitor Centre.

WTP Outings - Volunteers Wanted

We are calling for WTP permit-holders to volunteer to host outings during DPITB.

Dates and times of outings

Local permit-holders will host half- and full-day visits on Friday 10^th March and Monday 13^th March.

Half-day: 8.00 AM – 12.30 PM, and 1.00 PM – 5.30 PM

Full-day 8.30 AM – 5.00 PM

How to volunteer

To volunteer to host visiting bird photographers on outings please click this link.

We will be in touch with each permit-holder to confirm arrangements once we know how many participants wish to come on the outings.

We will rely on the experience of permit-holders to take visitors to a variety of locations rather than travel in convoy. This will ensure that we don’t have large numbers of cars arriving at the same spot at once and disturbing the photography opportunities. Hosts of full-day outings might like to meet at the Borrow Pit for lunch, but it’s up to you.

Register your visit with Melbourne Water

Please register your visit with Melbourne Water as usual prior to the day, including the number of passengers you are expecting to host.

New emergency procedures

Melbourne Water has asked that volunteer permit-holders be made aware of the new emergency procedures in place at WTP.

You will have seen new Emergency Markers on site which are mapped by emergency services to direct them to the site of an emergency. Emergency services do not have keys to the gates.

Paradise Road gate: WTP 008

Beach Road gate: WTP 013

Western Lagoon gate: WTP 015

T-Section gate: WTP 016

Austin Road gate: WTP 014

In an emergency you should ring 000 and give the Emergency Marker number of the nearest gate. You should then meet the ambulance (for example) at the gate to let them in. If you cannot do this, ring the Operations Control Room on 8734 4222 for help.

Contact

For further information: Jill Wilson This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 03 9754 8853.

You can download a pdf document containing this information here.

Registration

Initial Registration and Payment

Registration for this event has now closed.

Session Selection

Please download and fill out a Session Selection form for each person attending.  Providing us with your Session Selection form allows us to allocate appropriate space at the campus for each session.  If we don’t receive your session selections then you will be allocated to a session. Session Selection forms should be emailed or posted, as for Registration forms.  We will make every endeavour to allocate you with your session selections and we have planned for the expected numbers, however, there may be some instances where this is not possible.

The Digiscoping Session has very limited numbers, once this number is reached anyone wishing to attend will be placed on a waiting list. Should your Digiscoping selection be unsuccessful we will contact you to request an alternative session selection.

Registration on arrival in Geelong

To register your arrival for the weekend and to collect your name tag etc. a registration desk will be available at the Deakin University Waterfront Campus from 5:00pm to 6:00pm on Friday 10^th March, 2017, and then at the Wharf Shed Café from 6pm until 7pm; the registration desk will also be open on Saturday 11^th March from 8:00am.  Enter via the second entrance on Gheringhap Street (past the Cube entry).

After Friday night registration we hope that you, and your partner, will join us for an informal get-together and drinks at the Wharf Shed Café, 15 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong from 5:30pm to 7:00pm.  The Wharf Shed Café is about 500 meters east of Deakin University Waterfront Campus, towards Eastern Beach, and before Royal Geelong Yacht Club.

Dinners

Dinners will be held at the Wharf Shed Café, Eastern Beach Road, Geelong.  There will be a Welcome Dinner, following on from the informal get-together, on Friday 10th March 2017 commencing at 7:00pm; and a Farewell Dinner on Sunday 12th March commencing at 7:30pm.  These dinners are now fully booked.

There is a set menu with around 10 choices that can be selected from on the night. The set menu includes gluten-free, lactose-free and vegetarian options. For those with stricter dietary requirements a selection is possible from the Wharf Shed Café’s a la carte menu.

The Wharf Shed Café is fully licenced.

Weekend Presentations

Our weekend of presentations and workshops will be held at the Deakin University Waterfront Campus, Geelong. Entry is the second entry point on Gheringhap Street (past the Cube entry). The morning seminars on both days will be held in the Percy Baxter Theatre.

Parking in General Parking Permit Zones (White bays) after 5:30pm on weekdays and on weekends is free.

Morning tea will be provided on Saturday and Sunday.

Our Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday 12th at the lunchtime break and anyone attending will be provided with a complimentary lunch. Please indicate your attendance on the Session Selection sheet to allow for catering.

Should you require, there is a café/restaurant within the University campus and many eateries nearby.

Outings

Western Treatment Plant

The Western Treatment Plant is a premier birding location in Victoria, with an impressive species list on eBird of over 260 species; it is a location where Brolgas breed, Orange-bellied parrots visit in winter and rarities are sometimes sighted.  None of these are likely on the days we intend to visit, however, it is still well worth a visit.

Outings to the Western Treatment Plant are planned for Friday 10^th and Monday 13^th with the option of a Full Day, Morning or Afternoon visit. More information is available on the Western Treatment Plant Outings page, where there is also a link to register for these outings.

Local Outings

Outings around the local Geelong area have been organised for Thursday 9^th, Friday 10^th (as an alternative to the Western Treatment Plant), Saturday afternoon 11^th, Sunday afternoon 12^th, Monday 13^th (again as an alternative to the Western Treatment Plant) and Tuesday 14^th March.

Details of these outings have been emailed to all registered attendees.  You can register for these outings here.  Should you have any queries about these field trips please contact Ian Smissen.

Pelagic trip from Port Fairy

We are sorry to announce that the proposed pelagic trip from Port Fairy on March 14th has been cancelled.  Unfortunately the boat, Perceive, long used for these trips was sold by the skipper before Christmas and was subsequently wrecked on rocks near Port Fairy lighthouse.  The only other suitable charter boat at Port Fairy is not available on 14 March.

As we have been unable to find another suitable boat this outing has been cancelled.

Should you have any queries on any of the above please contact Julie Sarna.

We hope to see you in Geelong for a great long weekend of activities and learning.

You can download a pdf document containing this information here.

The 2024 BirdLife Photography Biennial Conference was held in Hahndorf, SA, at the Adelaide Hill Convention Centre  on 23^rd & 24^th March 2024.

The theme was 'The Art of Bird Photography'.  The programme was full of inspiring bird photographers who have the goal of inspiring bird photographers.

The presenters were Richard Flack, Shelley Pearson, Raoul Slater, Tom Hunt, Luke Paterson, David Stowe, Keith Lightbody, Nathan Watson, Athena Georgiou, Nicolas Rakotopare and Michael Snedic.

Speakers at the Conference Dinner were Fran Solly, Sandy Castle and Yolande Cozijn.

Preparations are underway for our 2026 Biennial Conference, which will be held in Canberra, ACT.

Our bi-annual Digital Photography In The Bush event will be held at the Deakin University Waterfront Campus, Geelong on the 11^th & 12^th March 2017.  It will be augmented by a series of local bird outings on 9^th, 10^th, 13^th and 14^th March, and Welcome and Farewell dinners on 10^th & 12^th March.

A summary of the program is presented here.  Final details will be provided when registration for the event opens in early December; some items shown below are yet to be confirmed, and are shown as "TBC".  Seminars are scheduled between 8:30am and morning tea at 10:45am; they will be held in a 150-seat lecture theatre. For this reason, registration for this event is limited to 150 people. Workshop sessions are scheduled for the periods before and after lunch, and will run concurrently in rooms with seating capacities ranging from 35 to 150.  Some workshops have been developed to accommodate the needs and interests of either our Entry Level (shown as "E" below) or Intermediate/Advanced (shown as "I/A" below) members; others are suitable for anyone.  Following registration, you will be requested to nominate your preferred workshops.  Whilst we will endeavour to accommodate your preferences, there will be maximum participation limits for some workshops, imposed by the seating capacity of the venues, which is beyond our control.

Times for the concurrent workshop sessions are shown in the Session Selection form.

BirdLife Photography's Annual General Meeting, for BLP members only, will be held during lunch on Sunday 12th March; a complimentary lunch will be provided.

Digital Photography in the Bush 2017 is proudly supported by:
Canon Collective
David Burren Photography & LuminOdyssey Photo Expeditions
Frameco
Kayell Australia
Nikon Australia
Swarovski Australia