Day 15, Sydney to Broken Hill
Our objective today is to head west along Band 4, covering Burrendong Dam near Dubbo before heading west over mallee country before finishing with the Tallywalka and Menindee Lakes systems – a distance of around 950 km.
Photo:Â Burrendong Dam
Survey details
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Date
Monday 20th October 2025
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Author
John Porter
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Project
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Observers
John Porter (NSW DCCEEW), Jody O'Connor (MDBA)
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Pilot
Thomas Martin
Lake Burrendong is around 65% full and although beginning to dry back there is still plenty of water but only low to moderate numbers of waterbirds – mainly Pelicans, cormorants, darters, Grey Teal and Wood Ducks.
After Burrendong we count small numbers of waterbirds along the Macquarie River before heading to Dubbo to refuel.
Continuing westward along Band 4 we count many small dams, tanks and water courses – most with only a few waterbirds. The exceptions are a few recently flooded paddocks and shallow inundated areas with hundreds of Grey Teal and Straw-necked Ibis with Black Duck, terns, stilts and herons.
Tallywalka Lakes are mostly dry, but two of the deeper lakes have water and moderate numbers of waterbirds.
Mainly Grey Teal, Avocet and Black Duck with Pink-eared Duck, Mountain Duck, stilts, terns, lapwings and Wood Ducks.
Menindee Lakes are around 85% full – most of the lakes have low to moderate numbers of birds mainly Pelicans, comorants, darters, Grey Teal and Wood Ducks.
We finished our surveys for the day at the Menindee Lakes system and went on to Broken Hill for the night. We will return tomorrow to complete the remaining wetlands of this system.Â
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