There have been some big wins for some of the Lakes’ smallest and most threatened birds with works to restore their habitat bringing breeding success.

This is funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.

“We are delighted to report that recent monitoring by BirdLife Australia recorded 28 Fairy Tern chicks and five Little Tern chicks successfully fledging [growing up and leaving the nest] from Albifrons Island,” said Bec Hemming, CEO of East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. 

“This is an incredible outcome, and we thank everyone that has worked together in the planning and creation of habitat for threatened species. We also thank the community for their part in caring for the birds, particularly during the breeding season,” Ms Hemming said.

In 2024, the state-funded Love Our Lakes program delivered a complex sand renourishment project on islands in the Gippsland Lakes. The project involving Gippsland Ports, Parks Victoria, BirdLife Australia and GLaWAC improved areas of shoreline by depositing sand to restore critical beach nesting and shorebird habitat. Up to five hectares of island shoreline was improved through this project to support protected species such as Little and Fairy Terns.  

Pre and post monitoring of the islands was carried out by BirdLife Australia, and the team was delighted to see the terns taking to their newly restored breeding sites. They were even more delighted with this year’s breeding season results. Further renourishment works are planned in the coming 12 months.

“This is a huge success as both species of terns are under threat and rapidly declining and their conservation is a top priority across the Gippsland Lakes Ramsar Site,” said Deb Sullivan from BirdLife Australia.

“Ongoing monitoring across the Ramsar Site is helping us understand waterbird breeding and distribution across the Gippsland Lakes, informing conservation efforts to support their ongoing survival,” Deb concluded.

📸 Little Terns on Albifrons Island, image by Deb Sullivan