David
There are people in the Newcastle area that can respond better than I, however, my understanding is that the Magpie Geese were found in the early days, pre European, around the Newcastle Lower Hunter Region but they were mostly eradicated by hunting and wetland loss etc. I can remember occasional small numbers of MG causing excitement with local birders when suddenly appearing at a small wetland near Morpeth in the 70’s. In the early 90’s about 100 birds were reared in cages at the new Shortland Wetlands Centre (don’t know where the MG eggs/chicks came from) and simply let out of the cages when able to “look after themselves”. They have since spread to and bred in other wetlands in the region. I can remember my father telling me that fellow golfers at his club thought the release of MG was stupid and irresponsible because they will rapidly multiply and “don’t we know the damage those birds cause to crops in the north of Australia”.
Greg Little
