Third time lucky!
We had to try again for this bird, so Rob Benson, Margaret Reidy and I flew down from Sydney to Avalon, rented a car and drove to the gate to the spit reserve and Western Lagoon, at about 10:30am Steve Davidson spotted the bird and called me on the mobile (having previously swapped numbers) to say that he had the bird in front of him. We had gone down the western side of the of Western Lagoon while he was on the central viewing area (through locked gate from 29 Mile Road, follow the roadway to the left, and around to the right, turning first right and follow to the viewing area. The bird was very close. We had extended close views that morning and again in the early afternoon. Also seen were a Great Knot, Grey-tailed Tattler, Ruff, some Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, and a lot of Red-necked Stints and Curlew Sandpipers. Unfortunately we missed the Pectoral Sandpipers and Long-toed Stint.
Thanks to Sue Taylor and Dave Torr and especially Steve Davidson as well as others who have made postings to birding-aus and / or Birdline Victoria.
Happy birding!