A difficult question to answer, but that of course is the point.
Do you mean specific sites? Or a general area? If the latter, how big can an area be? Dryandra State Forest I think would be fair enough (rather than say Marri Road there), but perhaps the Kimberley is too big??? Can you include Darwin, Fogg Dam and Kakadu as one area? Again, I would think too big? Is Tasmania too big? Probably. Perhaps the determining factor is an area that you get to within a day’s return, but you may spend a few days there and it is still elligible.
The access is also a factor for me. It might have great birds, but are they worth the effort to get there?
So here is my attempt. I am sure that if I did this each week for 52 weeks, I would probably have 52 different lists.
1. Broome (WA). I am West Australian and this is the best area in WA for me. Something for everyone. Bush birds. Mangroves. Plains. Lakes. Waders. Rarities. Different seasons. I have been there close to 40 times for many reasons.
2. Julatten (Qld). A great base to be able to get to Mt Lewis, Daintree River, Mt Carbine, Atherton Tableland.
3. Cheyne Beach (WA). Good in its own right for endemics. But a great base to visit Albany, the mallee up towards Jerramungup, Stirling Range, Porongurups.
4. Iron Range (Qld). Great variety of birds, many of which cannot be found easily elsewhere. Access reasonable, given the variety to be seen.
5. Kununurra (WA). Great birds here, plus a base to visit Lake Argyle and Wyndham. Access good except maybe wet season. Each season has something special.
6. Kakadu (NT). Hard to choose between Kakadu or Darwin, but can’t include both as too big an overlap. The boat trip is an experience not to missed, and turns it in Kakadu’s favour. Based at Cooinda, it is possible to get to Gunlom Falls and back, but it would be a long day.
7. Christmas Island. A very different form of birding which adds to the highlight of the endemics, vagrants, etc.
8. Gluepot (SA). Perhaps access is more difficult than other sites, but the mallee is a fantastic habitat, and Gluepot is the best I have been to. Great birds.
9. Cue (WA). For me the best area of mulga, and a place I have visited more than 10 times. I dare say that others would substitute Alice Springs, but Cue is far easier for me to access. Fantastic birds and a good range of habitats. It is a base to visit Lake Annean near Meekatharra to the north, Walga Rock and the way there to the west, Mt Magnet and Lake Austin to the south, and the Sandstone Road to the east.
10. Eaglehawk Neck pelagic (Tas). I have to include a pelagic, and for me this has been the best. Great number and variety of birds.
There are many others that would be worthy of inclusion.
a. Darwin (NT). But as I said an overlap with Kakadu. This would include Fogg Dam, Holmes Jungle, Howard Springs, Palmerston. I did get to Litchfield and back in a day, but this is pushing it. b. Cairns (Qld). Including the Great Barrier Reef, but an overlap with Julatten. c. Werribee (Vic). But one day usually covers it, where the sites above keep you busy for at least 3 days (except the pelagic). d. Dryandra State Forest (WA). Fantastic place, but one day is usually enough. e. Stirling Range (WA). A good base for the mallee, Porongurups, and even Albany at a push. But either one day is enough, or the other areas overlap with Cheyne Beach. f. Shark Bay (WA). But it is a long way there. And a day or so is enough. g. Carnarvon (WA). Great place and two days can easily be used up looking around. h. Brunie Island (Tas). A great place for endemics, and you could easily spend two days here. i. Cocos Islands. Again, a very different type of birding. But mainly for vagrants. j. Ashmore Reef. A fantastic trip, but doesn’t really fit in the one day return. And access if getting more and more expensive. k. Mitchell Plateau (WA). A fantastic place, but access is difficult, and one day return doesn’t get you very far. But great birds. l. Mt Isa (Qld). A great base, and many places to go north, south and east (probably west as well?). m. Lake McLarty (WA). But half a day is enough. Maybe make it Mandurah which includes this, plus the Lake Preston area, Harvey Peel Estuary, other lakes, Halls Head, etc. n. Cape York (Qld). Bamaga as the base. But an overlap with the Iron Range in terms of birds seen. o. Lamington NP (Qld). Certainly enough to spend several days here. p. Barren Grounds (NSW). But a day might be enough here. q. Capertee Valley (NSW). This was excellent when someone showed me around, but I found little when I passed through by myself. And again one day is probably enough, although as a base I guess you could get to the Blue Mountains and areas inland. r. Deniliquin (NSW). A good base to visit areas within quite a large area to range within a day’s return. I got to Chiltern in Victoria and back in a day. Special birds. Large range of habitats. Easily spend several days in the area.
Look forward to other people’s suggestions.
_________________________________________________________________ Frank O’Connor Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au Phone : (08) 9386 5694 Email : foconnor@iinet.net.au
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