Day 6, Birdsville to Dalby
Photo: Lake Yamma Yamma
Andrewilla Waterhole
Survey details
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Date
Monday 5 October 2026
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Author
John Porter
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Project
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Observers
John Porter (NSW DCCEEW), Heath Dunstan
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Pilot
Thomas Clark
Heading south from Birdsville, our first wetland of the day is Andrewilla Waterhole on the Diamantina River, near Goyder Lagoon where the river fans out into a vast network of braided channels. There are moderate numbers of waterbirds, mainly Pelicans, herons, spoonbills, cormorants and egrets.
On the eastern side of the floodplain, we find water persisting in Lake Uloowaranie – a very large (6,100 ha) temporary freshwater wetland. There are moderate to low numbers of waterbirds, mainly Grey Teal, Pink-eared Duck, Pelicans, cormorants and herons.
Continuing further eastward, we encounter Lake Yamma Yamma – a vast nationally significant freshwater wetland (86,600 ha) that fills from Cooper Creek during floods. Today we find moderate numbers of waterbirds – Grey Teal, Wood Duck, Pelicans, terns, spoonbills, Black-tailed Native Hen and egrets
After refuelling in Charleville, we survey a series of smaller watercourses and farm dams (many smaller than a hectare). They have low to moderate numbers of waterbirds, mainly Grey Teal, Black Duck, herons, egrets, spoonbills, pelicans, and cormorants
Our final target is Lake Barambah, a large water supply reservoir north of Kingaroy. There are hundreds of waterbirds at the shallow margins, mainly Grey Teal, Hardhead, Wood Duck, Coots, Black Swans, egrets, cormorants, as well as a few Pygmy Geese.
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