Best Birding Spots in Victoria and South Australia (According to LYFER)

Looking for the best (and a little different) birding spots in Victoria and South Australia? Here are the locations we keep coming back to, from urban wetlands to remote landscapes.

This is part one of a LYFER series exploring some of the best places to go birding across Australia. We’re still getting around to them all, but these are the locations that have stayed with us so far, not just for the birds, but for the experience of being there.

Like many of you, we don’t see birding as being all about the twitch. It’s often about the destination too, the places it takes you, and the areas you might not have otherwise explored.

Urban birding sits at the core of what we’re about, so we’ve included spots close to Melbourne and Adelaide. They’re easy to get to and a reminder that you don’t have to travel far to find great birdwatching locations.

If you’re new to birding, have a read of the Modern Birder’s Guide for a simple starting point.

We’ll keep updating this as we find new favourites. If there’s somewhere you think should be here, we’re all ears.

Birding Spots in Victoria 

 

Jawbone Flora and Fauna Reserve, Williamstown 

Map Link: Jawbone

Urban birding at its best.

Just a short drive from Melbourne CBD, Jawbone Flora and Fauna Reserve feels like a different world. Saltmarsh, coastal wetlands, and open water bring in a wide range of species, with over 100 recorded across the broader area.

It’s the kind of place where you head out for a quick walk and end up staying much longer than planned.

Hero bird:

Royal Spoonbill

Slow, deliberate, sweeping through the water. 

Time to allow:

~3 hours

Why it stands out:

• Quick escapes from the city
• Coastal and wetland species
• Easy, repeat visits

 

Map Link: WTP

One of Australia’s most important birding sites. To those in the know, it's simply, WTP.

The Werribee Treatment Plant is internationally recognised for its role in supporting migratory shorebirds, with over 280 species recorded. It is also part of a wetland system listed under the Ramsar Convention, recognising its global importance for birdlife.

Protected under international agreements, it regularly hosts tens of thousands of birds across its lagoons, grasslands, and coastal edges.

Access is restricted, which means you need to plan ahead, but once you’re in, the scale of it is undeniable.

Hero bird:

Brolga

Australia’s only crane. Tall, composed, and hard to forget when it moves through the landscape.

Time to allow:

4–6 hours, or more (a full day is not uncommon)

Why it stands out:

• Critical habitat for migratory species
• Globally recognised wetland significance
• Huge diversity across multiple ecosystems
• A place that rewards patience

 

Goschen Bushland Reserve, Victoria

Map Link: Goschen

We love this place.

Goschen Bushland Reserve quietly delivers. Dry woodland habitat, good access, and a strong variety of species make it consistently rewarding without needing to try too hard.

It’s one we keep coming back to.

Hero bird:

Hooded Robin

Small, grounded, full of personality. Usually perched low, watching everything.

Time to allow:

~2.5 hours

Why it stands out:

• Woodland species
• Slow birding
• Off the beaten track

 

Birding Spots in South Australia

 

Laratinga Wetlands, Mount Barker

Map Link: Laratinga Wetlands

This place surprises people.

Laratinga Wetlands regularly records over 100 species, and what stands out is how accessible some typically elusive birds become here.

You’ll hear them first, then suddenly, they’re right in front of you.

Hero bird:

Little Grassbird

Usually hidden deep in reeds, here it feels like it might step out just to acknowledge you, sometimes even pause long enough for a photo.

Time to allow:

~3 hours

Why it stands out:

 • High bird diversity
• Great viewing access
• A confidence boost for newer birders

Brookfield Conservation Park, South Australia

Map Link: Brookfield

Brookfield Conservation Park brings a different side of birding. The arid environment opens up a set of species you won’t find along the coast or in the city.

It feels open, exposed, and alive if you give it time.

Hero bird:

Splendid Fairywren
A flash of electric blue during breeding season. Almost unreal against the dry surroundings.

Time to allow:

3–4 hours

Why it stands out:
• Arid and inland species
• Road trip birding
• Seeing contrast in habitats

Victoria Park, Pakapakanthi Wetlands, Adelaide

Map Link: Pakapakanthi

This is what urban birding looks like now.

Right in the heart of Adelaide, the wetlands have been shaped through the work of Green Adelaide and the Adelaide City Council.

It’s a reminder that birding doesn’t need distance, it just needs attention.

You can find this gem of a birding spot in LYFER's Urban Birders Guide: Bird The City - Adelaide.

Hero bird:

Adelaide Rosella (Crimson Rosella)
A familiar species, but one that feels completely at home in this city setting.

Time to allow:

~1 hour

Why it stands out:

• Strong example of urban habitat design
• Accessible to everyone
 • Easy to return to regularly

 

What are your favourite birding spots in Victoria and South Australia? Share them in the comments.

There are bigger lists, rarer sightings, and more remote locations. We’ll get there. For now, these are the places we keep returning to.

One last thing, if your are out and about in Melbourne or Adelaide be sure to check out and get your Urban Birders Guides from us too! 

To be continued.........