ABOUT US
Herdsman Lake Discovery Centre Video Channel
Herdsman Lake Discovery Centre
WA Gould League President Mandy Bamford on sustainability
Different takes on sustainability
ABOUT HERDSMAN LAKE REGIONAL PARK
Herdsman Lake is the largest wetland in the inner metropolitan area, supporting a diversity of wildlife that is a rare occurrence in an urban setting.
The lake is a haven for birdwatchers, only six kilometres from the city. This beautiful wetland provides a wildlife sanctuary where many species of waterbird breed and where people can enjoy nature right outside their own backyards.
Herdsman Lake is also a valuable cultural heritage site. The Nyoongar people call it Ngurgenboro and used it as a food source in the past. European settlers also used the Lake for gardening, mining and soldier resettlement. It was almost developed into an airport too!
Herdsman Lake is surrounded by various recreation facilities such as playgrounds, a wildlife viewing centre, grassed parklands, and kilometres of walking and cycling tracks.
Herdsman Lake Regional Park is managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. The long-term vision for the Park is:
“Herdsman Lake Regional Park will be a quality wetland supporting biodiversity and a range of habitats. As a wildlife refuge it will be a successful example of human - wildlife interaction within an urban setting. The Park will accommodate environmental education, cultural interpretation and sustainable recreation use.” (Herdsman Lake Regional Park Management Plan)
In 1997, the state government proposed that a management plan for Herdsman Lake be prepared by DBCA (then the Department of Environment and Conservation) in conjunction with the City of Stirling.
The WA Gould League is proactive in developing partnerships with other organisations in order to facilitate the fulfilment of the Herdsman Lake Regional Park Management Plan.
HERDSMAN LAKE'S TIGER SNAKES
Tiger snakes are beautiful, but venomous native snakes that call Herdsman Lake Regional Park home. These animals should be treated with respect and left alone in their environment. This fact sheet will tell you more about these native animals.
During your walks around Herdsman Lake, you may encounter a tiger snake. To protect yourself - and the snakes - please observe the following:
Avoid walking into long-grass areas where tiger snakes may be resting. It is best to stay on the path of the walking trail and keep your eyes open.
If you do encounter a tiger snake, stay calm and leave it alone - the snake will usually make its way off on seeing you.
Tiger snakes have never bitten visitors to Herdsman Lake Wildlife Centre. However, in the event of a bite or suspected bite, the Centre has First Aid kits with pressure bandages. Hospital attention is required if bitten by a tiger snake.
WALKING TRAILS
Difficulty: Easy and wheelchair accessible.
Estimated time: 15-20 minutes at a leisurely pace.
To the right of Herdsman Lake Wildlife Centre is the Olive Seymour boardwalk trail. The boardwalk protects the fragile swamp ecosystem (animals, plants, land and water sysems) while allowing visitors to explore comfortably.
Discover a whole new world as you walk through flooded gum, tea-tree and paperbark woodlands; be rewarded with magnificent views of Herdsman Lake and its rich birdlife; look out for frogs, dragonflies and damselflies amongst the reeds...and if you're lucky, you might just spot a tiger snake!
NEST BOX MONITORING
Following a bird box building workshop at the Herdsman Lake Discovery Centre with Simon Cherriman, we installed some small motion sensing cameras to monitor activity. So far, the only activity has been from these leaves that blew onto the box during a storm but we are really hoping this box provides a perfect home for some local feathered residents soon. We'll keep you posted!
HISTORY OF THE WA GOULD LEAGUE
The WA Gould League was formed in 1939 with Charles Hadley, who was at that time the Director of Education, as its first President. Membership rose quickly and over 18,000 school students became members by 1955.
Today, the WA Gould League continues to maintain a strong relationship with Catholic, Independent and Department of Education schools, with over 7,500 students annually experiencing its environmental education programmes.
MANAGEMENT OF THE HERDSMAN LAKE WILDLIFE CENTRE
The Herdsman Lake Wildlife Centre is located within the Herdsman Lake Regional Park.
The centre is managed by the WA Gould League, a not-for-profit organisation committed to nurturing a passion for nature through education, innovation and communication.
