• Wetlands and Waders Festival Intro
  
• Wetland Birds and Wader Birds
  
• Full Program of Events
• Press Releases
• Location Map
• For Children, Parents and Teachers
• Program of Events Brochure (PDF 1.1MB)
• Festival, Birds & Map (PDF 416K)
  

What is ‘Wetlands and Waders Festival’?

The Wetland and Waders Festival is a 3-month springtime celebration of the glories of nature. It reflects the annual arrival of tens of thousands of migratory wader bird species, as well as the resident wetland birds that inhabit the wetlands and waterways of South Australia’s Limestone Coast, Fleurieu Peninsula, Murraylands and Riverland regions.

Each year migratory wader birds fly thousands of kilometers from their breeding grounds in Siberia, North Asia and the Arctic Circle. Some of these birds fly non-stop for 3 or 4 days - the equivalent to a human running continuous 4-minute miles for 60 hours!

The Wetlands and Waders Festival is a three-month period when birdwatchers delight as they brush off the binoculars, pack a picnic hamper, maybe a bottle of local wine and get out and ‘twitch’ (bird watch, to the uninitiated).

It is also a time when painters, writers, photographers, sculptors and walkers put the grey days of winter behind them and step back into nature. In the following program, you will find opportunities to join field trips into migratory wader bird habitat, learn about the migratory flyways that the birds follow on their annual journey, visit photographic and painting exhibitions, go to a book launch, take a cruise into the wetlands and much, much more!

So this spring, plan your journey through the Limestone Coast, Fleurieu Peninsula, Murraylands and Riverland with time set aside to join in the experiences of the Wetlands and Waders Festival. (Click here for a map.)

Learn how waders travel thousands of kilometers from distant breeding grounds in Siberia, Asia and the Arctic Circle to wetlands in South Australia. Begin to identify a variety of bird species including the beautiful Red-necked Avocet, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Black Winged Stilt. Understand why regions like The Coorong need to be protected. 'Waders of the Coorong and Lower Lakes' is your guide to discovering the world of migratory wader birds. This brochure includes a map of the region, viewing tips, and full-colour bird images. Use it to discover the beauty and birds of the Coorong and Lower Lakes for yourself. Available from Visitor Information Centres. (Download PDF 1.2M)