Friends of Williamstown Wetlands Inc

President’s Report 2026

There has been plenty to do in the Jawbone Fauna and Flora Reserve in the past twelve months. Our major focus was at the eastern end of the reserve, but we were also active in community affairs, received significant grant support, and improved our public liability insurance. 

A notable feature of the year’s activities was the involvement of environment specialists from the Bunurong Land Council. This followed their involvement ‘cool burn’ conducted with DEECA staff in June 2025 that destroyed weeds and promoted the regrowth of a number of grassland species. Bunurong representatives have also worked with Parks Victoria staff in weed control and the planting of grasses in a very fertile area beside the path that leads to the boardwalk. Students from the Bayview campus worked in the eastern area, too, as did participants from Aligned Corporate Residences in a corporate workday.   

The Jawbone beach was ‘discovered’ by local people when travel was restricted during the Covid lockdowns, and it remains popular on sunny summer days. Unfortunately, visitors are so eager that they have been climbing through the fence and tramping through the sensitive hinterland to get to the beach, instead of deviating to take one of the paths. Fencing has been improved and signs installed advising that such behavior damaged native plants.

Through the good work of FOWW member Melanie Scaife we gained grant support: $1900 from Hobson's Bay Community Fund (Extension) which is a sub-fund of Australian Communities Foundation (ACF). A Landcare grant of $12,000 enabled us to support work by the Bunurong group.

Two other finance-related activities were important. In the first, our application to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) was successful and we became a registered charity, which means that we will no longer need to lodge an annual statement or pay the annual fee to Community Affairs Victoria but instead provide an Annual Information Statement (AIS) to the ACNC each financial year. During the year we were disappointed to learn that we were not, as we had thought, covered by Hobsons Bay City Council public liability insurance for volunteers associated with the group. Since a lack of coverage may result in associated third party costs and claims—the group's office bearers may actually end up incurring these costs— and that there was a risk that our group could collapse. Although none of our volunteers has ever been injured while working in the Jawbone Reserve, recent activities in other Hobsons Bay environment groups alerted us to the danger and so cover has been arranged through the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria (RHSV).

We learned of the RHSV coverage through the Victorian Environment Friends Network (VEFN), with which we have recently become associated. We now have an information page on the VEFN website, and it was augmented with photographs taken on a recent workday by VEFN deputy convenor Jessica Gerger, who also happens to be President of the Sunshine-area group Friends of Kororoit Creek with which the creek connects us. 

Several community events widened our perspectives and those of the people we met with. Our Clean Up Australia activity in March attracted a smaller crowd this year but was, as usual, expertly managed by Peter Smith. We were represented at the Hobsons Bay/Nature West  Round Table meeting themed as ‘Stronger Together’, and the celebration of World Wetlands Day organised by Hobsons Bay Wetland Centre. An unusual event that brought community members to the Jawbone was the  iNaturalist day hosted by Hobsons Bay Ranger Suzette Rodorega at which participants were encouraged to take and upload photographs. 

Finally, some recent changes have struck an ominous note for the future: the land that we care about is under attack from the sea. There has been coastal erosion at the eastern and western ends of the Jawbone reserve, the latter placing in jeopardy the bird hide in the Paisley-Challis Wetland. And in the centre where the boardwalk runs close to the water it has suffered storm damage and some of the saltbush and mangrove vegetation has been swept away.   

Throughout the year we have enjoyed the support of staff of Hobsons Bay City Council and Parks Victoria, and worked co-operatively with them. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the work of the committee that guides our work and manages our affairs and of Peter Cross who works behind the scenes to prepare our notices. I thank them all and I know that they as I do, get great pleasure in helping to look after our environment.

Ian D. Rae

July 2026

Well it’s all happening down at the Willi Wetlands, spring is definitely in the air (as most hay fever sufferer will attest to) and the local birds are busy with their breeding and nesting activities. The migratory waders have started to show up in decent numbers albeit a bit late this year, mostly likely due to the very wet conditions up north and in our central regions.

With all the recent rain the lakes are currently full to the brim and the overflow drains are discharging fresh water in to the bay. The water levels are very close to the bottom of the bridges on the western lakes and most of the perching rocks are now under water.

With the warmer weather we are starting to see more reptile and amphibian activity. Most morning/evenings you can hear the Common Eastern Froglet and both Striped and Spotted Marsh Frogs calling. Eastern Long-necked Turtles are currently breeding so keep an eye open for strange small holes in the grassed areas near the water for emerging baby turtles, these guys are about the size of a 20 cent coin and will appreciate not being stepped on. I nearly stepped on one the other day that was sitting in the middle of the path around Quest Lake.

If you happen to be out early in the morning/evening keep an eye open for one of the 3 Rakali that have made their home in the Western Lakes. Rakali like to forage for fish, crustaceans, shellfish, small birds, bird eggs, mammals including rats and mice, frogs, and lizards.

As usual for this time of the year Tiger Snakes, Blue-tongued Lizards and Tussock Skinks are active and can often be seen sunbaking or looking for food on the margins of the fresh water lakes and around the saltmarsh.

So far this season there have been 7 breeding pairs of Black Swans, to date they have produced 19 cygnets. With at least one pair still nesting it’s expected the number of cygnets will increase within the next week or two.

What’s about at the moment? Some interesting bird species around at the moment include a pair of juvenile Black-shouldered Kites, Brown Falcon, Nankeen Kestrel, Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Great Crested Grebe, Blue-winged Parrot and Blue-billed Duck.

As for the migratory waders, Red-necked Stint, Common Greenshank and Bar-tailed Godwits are now about with the notable exception of the Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. The Sharpies appear to have cut short their usual migration route from Arctic Siberia to Southern Australia and have propped for the time being at our flooded inland lakes and waterways. They may start showing up later in the year, after the inland areas dry out a bit!

If you would like a full list of the bird sighting for the Willi Wetlands check out the “Jawbone Flora and Fauna Reserve” hotspot on ebird. You can use ebird as a guest so you don’t have to sign up to use this useful, fun and free resource.

The Friends of the Williamstown Wetlands in conjunction with HBCC will be hosting a bird walk and BBQ on the 27th November 2022 from 10am to noon.   All welcome.