Baigup Wetlands is a very interesting, varied and complex site in its history, current state and potential. Approximately 1 kilometre in length, 200 metres wide and 16.4 ha. in area. it lies along the Swan River below Stone Street on the Maylands/Bayswater border. It is great birding location, with an abundance of both wetland birds and bush birds.
Baigup Wetlands is part of Bush Forever site No. 313 which includes both sides of the River from the east end of Maylands Peninsula to Garratt Road Bridge. It is also part of Precinct 9 (Ascot to Guildford) in the Swan Canning Riverpark. Baigup is registered in the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia and is subject to protection under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The Bush Forever site description is here.
Baigup Wetlands Reserve has been identified by the Swan River Trust as Priority 1 vegetation. The Reserve contains high value fauna habitat and is part of a regionally significant ecological linkage. The Reserve is used by the community for passive recreation but has been subject to a number of severe disturbance factors leading to environmental issues at the site, including acid sulphate soils and ponding water.
Birds
For a fairly small reserve, and only five kilometres from the Perth CBD, Baigup Wetlands holds an extraordinary variety of birds, both bush birds and waterfowl, with coastal birds thrown in. Over 100 species are recorded for the site and the regular quarterly surveys usually count between 40 and 50 species for each survey.
Many of these birds are represented in the two bird galleries below – all were photographed at the Wetlands:
Land Use
The Reserve was used historically by the Nyungar people who would have likely used the marshy river flats and camped on higher ground. After European settlement sections were used by market gardeners and for grazing of animals. In the 1970s the land was acquired as a road Reserve and for parks and recreation. Subsequently the road reserve was removed and the whole area is now reserved as Parks and Recreation in the Metropolitan Regional Scheme.
In 1986 the Dampier to Perth gas pipeline was laid through the Reserve and the raised track used during construction of the pipeline was subsequently paved as a footpath and cycleway. In the 1990s another track was created along the northern boundary of the Reserve to allow the laying of Water Corporation pipework. The Reserve had also been used as a receiving point for drainage, including road and property runoff.
The northern portion on the landward side of the path now retains significant freshwater from numerous springs and stormwater outlets and has become a woodland swamp. The southern portion on the river side of the dual-use path is still influenced by tidal flood from the Swan River and contributions from the stormwater overflows from the wetland, thus creating a brackish wetland system. Two artificial lakes were constructed in 2000 (the eastern Primary Lake) and 2001 (the western Secondary Lake) to enhance the aesthetic value of the Reserve while providing a permanent water habitat for fauna and flora.
Currently, the main purpose of the Reserve is conservation; however it is also used for recreation, including walking/jogging, cycling and canoeing. The foreshore of the Reserve is also used by recreational fishers.
Vegetation and Structure
Prior to European settlement the vegetation at the Reserve would likely have supported sedgeland in the low-lying floodplain with the more permanently wet areas supporting a Swamp Paperbark woodland with an understorey of sedges. A community of Flooded Gum would likely have occurred close to the river at either end of the Reserve where the floodplain narrows. In the upland areas of the Reserve there would likely have been a Marri-Banksia woodland.
The key vegetation element of Baigup Wetlands is the coastal salt marsh community which is listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Act as a Threatened Ecological Community (TEC) ‘Subtropical and Temperate Coastal Saltmarsh’. Subtropical and Temperate Coastal Saltmarsh occurs within a relatively narrow margin of the Australian coastline within the subtropical and temperate climate zones. The physical environment for this community is coastal areas under regular or intermittent tidal influence. It typically is restricted to the upper intertidal environment.
This TEC was likely once present throughout much of the Swan River Estuary; however, it has probably declined in the area by over 50 %.
Access
The Reserve’s recreational facilities comprise:
A paved dual-use walking and cycling path that runs the length of the Reserve, west-east.
A limestone path in the centre of the Reserve that runs northwest-southeast from private properties down to the river.
A boardwalk at the eastern end of the Reserve that offers a scenic viewpoint.
Access is from the Kelvin Street/Swan View Terrace junction in Maylands (limited street parking only) or from A.P. Hinds Reserve (enter from car park at the end of Milne Street. A joint use walkway/cycle path runs from the car park, under Garratt Road Bridge and right through the reserve to Kelvin Street.
Black Swan. Occasionally seen on the River, also occasionally on the eastern lake. Photo: John Baas.
Australian Pelican. Commonly seen on the River; occasionally on the lakes. Photo: John Baas.
Australian Pelican; loafing at the western lake. Photo: John Baas.
Little Pied Cormorant. Always present; River and lakes. Photo: John Baas.
Little Pied Cormorant. Photo: John Baas.
Great Cormorant is occasionally seen on high dead branches over the River. Photo: John Baas.
Little Black Cormorant. Rafts of these birds, often in the 100’s are common on the Swan River. The birds also sometimes perch in numbers on the shore She-oaks. Photo: John Baas.
Australian Darter; common on the River. Photo: John Baas.
Australian Darter. Photo: John Baas.
Great Egret with Glossy Swamp Skink. Photo: John Baas.
Nankeen Night-herons are often present but usually require searching for a sighting. Photo: John Baas.
Little Egret. Becoming more common in the metro; a chance at Baigup. Photo: John Baas.
White-faced Herons are reasonably common. Photo: John Baas.
Yellow-billed Spoonbill. Often seen. Photo: John Baas.
Yellow-billed Spoonbill. Photo: John Baas.
White Ibis – always present. Photo: John Baas.
Pacific Black Duck – common. Breeds at Baigup. Photo: John Baas.
Australian Shelducks have bred at Baigup in recent winters. Photo: John Baas.
Grey Teal are always present. Photo: John Baas.
Australasian Shoveler; one of the less common ducks. Photo: John Baas.
Hardhead Ducks are breeding springtime visitors; this bird, a male. Photo: John Baas.
Hardhead Duck (female). Photo: John Baas.
Hardhead Duck duckling. Photo: John Baas.
Chestnut Teal. Rare at Baigup. Photo: John Baas.
Blue-billed Duck. One of Baigup’s less common ducks, but pairs come in during spring to breed – see following image.. Photo: John Baas.
Blue-billed Duck – Photo: Mike Clarke.
Blue-billed Duck (duckling). Photo: John Baas.
Freckled Duck. A generally very uncommon Australian endemic duck. Highly uncommon at Baigup. This bird the first seen in years. Photo: John Baas.
Australian Wood Ducks are one of Perth’s most common ducks, but for some unknown ecological reason, are uncommon at Baigup. These ducks are sexually dimorphic; the lower bird is the female. Photo: John Baas.
Pink-eared Duck. One of Australia’s ‘prettiest’ waterbirds. This species is uncommon at Baigup but a pair has bred in recent years – see following image. Photo: John Baas.
Pink-eared Duck with young: Photo – Mike Clarke.
Dusky Moorhen is common and breeds at Baigup. Photo: John Baas.
Dusky Moorhen chicks. Photo: John Baas.
Australasian Grebe. Breeds at Baigup. Photo: John Baas.
Eurasian Coot. Common; breeds at Baigup. Photo: John Baas.
Australasian Swamp-hen. Common; breeds in the Reserve. Photo: John Baas.
Spotless Crakes are resident but notoriously hard to observe. Best chance is waiting very quietly watching the edge of the reed beds on the mud flats. However, sightings have become even more infrequent with the successful vegetation re-generation. Photo: John Baas.
Australian Spotted Crake. First sighted late 2013; now apparently resident, following numerous observations. Photo: Mike Clarke.
Baillon’s Crake. Widespread in Australia but not commonly observed. First ever sighting at Baigup; January 2018. Photo: Ken Glasson.
Buff-banded Rail. This bird is always present, but is hard to spot, generally being very wary. Possibly breeds at Baigup as a pair was seen recently. Photo: John Baas.
Pied Stilt. Pied Stilts are common at many metro locations such as at Lake Claremont or Herdsmans but this immature bird is only the second recorded at the Wetland; taken Apr 2019. Photo: John Baas.
Black-fronted Dotterel; occasional visitor. Photo: John Baas.
Red-kneed Dotterel. Dec 2019 – first record for this species at Baigup. Photo: John Baas.
Caspian Tern. Image taken at River shore. Photo: John Baas.
Crested Tern. Commonly seen fishing along the River. Photo: John Baas.
Baigup Bushbirds Gallery
Black-shouldered Kite. Occasionally seen. Photo: John Baas.
Juvenile Black-shouldered Kite with rat. Photo: John Baas.
Juvenile Black-shouldered Kite about to pounce. Photo: John Baas.
Brown Goshawk is usually present but is always hiding in ambush! Photo: Mike Clarke.
Eastern Osprey; often seen perching over the Swan on the She-oaks. Photo: John Baas.
Australian Hobby is occasionally seen; mostly at the eastern end where it roosts in the adjacent Norfolk Pines. Unfortunately, the pic isn’t the best – taken in poor light near dusk. Photo: John Baas.
Baigup’s most common bushbird, the Willie Wagtail. This one a juvenile hawking on the mud. Photo: John Baas.
Australian Raven. Always present. Photo: John Baas.
Grey Butcherbird. Often seen and heard ‘cackling’ in the eastern half of the Reserve. Photo: John Baas.
Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike. Frequently seen at eastern end. Photo: John Baas.
New Holland Honeyeater. Common all year round. Photo: john Baas.
White-cheeked Honeyeater. These used to be common but have become less so following urban developments at Baigup. Photo: John Baas.
Singing Honeyeater. Common. Photo: John Baas.
Brown Honeyeater. Fills Baigup with song all year round. Photo: John Baas.
Male Purple-backed Fairy-wren. One family has been present over a number of years. Photo: John Baas.
Female Purple-backed Fairy-wren. Photo: John Baas.
Splendid Fairy-wren. Only recently ‘moved in’. Photo: John Baas.
Silvereyes are always present. Photo: John Baas.
Rufous Whistlers are always heard calling. Photo: John Baas.
Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo. Male (pink eye ring and dark bill) feeding on regenerated vegetation – Hakea varia, Variable-leaved Hakea. Carnaby’s are listed as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Photo: John Baas.
Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo (female). This bird was one of a flock of twenty or more feeding on re-vegetation (Hakea varia) planted at the western end. Carnaby’s are threatened by loss of breeding habitat (mature trees with hollows); previously in the agricultural regions and more recently by relentless urban expansion. Photo: John Baas.
Rufous Whistler (female). Photo: John Baas.
Grey Fantail. Frequently seen in the treed sections. Photo: John Baas.
Galah scolding a Ringneck Parrot. Neither of these species is commonly seen at Baigup though both are common at nearby locations. Photo: Mike Clarke.
Australian Ringneck Parrot. Photo: Mike Clarke.
Pallid Cuckoo. Uncommon visitor in Springtime. Photo: Mike Clarke.
Horsefield’s Bronze Cuckoo. Uncommon visitor to Baigup. Photo: John Baas.
Western Gerygone. Usually associated with Weebills in Baigup’s Flooded Gums. Photo: John Baas.
Weebill. Australia’s smallest bird. Not easily seen; high in the gums usually. Photo: John Baas.
Rainbow Bee-eaters; summer visitors. Photo: John Baas.
Mistletoe Bird. Two species of Mistletoe are present on Baigup She-oaks providing an extended berry period from about January each year; bringing this species in in numbers. Photo: John Baas.
Sacred Kingfisher perched on gas infrastructure. Photo: John Baas.
Laughing Kookaburra. Always present. Photo: John Baas.
Little Grassbird. Always present but extremely furtive. LGB’s are one of WA’s most difficult to photograph birds. Their song is a mono-tonal ‘mournful’ three note call which is only heard in breeding season. Photo: John Baas.
Australian Reed Warbler. Often heard; less frequently seen. Photo: Penny Lee.
Spotted Pardelote. Only one ever sighting of this species – Apr 2017; possibly illustrating the importance of Baigup as a bird ‘staging post’. Photo: Mike Clarke.
Female Red-capped Robin. Again, only one ever sighting of this bird – June 2017. Photo: John Baas.
Baigup Wetlands Gallery
Baigup Wetlands Location
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