Aranmore Lake and Crawley Road Board Walk, Narre Warren North

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In a quiet corner of Narre Warren North, away from main roads and shops, Aranmore Lake and the Crawley Road Boardwalk beckon. This is a small lake surrounded by a walking track, next to expansive parkland.


There is a gravelled parking area at the entrance but I live nearby and often walk to the lake. The area fell victim to bushfires in February of 2009 and was redeveloped by the City of Casey with the help of the Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund and the Narre Warren North Community Association. It is now a place of last resort in a bushfire.

I visit late afternoon. People regularly come to feed the ducks and water fowl and they flock to the water's edge as I approach. There are plenty of them, Australian Wood Ducks, Eurasion Coots and Mallards. At the boardwalk, where there is covered seating, a family spend time together. Children stand behind a secure railing, drop bits of bread for the ducks and squeal their excitement. I wave and continue along the gravel path that surrounds the lake. Everywhere Welcome Swallows dart about above the water.


A couple walking their dog nod a hello and further along two young boys ride their bikes. I stop at a turn in the path near a tree, a good vantage point to view birdlife gathered amongst rocks at the back of the lake. Always there are ducks, coots and dusky moorhens. Sometimes a cormorant will suns its wings atop a branch. Masked lapwings step about in the mud and a couple of times I have seen a pelican here. The birds and the vista will tempt any photographer.


Around the corner I leave the path and head into the parkland, an open and expansive area with plenty of room for an impromptu cricket or football game. There is a flowering gum here where rainbow lorikeets are easily found feeding from the red flowers. What a colourful display! Bees move from blossom to blossom and I try to photograph them up close but they are displeased with my efforts and I cautiously back away.


At the back of the park cotoneaster trees grow, remnants of a time gone by. Many trees here still show the scars of the bushfire. I keep my eyes to the tree tops and I am rewarded with sightings of eastern rosellas and noisy minors.


By the path on the Louth Road side of the lake a grassed area gives way to reed beds at lake's edge. There are large patches of water lilies and I watch as ducks nibble on the white flowers. A Willy Wag Tail bobs about on the path and European Gold Finches perch atop reeds. There are blackberries growing here and the fruit is plentiful although I don't pick any.


Aranmore Lake and the Crawley Road Boardwalk are on Crawley Road in Narre Warren North just back from the intersection with The Lough Ct. There is a covered seat and safety railing at the boardwalk and some seats along the path. There are no toilets or BBQ facilities. A gravelled area at the entrance provides room for parking.

#child_friendly
#dog_friendly
#free
#lakes
#narre_warren
#outer_east
#parks
#walks
%wnmelbourne