Geoff Skinner Wetlands Reserve

Geoff Skinner Wetlands Reserve

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Posted 2023-02-16 by Flynn Steelefollow
Easy fellow animal lovers - the only weapon required is a camera. For most of us, that means a mobile phone which makes this a light-pack safari to the wetlands of Wellington Point.



That's where you'll find - a unique and protected conservation area in the Redlands. The reserve occupies the eastern foreshore of Wellington Point and is largely comprised of salt marsh fringed with mangroves and eucalypts.





As part of what's known as the Moreton Bay Ramsar site, it's recognised as a wetland area of international importance. Aside from the ecological value of the mangroves themselves, more than 170 different bird species have been sighted in . Not to mention the animal that this wide-lens hunting expedition is devoted to - Phascolarctos cinereus - the mighty drop bear. Sorry, dad joke - make that koala not bear.



The best access point for this photographic adventure is the small car park at the end of Fernbourne Rd in Wellington Point. While there are longer hikes within the reserve, we're going to focus our attention on a small section renowned for its marsupial residents.



From the carpark, simply follow the boulder-lined, former road (now closed for conservation purposes) until you hit the first mangroves of Moreton Bay. At high tide, this is a great place to launch a kayak, canoe or baited hook. At low tide, the snorkel pneumatophores reappear and the wetlands switch to mud lands.



Take the path that appears on your left - it's the beginning of a short loop through a recovering eucalyptus forest purchased for restoration by Redlands City Council in 2018. As the wanted signs will tell you, the site is now a regular haunt for Wonky, Gumnut, Kim and Nobu.





Keep your eyes up for a glimpse of our marsupial friends - Queensland's faunal emblem - but also be reptile aware. Blue tongues, water dragons and snakes also call the wetland home.



The fifteen-minute loop is long enough to provide a bit of forest bathing time but short enough to keep the kids from whinging. With luck, you'll spot a koala but the sandflies and mosquitoes are a certainty so remember to pile on the insect repellant. Dogs are welcome but need to be kept on a leash at all times.





Definitely not a day trip in itself, a visit to is best combined with some of Wellington Point's other attractions - like a stroll out to King Island on low tide. The main strip (inventively named) Main Road offers plenty of coffee shops, restaurants and Hogan's pub. Best of all, there's a handful of fish and chips takeaway options to choose from for a picnic at the tip of the Point and maybe a dip in Moreton Bay.

#animals_wildlife
#dog_friendly
#free
#parks
#redland
#walks
#wellington_point
%wnbrisbane
151267 - 2023-06-14 05:18:32

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