Popular wetlands reopen as upgrades complete

A $7.6 million project to improve the quality and availability of shorebird wetland habitat at Tolderol Game Reserve in South Australia is now complete, with the site to reopen to visitors this weekend.

Part of the Coorong and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert Wetland Ramsar site, the reserve is one of South Australia’s premier bird-watching wetlands due largely to the rich foraging habitat it provides for Coorong waterbirds, including migratory shorebirds.

Jointly funded by the Albanese and Malinauskas Governments as part of the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin program, the major wetland restoration project began in January 2025 and has increased the site’s managed wetland by approximately 50 hectares - a 60 percent increase.

The wetlands, located on the northern banks of Lake Alexandrina, now boast 150 hectares of foraging habitat for migratory and non-migratory shorebirds for the majority of the shorebird season, which typically runs from September to March.

Previous water management facilities at the site restricted how water was distributed throughout the reserve, reducing habitat availability.

The installation of new pump infrastructure and supporting earthworks have improved water management to enable water to be delivered more evenly and efficiently across the reserve.

The project was delivered by the SA Department of Environment and Water in collaboration with Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation, Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, National Parks and Wildlife Service SA, and the local volunteer-run Tolderol Wetlands Working Group, which has a long history of site management and stewardship of Tolderol.

Wetland restoration works delivered under the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin Regional Bird Refugia project are on-track to restore or improve the availability of more than 1,800 hectares of preferred shorebird habitat at Tolderol Game Reserve, Teringie Wetlands and Lake Hawdon North.

For more information, visit Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin. For Tolderol visitor information please visit the National Parks and Wildlife SA.

Quotes

Attributable to Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt:

“It’s great that the Tolderol Game Reserve is opening once again for campers and bird watchers alike, and it’s bigger and better than ever because of this incredible work.

“Not only is this a terrific place to spend some time in South Australia’s beautiful environment with family, but it is also an important habitat for iconic migratory shorebirds such as the common sandpiper and Latham’s snipe.

“Thanks to the Tolderol Wetlands Working Group volunteers, as well as the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation, Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, and National Parks and Wildlife Service SA for their hard work on this important project.”

Attributable to the SA Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Susan Close:

“Tolderol Game Reserve is one of South Australia’s premier wetlands for bird-watching, attracting a diverse array of visitors each year, from birders to sightseers, bushwalkers, campers and boaters.

“By increasing the foraging habitat, this project is providing birds with critical food resources, including invertebrates such as snails, crustaceans, worms and insect larvae, which the birds rely on to fuel-up before making the journey back to the Northern Hemisphere to breed.

“These upgrades are essential in enhancing the overall ecological health of the reserve and ensuring that the site retains its unique cultural and social value.”

Attributable to Department for Environment and Water (DEW) Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin Program Leader, Tom Overall:

“The completion of the works were another crucial step to supporting shorebird species in the Coorong region.

“Tolderol is an important refuge for a wide variety of migratory and non-migratory shorebirds species” Mr Overall said.

“Restoring wetland habitat at Tolderol is not only important in enhancing the ecological health of the reserve and resilience in the wider Coorong region, but it can also play a role in reversing the decline of shorebird habitat globally.

“We’re pleased that the site is re-opening and we’re looking forward to both visitors and shorebirds flocking to the reserve in the coming seasons.”