Hoodies nesting at Anglesea, Lorne and Apollo Bay

Published on 30 October 2024

Volunteer birdwatchers and our Conservation Rangers are urging community members to follow safety precautions to protect Hooded Plovers nesting on beaches at Lorne, Apollo Bay and Anglesea.

Rangers say six Hooded Plover chicks have hatched from two nests on the beach at Mounts Bay, between the Barham River and Ocean Park Drive, in Apollo Bay.

Signage has been installed to inform the community and a temporary exclusion zone will be established around the nesting sites ahead of the Melbourne Cup long weekend.

A temporary exclusion zone will also be set up at Lorne, where another Hooded Plover nest is expected to hatch this week. Dogs are not permitted within the exclusion zone at any time, however, people are free to pass through at the water’s edge.

In other fantastic news, two out of three Hooded Plovers that hatched recently at Point Roadknight in Anglesea have survived and are now able to fly (fledged).

To give the Hoodies the best chance of survival we are asking community members to:

• Give the area a wide berth. Please walk your dog at another beach and use the area outside the exclusion zone to enjoy our beaches.
• Please be vigilant in the area. The hoodie chicks have a survival rate of 2%.

Hooded Plovers are listed as a vulnerable species, around 700 individuals are left in Victoria.

If you spot a Hooded Plover nest on beaches, or a nesting pair of hoodies along the Great Ocean Road, please report the location to info@greatoceanroadauthority.vic.gov.au or 1300 736 533.

Quotes attributable to Climate Action and Resilience Manager Leia Howes:

“We all need to work together to protect our Hoodies so they can thrive and be enjoyed by future generations.

We’re thrilled that two chicks at Anglesea have fledged because the odds really are stacked against these beautiful birds.

“For these cute little birds to survive, they’ll need to make it through the first 35 days before they can fly and escape predators. 

“As crowds flock to Victoria’s Surf Coast beaches for the long weekend, these plucky little plovers need our support to give their chicks the best possible chance of survival.”