New bird watching platform installed on the Yarra Valley Trail

On the Yarra Valley Trail, just a few minutes’ walk north of Nelson Road, you can now stop to view the many water birds that visit the Yarra Valley Water treated water ponds.

With the support of Yarra Valley Water, Yarra Ranges Council has installed a raised viewing platform, additional seating and new signage that tells you about some of the 140 different species of birds that visit this site.

The Lilydale sewage treatment plant has been in operation since 1968, collecting and treating sewage from Lilydale, Coldstream and Yarra Glen. These treated water ponds (or lagoons) have become a great habitat for many birds on their annual migrations, some of them coming from as far away as Siberia.

Projects like the Bird Watching Platform are important additions to the Yarra Valley Trail. They add points of interest for trail users and provide additional benefits such as education, social connection, relaxation and increased environmental awareness as part of the trail experience. This project was funded as part of the $1.8m Yarra Valley Trail Stage 1A project.

Yarra Ranges Council was able to design and deliver the project with the assistance of a temporary Landscape Architect employed through the State Government’s ‘Working for Victoria’ program.