Serendip Sanctuary
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Visitor Guide
A wildlife oasis in the Western Volcanic Plains, this 250 hectare sanctuary is home to a rich and diverse
array of birds and mammals. Come and learn about the grassland and wetland habitats that these
animals call home. Serendip is an experience you will never forget.
Serendip
obtained its
name from the
word
“Serendipity”
meaning “the
unexpected
discovery of
something
wonderful”.
Brolga
Facilities
A picnic area with free undercover electric barbecues
are available for your enjoyment. A group barbecue
area with a wood fire may be reserved for a small
fee. Toilet facilities cater for people with restricted
mobility.
A ponding site and ponding equipment provide
children with opportunities to catch water bugs and
study their features using magnifying glasses.
An Information Centre provides engaging, hands on
displays.
Enjoying the sanctuary
Entry is free. Guided tours are available for groups
(minimum of 15 people) by appointment. Moderate
Serendip Sanctuary is a great place to visit with the
family. Have a picnic, enjoy the many walks,
experience the wildlife up close and learn about our
natural environment.
fees apply.
Walking
Start your Serendip experience at the Information
Centre with a peek down the giant microscope or
step into the Underwater World.
There are four interconnecting nature trails
throughout the sanctuary, all within walking distance
from the Information Centre. Each trail is no longer
than two kilometres return. Take the journey along
these trails, viewing wildlife in their natural habitats.
Wildlife Walk
Our most popular walk provides an opportunity for
visitors to experience a close encounter with native
wildlife. The walk meanders past Emus and Eastern
Grey Kangaroos grazing before providing you with
outstanding opportunities for birdwatching from
viewing areas, bird hides and flight aviaries. You may
be treated to Brolgas trumpeting, Whistling Kites
soaring high overhead, magnificent Yellow-billed
Spoonbills wading through the shallow water, or
even a glimpse of the well hidden Tawny Frogmouth
as it watches you pass by.
Specially designed bird hides enable you to see some
of the 150 species of birds that breed at, or visit,
Serendip Sanctuary.
Environmental Education
Serendip Sanctuary’s curriculum based education
program offers students an excellent opportunity to
learn about the wetland and grassy woodland
habitats of Victoria’s Western Volcanic Plains, as well
as the captive breeding of endangered native
animals. An education officer can deliver a range of
activities that are adapted to meet the specific
AusVELS standards or VCE outcomes. Fees apply. For
bookings, please contact 13 1963.
Serendip also runs a Junior Ranger program on most
school holidays. For more information on the holiday
program please visit www.juniorrangers.com.au.
Bookings are essential.
Opening Hours
Serendip Sanctuary is open from 8.00am – 4.00pm
every day except for Christmas Day and Good Friday.
Be fire ready and stay safe
On days of forecast Code Red Fire Danger this park
will be closed for public safety.
Closure signs will be erected and rangers will patrol
where possible, however you may not receive a
personal warning that the park is closed so check by
calling 13 1963 or visit www.parks.vic.gov.au.
For up to date information on fires in Victoria or
general fire safety advice call the Victorian Bushfire
Information Line on 1800 240 667 or visit
www.cfa.vic.gov.au.
For more information call the Parks Victoria Information Centre on
13 1963 or visit our website at www.parks.vic.gov.au
Serendip Sanctuary
Wildlife Walk
23
18
22
24
16
19
Marshland
15
21
20
10
14
9
12
11
6
7
5
8
13
Wildlife Walk
Wader Walk
33
BIRD HIDES (12317)
NORTH
31
9 (20190)
OTHER BUILDIN2G
26
32
BIRD HIDES (37644)
PLATFORMS / TOWERS (32828)
OTHER BUILDING (20199A) RM
BIRD HIDES (12315)
28
GEN2E5RAL (38243) REFUGE SHELTER (37654)
BIRD HIDES (12316)
27
LAKE
30
Wetland Walk
Farm Dam for Wildlife Walk
17
BIRD HIDES (12314)
BIRD HIDES (12313)
GENERAL (20200)
STORAGE TANK (38278)
TOILET (32375)
DEPOTS (33100)
Marshland
STORAGE TANK (38271)
TOILET (32333)
STORAGE TANK (38230)
GRAVEL CARPARK (13482)
VISITOR CENTRE (33056)
PICNIC & BBQ (22751)
PICNIC & BBQ (22760)
TABLE/SEAT (38223)
SERENDIP
TABLE/SEAT (22266)
Wildlife Walk
3
BIRD HIDES (12319)
BIRD HIDES (12320)
P
TOILET (32374)
2 ALED CARPARK (13481)
SE
1
4
Spillway
Spillway
Pirra Homestead
MAIN ENTRANCE/EXIT
Wildlife walk - 1110m
Wetland walk - 1110m
12 Wildlife walk entrance gate
25 Lake view
13 Kangaroo and Emu enclosure
26 Observation tower
14 Reptiles
27 Ponding site
15 Brolga
28 North Arm Tea-tree bird observation hide
3 Public BBQ area
16 Marshland bird observation hide
29 North Arm
4 Eastern Barred-bandicoot project site
17 Lake Serendip
5 Group BBQ area (bookings only)
18 Billabong bird observation hide
6 Outdoor learning centre
19 Freckled Duck enclosure
7 Information Centre
20 Pademelon walk-through
8 Display Pond
21 Walk-through wetland & dryland aviaries
9 Office
22 Walk-through Wallaby enclosure
10 Classroom
23 Brolga breeding enclosure
11 Native Grassland
24 Bustard breeding enclosure
1 Carpark
2 Toilets (disabled access)
Farm Dam for Wlidlife Walk - 1300m
30 Farm dam bird observation hide
31 Demonstration farm dam for wildlife
32 Farm dam bird observation hide
Wader Walk - 1300m
33 Wader bird observation hide
Park Information
Barbeque - Electric
Bird Hide
Toilets
200
Walking Tack
Native Grassland
Management Vehicle Only
(No Public Access)
Picnic Table
Gate
Fence
Barbeque - Wood
Bridge
Metres
Melways Reference: p.2k UBD Reference: p.283
Waterbody
Parking
Picnic Shelter
100
Serendip Sanctuary
Unsealed Road
Lookout
Disabled Access
N
0
Sealed Road
P
www.parks.vic.gov.au
Disclaimer: Parks Victoria does not
guarantee that this data is without flaw
of any kind and therefore disclaims all
liabitity wich may arise from you
relying on this information.
Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA 94) Zone 55.
Map produced by Parks Victoria. This map supersedes
all previous editions. Data source acknowledgements:
State Digital Mapbase. The State of Victoria
and Department of Sustainability and Environment.
Cartography by Parks Victoria 2011
For further information
A rich human history
Call Parks Victoria on 13 1963
or visit www.parks.vic.gov.au
We respectfully acknowledge the past and present
traditional owners of this land, the Wadawurrung.
The Wadawurrung were a powerful tribe that
included 25 clans. The Western Volcanic Plains were
bountiful in providing for all their needs.
Geelong VIC
26 Moorabool Street
Geelong Vic 3220
Freecall: 1800 620 888
Caring for the
environment
Help us look after your park by
remembering these
guidelines:
Please take rubbish with you
for recycling or disposal
All plants, animals,
archaeological sites and
geological features are
protected by law and are not
to be disturbed. This includes
feathers and egg shell
Dogs are not permitted
in the park
Firearms are prohibited
Light fires only in the group
barbecue fireplace.
Electric barbecues are
provided in the Public Picnic
Area.
No fires may be lit on a day of
Total Fire Ban.
Serendip is in the Western
Total Fire Ban District
It is your responsibility to
know if it is a day of Total Fire
Ban. If in doubt call the
Victorian Bushfire
Information Line
on 1800 240 667
Park closures - Be prepared to
leave early as extreme
weather may cause the
closure of some park areas for
public safety
In 1959 the State purchased the grazing property
and developed the site into a prolific wildlife
research station. The site was extensively
revegetated and the sanctuary opened to the public
in 1991.
Fauna
More than 150 species of bird common to the
western plains of Victoria have been recorded at
Serendip Sanctuary. The facilities provided here
make it ideal for viewing them in their natural
settings. Look for free-ranging Cape Barren Geese
and Magpie Geese in the shallow, freshwater
wetlands, and many ducks, herons, swans, spoonbills
and grebes in and around the marshland.
Honeyeaters and wattlebirds feed on nectar and
insects in the trees around Lake Serendip and
Whistling and Black Kites soar up above looking for
small prey on the ground. The Billabong provides
habitat for various ducks, swamphens and moorhens
and attracts other species such as frogs, water rats
and snakes.
The North Arm permanent wetland is more reliable
for fish populations providing food for fishing birds
like cormorants and herons. Black-winged Stilts,
Black-fronted Dotterels and flocks of Ibis also feed in
the wetland.
The Australian Bustard and Bush Stone-curlew are
two rare Victorian birds that were once common on
the Western Plains and now find a protected home
at Serendip. Brolgas and Bustards were chosen for
the captive breeding program at Serendip, designed
to rehabilitate species that have become rare or
extinct on the Western Plains. The success of the
captive breeding program has received international
recognition.
Australia’s rarest waterfowl, the Freckled Duck, and
the most secretive of owls, the endangered Masked
Owl, are also on display at the sanctuary.
Serendip provides habitat for a variety of mammal
species including the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Black
Wallaby and Tasmanian Pademelon. The Pademelon
is one of the smallest members of the kangaroo
family and is now extinct on mainland Australia.
Healthy Parks Healthy People
Visiting a park can improve
your health, mind, body and
soul. So, with over four million
hectares of parkland available
to Victorians, why not escape
to a park today!
The critically endangered Eastern Barred Bandicoot
is a small nocturnal ground-dwelling marsupial.
Serendip participates in the National Recovery
Program in conjunction with Zoos Victoria,
Conservation Volunteers and the Department of
Environment and Primary Industries, providing a
"semi-wild" habitat for captive-bred animals prior to
larger release.
The endangered Tiger Quoll, also known as the Spottailed Quoll, is now the largest marsupial carnivore
surviving on mainland Australia.
Spot-tailed
Quoll - despite
being
nocturnal, you
may be lucky to
occasionally
catch one lazing
in the sun.
Flora
Since 1959 Serendip has re-created a range of
habitats that has seen the number of animal species
increase from 40 (with few breeding) to over 150
today (with over 60 breeding). The sanctuary has
also demonstrated effective ways that farming and
wildlife can co-exist.
The birds you see at Serendip are there because the
wetlands provide habitat for them. These wetlands
are part of a larger number of wetlands in the
region. As many wetlands have been modified or
drained and no longer provide habitat, these
remaining wetlands have significant conservation
value.
Serendip has many different wetland types, each
with its own characteristics. The shallow freshwater
wetland is ephemeral and dries out every 2-3 years
unless it receives a flow of water from the You Yangs
water catchment. The Marshland at Serendip has
channels of varying depths designed to cater for a
range of waterbird species. Trees such as River Red
Gums and wattles around Lake Serendip attract
different species of birds. Finally, the North Arm of
Lake Serendip is an example of a permanent open
water wetland.
Prior to European settlement, grasslands were
widespread across western Victoria. Today, due to
farming, changed burning regimes and weed
invasion, grasslands now cover less than 1% of their
original pre-European area. Serendip has preserved
and enhanced areas of grasslands to provide
valuable habitat for the animals that live in these
areas.
Caring for the park
Walk quietly so as not to frighten the free range
animals away. Be sure to walk on the designated
paths and leave everything where you find it.
Keep wildlife wild
The animals at Serendip are native to Victoria and
most of them are free to come and go as they
please. They find their food in the wild. Feeding
them is harmful and dangerous to them and you. It
can result in diseases, aggressive behaviour and an
unnatural reliance on humans for food. Please let
them stay wild.
How to get there
Serendip Sanctuary is located at 100 Windermere
Road, Lara at the base of the You Yangs, 60km from
Melbourne and 22km north of Geelong. It is
signposted from the Princes Highway.
April 2014
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