The Project

In 1964 the Victorian Government approved a project to re-introduce the Australian Bustard into suitable habitat in Victoria.

The project was to be carried out by the Fisheries and Wildlife Branch at the Serendip Wildlife Research Station (now Serendip Sanctuary) at Lara near Geelong.

Victoria was traditionally the southernmost breeding area of the bustard in Australia. Bustards originally inhabited grasslands, grassy woodlands and shrublands in Victoria. They were still reasonably abundant in the early 1900’s and breeding was thought to have ceased by the 1940s.

By the 1960s only very occasional sightings of individual bustards were recorded in Victoria.

Project Location

The Serendip Wildlife Research Station consisted of 250 hectares of cleared farmland including a lake (30 ha) and some plantations of exotic and Australian trees. Planting of selected areas with Australian trees and shrubs to provide wildlife habitat commenced in the latter part of 1960.

Serendip is situated in a coastal temperate climatic zone, 35 km from the ocean (Bass Strait) and is approximately 15 metres above sea level. Annual rainfall at Serendip over the study period ranged between 212 mm and 780 mm with a 17 year average of 474 mm.

Temperatures range from an average high of 26^oC (79^oF) in February to an average low of 5^oC (41^oF) in July.

Bustards were collected as breeding stock for the project from other States and Territories where they were abundant.

All aspects of the management of these birds in captivity and their progeny are described here including handling, feeding, breeding, incubation, rearing, etc from 1966 to 1983-4 when the project was terminated by the Department.

In 1976 a significant number of sightings of bustards were reported from Telopea Downs area of the Big Desert in N.W Victoria. A survey was commenced in 1977 to determine the number of bustards, location, habitat preference and breeding potential. The results of this survey are also described here.