PAWS
Newsletter for Parks and Wildlife Supporters
Issue 14 Autumn 2007

Students at the Quibray Bay viewing platform

Botany Bay National Park is rich in both history and wildlife.

Cook's Landing Place at Kurnell in Botany Bay National Park is protected as a Historic Site. The Monument Track takes visitors to this and other monuments, while the Banks-Solander Track gives visitors an insight into the plants that Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, Cook's botanists, collected in 1770.

An exhibition at the Discovery Centre tells about the first contact between Aboriginal people and the crew of Captain Cook’s Endeavour. One of the ship’s cannons is also on display.

Captain Cook's Landing Place is also the landing place of thousands of migratory birds that spend summer at the wetlands of Towra Point Nature Reserve.

Every year more than 30 different species of migratory birds take on their incredible journeys to Towra Point from as far north as the Arctic. The wetlands are of national and international significance and provide a suitable breeding ground for the endangered Little Tern who migrates here from Japan.

The abundance of birds attract great number of bird viewers in return, posing both an opportunity to raise awareness of the plight of some of these threatened species, as well as a risk for unintentional destruction of vital habitat.

The Foundation supported the redevelopment of this important national historic site, including displays, interpretive signs and disabled access to the Monument Track. Through the Foundation, Caltex sponsored the Banks-Solander Walk and the restoration of the Endeavour cannon. Caltex Refineries, P&O Ports and artist Robyn Collier put funding towards a viewing platform at Quibray Bay that makes birdwatching more comfortable for both birds and people (above).

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