New South Wales’ Capertee Valley is gearing up to host a truly special event this Spring: a three-day festival dedicated to feathered friends.
The inaugural Capertee Valley Bird Festival is the result of a unique collaboration between local community associations and BirdLife Southern NSW.
“Locals and bird lovers have known about the natural beauty and the amazing birds in Capertee Valley for decades, but we are looking forward to sharing this secret with the wider community,” said Wendy Stephens, Chair of the Capertee Valley Annual Bird Festival Management Committee.
The Glen Alice and Glen Davis Community Associations are now preparing to welcome bird lovers expected to flock to Capertee Valley for the festival on September 19-21. Their community halls will serve as key starting points for many of the activities.
For over three decades, the Capertee Valley local community has shown a remarkable commitment to protecting the local wildlife. Working closely with BirdLife Southern NSW as part of the bird conservation charity’s Capertee Valley Regent Honeyeater Recovery Project, they’ve transformed farmlands by planting more than 100,000 native trees and shrubs. This habitat restoration has been vital for safeguarding the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater and other threatened woodland birds that call this area home.
Festival-goers will get to explore bird habitats in places not normally open to the public, increasing the chance of encounters with the Capertee Valley’s 39 vulnerable and endangered bird species, including Regent Honeyeaters, Diamond Firetails, and Turquoise Parrots.
“Locals developed the Capertee Valley Bird Trail, and now, through this festival, we’re taking it a step further by inviting visitors onto our properties to experience the rich bird life attracted to the habitats we’ve carefully cultivated,” Ms Stephens added.
BirdLife Southern NSW will lead most of the festival’s activities, including guided bird walks and expert talks on conservation, with a focus on the conservation charity’s Capertee Valley Regent Honeyeater Recovery Project.
“The Capertee Valley holds a truly special place in our hearts at BirdLife Southern NSW. We’ve poured 31 years of dedicated effort into protecting the Regent Honeyeater in this remarkable natural landscape, and bird lovers have long appreciated its unique beauty and amazing birds,” BirdLife Southern NSW secretary Barry Walsh said.
Capertee Valley is an internationally recognised Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA). With more than240 bird species recorded, it’s considered one of the top 50 birdwatching destinations in the world.
The festival is supported by Lithgow City Council.
“The Capertee Valley Bird Festival is a wonderful new event that showcases one of our Seven Valleys. The Council is pleased to sponsor the festival, and I look forward to welcoming birdwatchers and eco-tourists to celebrate our beautiful nature based recreation areas in the Capertee Valley,” Mayor of Lithgow City Council Cassandra Coleman said. The inaugural Capertee Valley Bird Festival is taking place from September 19-21, and offers a diverse range of activities to cater to all interests and skill levels.
The festival offers over 25 bird and nature-themed activities. Highlights include a dedicated session for beginner birdwatchers, a captivating bird book club, and opportunities to explore bird life while kayaking on the stunning waters of Ganguddy. The program also offers unique ways to connect with local Indigenous culture and unleash creativity through workshops with local artists.
A very special photography exhibition will also follow the journey of local Sue Harvey, who for more than a decade has created an amazing record of the birds of the Capertee Valley. For the truly dedicated birders, the Birders Pass-ticket offers the ultimate experience, providing full access to an exclusive range of expert-led activities. This includes a minimum of six hours of guided bird walks, a dedicated bird photography class as well as insightful talks from Australia’s leading bird experts – it’s your VIP ticket to deeper birding discovery!
Main Image: Scarlet HoneyEater. Photo by Sue Harvey
