Yanga Homestead

Visited: Winter

Recommendation: It was a little quiet and cold for bush birds when I visited but the water birds were still in abundance with countless terns, cormorants and pelicans. Best of all were rarieties like the bluebonnet and water rat. Definitely worth investigating at other times of the year.

Yanga Homestead is the centre of the Yanga Station, encompassing was at one point the largest privately owned station in the southern hemisphere, covering a vast 210,000 acres. The homestead itself was constructed around 1870, serving as the central hub for this massive pastoral station. The significant historical and ecological value of the Yanga area led to its acquisition by the NSW Government in 2005. Subsequently, Yanga National Park was established, encompassing the Yanga Homestead within its boundaries. The homestead transitioned from a private holding to a historical landmark open to the public for tours and exploration. It is a quite remarkable place to visit and there are lots of exhibits that reflect its rich history.

The area around the homestead slopes down on several sides to a huge lake. From the top, I saw hundreds of pelican, cormorants and waterfowl. The whole place was stunning and my photographs simply did not do it justice.

There is a walking track from the homestead down to the water and there I found several Caspian Tern. I always think they are the most elegant of terns with that bright red bill tipped with black. These large birds hold a few impressive records including the biggest tern species globally. Adults can reach lengths between 48-60 cm with a wingspan of 127-145 cm.

They also boast a subcosmopolitan distribution, meaning they are found across most of the world except for Antarctica. They inhabit coastal areas, estuaries, and some inland wetlands across continents.

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

Further around the track, I spotted some Greater Bluebonnet. I find them really interesting as their plumage is a plain grey/brown with patches of brilliant colours. They are native to southeastern and central-southern Australia.

The bluebonnet is found in drier inland areas including woodlands, grasslands, and semi-arid regions. They favor areas with scattered trees or shrubs, such as mulga and acacia woodlands where they play an important role in seed dispersal as they consume and scatter seeds from various plants.

Greater Bluebonnet (Northiella haematogaster)

Close to the bird hide, I saw a huge rat. But it looked quite different when I looked closer. Turns out it was a Rakali, an Australian Water Rat. It had really shaggy fur, huge fingers and toes and was shredding a rather large fish.

The rakali is a fascinating semi-aquatic rodent native to Australia. It is relatively large for a rodent, with adults reaching up to 40 centimeters in body length and weighing around 1 kilogram. They have streamlined, elongated bodies with a thick, muscular tail that acts as a rudder for swimming. The short, rounded ears and blunt muzzle with prominent whiskers help when navigating underwater. Lastly, the dense, water-resistant fur keeps them dry and warm even after swimming.

Rakali (Hydromys chrysogaster)