As well as tracing some of the coastline we spent time wandering through wetlands, bushland and conservation reserves further inland, some reclaimed grazing land.
Tucked in close to the short-tailed shearwaters (mutton bird) rookeries and the Penguin Reserve is Swan Lake - minus the ballerinas! It is the only freshwater lake on Phillip Island and an important haven for birds, reptiles, mammals and yes, insects. With food and other survival necessaries in abundance, it was once a popular campsite for the local Boonwurrung people, but early settlers spoilt all that by turning it into grazing land. Thankfully it is now protected and has boardwalks in some areas to protect the fragile dunes where the short-tailed shearwaters nest.
Out on the grassy dunes Cape Barron geese and black swans grazed, many with their chicks in tow.
But we were also able to watch quite a variety of water birds from the bird hides by the edge of the water sitting as quietly as possible so as not to disturb the tranquility of the lake.
Swan Lake trail wound through scrubby land complete with curious wallabies - those lovely creatures plus the abundance of birds would have provided good bush tucker. The land provided. For the people of the land with knowledge of the land, plants also provided food, building materials and medicinal aids, for example the milk from the bracken fern stem was used to soothe insect stings - note to self after a day being bombed by mozzies!
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