Point Danger Gannet Colony - Portland Victoria - Birdwatching Locations on Waymarking.com

More than 6,000 pairs of these magnificent birds nest on Point Danger as well as nearby Lawrence Rocks, which are located 2 kilometres south, southeast of the mainland. To the naked eye it appears that Lawrence Rocks, are white in colour. Looking through binoculars you will see that Gannets occupy all sites where nesting can occur on the two islands/rocks. In October 1996, due to overcrowding, some of the colony relocated to Point Danger.
On the mainland colony you can observe chicks, immature Gannets (grey in colour) and mature birds. As the adult birds soar high above you will marvel at their size and wing span.
Gannets feed on small sea and they are quite spectacular to watch as they dive into the ocean, sometime in flocks of hundreds of Gannets will dive in quick succession.
When they are able to fly, immature Gannets embark on a great journey, leaving their birth colony for up to 4 years. Information gained through a ten year chick banding program has shown us that the young birds generally migrate west from where they are born, returning to their birth colony 3 or 4 years later. Young banded birds have been found along the Great Australian Bight, Fremantle and even north of the Tropic of Capricorn at Monkey Mia, more than three and a half thousand kilometres from Point Danger. The most outstanding flight recorded was to Madagascar, off the African coast, where the bird had flown over 7,000 kilometres within 27 days of being banded. Australasian Gannets tend to mate for life and live more than 30 years.
A pair of Maremma dogs have been placed at the site to protect the Gannets from preditors, such as cats and foxes. (visit link)

Information was taken from the Portland Holidays website (visit link) and the information sign near the viewing platform.

Park Name: Point Danger Gannet Colony Sponsoring Organization: Point Danger Committee of Management Handicap Accessible?: No Entrance Fee: 0.00 (listed in local currency) List any Hides, Birding Towers, or other structures to assist in Birdwatching found at the location: A viewing platform is built onto the side of an old rifle range bunker Parking Coordinates: N 38° 23.482 W 141° 38.635 Website: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   11/26/2022 Tassie Trekkers visited it 06/21/2018 blingg visited it 01/14/2011 bucketeer visited it

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