Point Danger Gannet Colony — Attraction in Portland

This place is famous for being the only gannet colony in Victoria that’s on land. It’s a spillover from the Lawrence rocks just off the shore. I frantically organised a trip to revisit here because of a rare bird found here by several individuals as of August 23rd. If you are into birds, this may be a special opportunity you won’t want to miss!

There are two Cape Gannets in this colony. Cape Gannets are the African species of Gannet, and are very rarely blown here from the southern coast of Africa. They look very similar to our resident species, but they have an all black tail and a prominent stripe that goes down most of the neck. If you want to see some rare birds, this is your chance! They have been here since September 18th and are still there as of the 30th. I went and saw them on the 23rd. Come here if you’re interested!

If you are not a bird fanatic, this won’t be too interesting for you. The Gannets are far away, protected by a fence in order to preserve them. The weather is also highly unstable, and when I was there, it rained relentlessly and gave me a headache that didn’t go away until the next day. It was worth it for the birds.

Second photo is...

The Portland Point Danger Gannet Colony is a great place to see these amazing birds up close. The colony is located just outside of Portland, Victoria, and is home to over 6,000 pairs of gannets. The gannets are most active during the breeding season, which runs from August to January. During this time, you can see the gannets nesting, feeding their chicks, and taking off on their impressive dives into the ocean.

The colony is easily accessible by car, and there is a viewing platform that offers stunning views of the gannets and the surrounding coastline. There is also a short walking trail that leads to a second viewing platform, which offers even closer views...

Fabulous view of the bird colony. We waited for the bloke to open the gate at 5:30pm. It’s now open 7 days a week at that time. Be there before the man arrives to look around and walk up to the viewing platform that’s outside the fence. Once inside the fox proof fence you walk with the guide to the electric fence. You stay outside this fence but it’s not far from the birds. Binoculars are a good idea if you have some. But the birds are clearly visible at this distance. The wind was onshore while we were there so the birds had their backs to us much of the time and it smells like a chock pen. 🫤 Still it’s a fabulous sight...