Wetlands closed to hunting

18 wetlands will be closed or partially closed to hunting for the 2023 duck season, to prevent disturbance to significant numbers of threatened species.

Lake Elizabeth State Game Reserve closed to hunting

Lake Elizabeth State Game Reserve, near Kerang, is closed to hunting from Saturday, 27 May 2023 to prevent disturbance to significant numbers of threatened Blue-winged Shoveler.

On 24 May 2023, a survey of Lake Elizabeth detected a significant number of Blue-winged Shoveler.

Signs will be installed at Lake Elizabeth alerting hunters to the closure and Authorised Officers will patrol the wetland to ensure compliance with the closure.

To see which wetlands are closed or partially closed to hunting for the 2023 duck season, visit Wetland Closures – 2023 duck season.

Wetlands will continue to be monitored throughout the season. Hunters are reminded to check the GMA website regularly for updates.

Report illegal hunting and breaches to public safety laws to the GMA, visit Report Illegal Hunting or call 136 186.

Hunters are reminded that the hunting start time is 8am for every day of the 2023 duck season which closes on 30 May.

Lake Bookar State Game Reserve closed to hunting

Friday, 19 May 2023

Lake Bookar State Game Reserve, north of Camperdown, is closed to hunting from Saturday, 20 May 2023 to prevent disturbance to significant numbers of threatened Hardhead ducks.

On 10 May 2023, a survey of Lake Bookar detected more than 1,300 threatened Hardhead ducks.

Signs will be installed at Lake Bookar alerting hunters to the closure and Authorised Officers will patrol the wetland to ensure compliance.

To see which wetlands are closed or partially closed to hunting for the 2023 duck season, visit Wetland Closures – 2023 duck season

Wetlands will continue to be monitored throughout the season. Hunters are reminded to check the GMA website regularly for updates.

Report illegal hunting and breaches to public safety laws to the GMA, visit Report Illegal Hunting or call 136 186.

A reminder that the hunting start time is 8am for every day of the 2023 duck season.

Lake Connewarre closed to hunting

Tuesday, 16 May 2023

The Victorian Government has closed the Lake Connewarre State Game Reserve (including Hospital Swamp and Reedy Lake) on the Bellarine Peninsula to duck hunting from 19 May until the end of the season on 30 May.

Visit the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action website for more information, at Lake Connewarre State Game Reserve Closure.

Lake Buloke closed to hunting

Saturady, 6 May 2023

Lake Buloke near Donald is closed to hunting from Saturday, 6 May 2023 to prevent disturbance to significant numbers of threatened species.

The Game Management Authority (GMA) and Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) have been monitoring Lake Buloke since before the opening of the 2023 duck season.

On 4 May 2023, a survey of Lake Buloke detected a large number of threatened species. This survey detected approximately 650 Blue-billed Duck, 195 Freckled Duck and 250 Australasian (Blue-winged) Shoveler. As a result, the GMA recommended the immediate closure of Lake Buloke to hunting, to prevent disturbance to these threatened species.

Signs will be installed at Lake Boluke alerting hunters to the closure and Authorised Officers will patrol the wetland to ensure compliance.

A total of 15 wetlands are now closed or partially closed to hunting for the 2023 duck hunting season.

To see all wetlands closed or partially closed to hunting for the 2023 duck season, visit Wetland Closures – 2023 duck season

Wetlands will continue to be monitored throughout the season. Hunters are reminded to check the GMA website regularly for updates.

Report illegal hunting and breaches to public safety laws to the GMA, visit Report Illegal Hunting or call 136 186.

A reminder that the hunting start time is 8am for every day of the 2023 duck season.

Lake Elingamite closed to hunting

Tuesday, 25 April 2023

Lake Elingamite (South-west of Cobden) will be closed to prevent disturbance to significant numbers of threatened species. A total of 14 wetlands will be closed or partially closed for the 2023 season.

The threatened species detected at Lake Elingamite are the Australasian (Blue-winged) Shoveler, Magpie Goose and Musk Duck.

To see all wetlands closed or partially closed to hunting for the 2023 duck season, visit: Wetland Closures – 2023 duck season.

Please note - due to technical issues DEECA’s More to Explore mobile app does not currently show the latest information on 2023 wetland closures. DEECA is working to resolve the issue.

Wetlands will be monitored throughout the season. Check the GMA website regularly for updates.

Report illegal hunting and breaches to public safety laws to the Game Management Authority, visit gma.vic.gov.au or call 136 186.

A reminder that the hunting start time is 8am for every day of the 2023 duck season.

Two additional wetlands closed to hunting

Friday, 21 April 2023

Two additional wetlands will be closed to prevent disturbance to significant numbers of threatened and critically endangered species. A total of 13 wetlands will be closed or partially closed for the 2023 season.

The two additional wetlands closed to hunting are:

• Lake Muirhead State Game Reserve (north-west of Willaura) to protect a significant number of Brolga
• Andersons Inlet (near Venus Bay) due to a sighting of the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot.

To see all wetlands closed or partially closed to hunting for the 2023 duck season, visit: Wetland closures - 2023 season

Wetlands will be monitored throughout the season.

A reminder that the hunting start time is 8am for every day of the 2023 duck season.

Wetlands closed to hunting

Thursday, 20 April 2023

Eight wetlands will be closed or partially closed to hunting for the 2023 duck season, to prevent disturbance to significant numbers of threatened species. A total of eleven wetlands will be closed, including three others that are routinely closed each year to reinforce their wildlife sanctuary status.

The wetlands to be closed to hunting are:

• Tower Hill State Game Reserve (13km north-west of the township of Warrnambool) to protect a significant number of Blue-billed Ducks and Blue-winged Shoveler.
• Lake Goldsmith State Game Reserve (west of Ballarat) to protect a significant number of Blue-winged Shoveler.
• Lake Natimuk (near Horsham) to protect a significant number of Blue-winged Shoveler and Freckled duck.
• Bryan Swamp State Game Reserve (north-west of Dunkeld) and The Green Swamp State Game Reserve (east of Dunkeld) to protect a significant number of Brolga.
• Lake Murphy State Game Reserve (south of Kerang) to protect a significant number of Magpie Goose.
• Gaynor Swamp State Game Reserve (west of Shepparton) to protect a significant number of Great Egret.
• Reedy Lake State Game Reserve (near Nagambie) will be partially closed to protect a colony of Grey-headed flying foxes residing in the north-western side of the lake (see map below).

The three wetlands that are routinely closed to reinforce their status as wildlife sanctuaries where game hunting is prohibited are:

• Kow Swamp, near Gunbower
• Reedy Lakes (Reedy, Middle and Third Lake) at Kerang
• Richardson River between Donald and Lake Buloke.

Signage will be installed to alert hunters to the closures. Wetlands will be monitored throughout the season.

Closing wetlands or regulating hunting methods at wetlands ensures that threatened species are protected and duck hunting remains sustainable.

Other wetlands may be closed or further regulated if significant concentrations of rare or threatened species are found. To see all wetlands closed or partially closed to hunting for the 2023 duck season, visit: Wetland closures - 2023 season

Hunters are reminded that the start time is 8am for every day of the season, from Wednesday 26 April 2023 to Tuesday 30 May 2023 (inclusive).

The daily bag limit is four game ducks per person per day.

The Blue-winged Shoveler and Hardhead must not be hunted in Victoria this year.

GMA Game Officers, Victoria Police and Authorised Officers from DEECA, DJSIR, Victorian Fisheries Authority and Parks Victoria will be patrolling wetlands across Victoria to ensure hunters and protestors act in a safe and responsible manner.

For more information on wetland closures, visit gma.vic.gov.au.

Partial closure of the north-western side of the lake in Reedy Lake State Game Reserve, as shown by the shaded area on the map below, located in the Strathbogie Shire, in Nagambie.

Media contact: Nick Foster, E:nick.foster@gma.vic.gov.au M: 0417 293 365