Microchipped Black Swan

Albert Park is made up of 225 hectares of beautiful park land including a most picturesque lake and network of trails. Its located in the City of Port Philip, approximateley three km from the CBD of Melbourne and is the venue for many of Victoria's popular public events. The park is a playground for sporting and recreation enthusiasts with a superb 18 hole golf curse, walking and cycling tracks, boat and canoe hire and fishing opportnities. Other facilities include picnic tables, barbecue areas, playgrounds, restaurants, swimming centre, restaurants and toilets.

Albert Park is an important sanctuary for wildlife and vegetation.

Heritage: Evidence indicates that Aborigines inhabited Albert Park and the surrounds some 40000 years ago. Albert Park was a series of swamps and lagoons that provided edible begetation. In 1864 the Park was proclaimed a ublic park and named Albert Park in honour of Queen Victoria's devoted consort, Prince Albert. Over the ensuing years Albert Park was sed as atip, as a camp for the armed services, for scenic drives and for many forms of recreation. Today the magificent Albert Park is enjoyed by approximateley 5 million vistiors annually. Traces of Albert Parks Aborignal History still remain, the most noticeable being the large abcient River Red Gum Tree, reputed to be the site of many corroborees. It is thought to be over 300 ears old, the oldest remnant tree in the Port Phillip Area, located next to Junction Oval on the corner of Fitzroy Street and Queens Road, St Kilda. The Clarendon Street Gates are the best examples of European History. Orignally built of wooden pickets in 1910, they were cast in wrought iron in 1939 and can still be seen today.

Vegetation: two native begetation communities in the park are Grassy Wetlands and Plain Grass Woodlands. The most significant areas of vegetation are on Gunn Island and around the Corroboree Tree.

Habitat and Fauna: Common Lake Birds include Black Swans, Pacific Black Ducks, Purple Breasted Swamp Hens, Coots and Cromorants. Migratory birds include the Cattle Egret, Eastern Curlew, Great Eret and Sacred Ibis. Native mammals include common brushtail possums, water rats, common bent wing bats. The lake is also home to some fresh water fish species.

Pacific Black Duck have a black crown and a white face with two black stripes, one of which is through the eye.

Eurasian Coot is a dark grey-slate colour with a white bill and frontal shield on a black head.

Black Swan has a large body with a long slender neck. It is black in colour with whte tips on both wings and a red bill. Its food consists of algae and aquatic plants and occassionally grazing on land.

Musk Duck is the largest of all Australian Ducks. t has a sooty brown appearance with fine spots on the head. They are exceelent divers and search underwater for aquatic insects, crustaceans, snails, fish , frogs and ducklings.

Great Cormorant - black in colour with a white and yellowish chin. Excellent swimmers and capture fish , insects and frogs in shallow underwater dives.

In the lake is a large fountain known as the Aqua Tower which is usually turned off due to water restrictions.

Looking after the park.

Please remember to keep your dog on a leash when you are in the park.

Place your rubbish in the bins provided.

Plants and animals in the park are protected - please leave them for others to enjoy.

Feeding the birds is harmful. Bread and other food scraps are not a dietary requirement for birds and can cause health problems.