Hunting

Wetlands previously closed to hunting

To help hunters plan their duck hunting trips, the table below contains information about wetlands where rare and threatened species have been regularly sighted, the potential risk to the species from duck hunting and, if applicable, the year in which the wetland was closed or further regulated since 2009.

Hunters are encouraged to have a ‘plan b’ in place as wetlands can be closed at short notice during the duck season and an alternate hunting location is required. And don’t forget, if you’re NOT SURE, DON’T SHOOT.

Wetland nameRare or threatened speciesRiskYear wetland closed and/or further regulatedi since 2009

Andersons Inlet

  • Orange-bellied Parrot

Disturbance

2023, 2024, 2025

Baillieu Lagoon  (Richardson’s Lagoon)

  • Great Egret
  • Musk Duck

Disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

2011

Bartlett’s Swamp 

  • Freckled Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

2014

Big Reedy Lagoon 

  • Great Egret

Disturbance

2017, 2024

Booroopki Swamp 

  • Freckled Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

N/A but routinely attracts threatened species

Box Flat Swamp

  • Freckled Duck
  • Blue-billed Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / distirbance

2013

Browns Lake  (also known as Lake Cope Cope)

  • Blue-billed Duck
  • Freckled Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / Disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

2018, 2025

Bradys Swamp

  • Great Egret
  • Musk Duck

Disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / distirbarnce

N/A but routinely attracts threatened species

Bryan Swamp

  • Brolga
  • Great Egret
  • Musk Duck

Disturbance during flocking.

Disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

2022, 2023

Buffalo Dam (Lake Buffalo)

  • Great Egret
  • Musk Duck

Disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification)

 

Bullrush Swamp

  • Brolga

Disturbance during flocking

2024

Clydebank Morass

  • Blue-winged Shoveler

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

2024

Cundare Pool

  • Brolga

Disturbance during flocking

2024

Deep Lake (Derrinallum) 

  • Brolga

Disturbance during flocking

N/A but routinely attracts threatened species

Doctors Swamp (Murchison Swamp) 

  • Great Egret

Disturbance

N/A but routinely attracts threatened species

Dowd Morass State Game Reserve (SGR)

  • Colonial breeding waterbirds’

Disturbance

2022, 2024, 2025

Freshwater Swamp SGR

  • Freckled Duck
  • Latham’s Snipe
  • Musk Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

Disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

N/A but routinely attracts threatened species

Gaynor Swamp

  • Great Egret

Disturbance

2023

Great Spectacle Lake Complex SGR (Great Spectacle Lake, Little Spectacle Lake, Round Lake, Tobacco Lake, Little Lake Meran)

  • Blue-Winged Shoveler
  • Blue-billed Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

2025

Green Lake 

  • Brolga
  • Great Egret

Disturbance during flocking
Disturbance

2024, 2025

Green Swamp 

  • Brolga

Disturbance during flocking

2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Harnath Swamp 

  • Musk Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

N/A but routinely attracts threatened species

Heywood Lake

  • Blue-billed Duck
  • Great Egret
  • Musk Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

Disturbance.

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

2016

Hird Swamp

  • Australasian Bittern
  • Freckled Duck

Disturbance


Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

2014, 2018, 2024

Hollands Landing Lagoon 

  • Curlew Sandpiper

Disturbance

N/A but routinely attracts threatened species

Hospital Swamps (part of Lake Connewarre SGR)

  • Freckled Duck
  • Orange-bellied Parrot
  • Magpie Goose
  • Blue-winged Shoveler

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

Disturbance

Disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

2009, 2014, 2019, 2025

Johnsons Swamp

  • Australasian Bittern
  • Freckled Duck

Disturbance.

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

2016

Koorangie SGR (INCLUDES First, Second and Third Marsh,  Lake Bael Bael

  • Blue-billed Duck
  • Freckled Duck
  • Breeding waterbirds

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

Disturbance

2017, 2018, 2024

Krause Swamp 

  • Brolga

Disturbance during flocking

2015

Lake Bael Bael (part of Koorangie SGR)
  • Blue-winged Shoveler
Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance2025

Lake Bolac

  • Musk Duck
  • Blue-billed Duck
  • Freckled Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

2018, 2019, 2020, 2024, 2025

Lake Bookar

  • Hardhead

Disturbance (note, Hardhead is no longer a listed threatened species)

2023

Lake Boort

  • Grey-headed Flying Fox

Disturbance

2024

Lake Buloke

  • Freckled Duck
  • Blue-billed Duck
  • Blue-winged Shoveler

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

2023, 2024

Lake Buninjon

  • Blue-billed Duck
  • Blue-winged Shovler

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

2024

Lake Cartcarrong

  • N/A
Closed to provide drought refuge

2009

Lake Colac 

  • Freckled Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

2014

Lake Cooper 

  • Freckled Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

2017

Lake Colongulac

  • Freckled Duck
  • Blue-winged Shovler

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

2024

Lake Connewarre

  • Orange-bellied Parrot
  • Freckled Duck
  • Magpie Goose
  • Blue-winged Shoveler

Disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

Disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

2009, 2014, 2023, 2024, 2025

Lake Corringle 

  • Great Egret
  • Musk Duck

Disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

N/A but routinely attracts threatened species

Lake Cullen

  • Blue-winged Shovler

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

2024, 2025

Lake Curlip 

  • Musk Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

N/A but routinely attracts threatened species

Lake Elingamite

  • Musk Duck
  • Blue-winged Shoveler
  • Magpie Goose
  • Blue-billed Duck

Mistakenly shot (misidentification)

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

Disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

2009, 2023, 2025

Lake Elizabeth

  • Musk Duck
  • Freckled Duck
  • Blue-billed Duck
  • Blue-winged Shoveler

Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

2016, 2019, 2023

Lake Fyans 

  • Brolga
  •  

    • Disturbance during flocking

    2009

    Lake Cullen

    • Blue-winged Shoveler

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

    2025

    Lake Goldsmith

    • Blue-winged Shoveler
    • Freckled Duck

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

    2023, 2024

    Lake Linlithgow

    • Blue-billed Duck
    • Freckled Duck
    • Musk Duck

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    2017, 2018, 2019, 2024

    Lake Lonsdale 

    • Musk Duck
    • Freckled Duck
    • Blue-Winged Shoveler

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

    2018, 2019, 2020, 2024, 2025

    Lake Martin 

    • Curlew Sandpiper

    Disturbance prior to migration

    2018, 2024

    Lake Modewarre

    • Blue-winged Shoveler

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

    2024

    Lake Muirhead 

    • Brolga
    • Blue-billed Duck

    Disturbance during flocking

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

    Lake Murdeduke 

    • Curlew Sandpiper

    Disturbance prior to migration

    2024

    Lake Murphy

    • Freckled Duck
    • Magpie Goose

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

    Disturbance

    2019, 2023

    Lake Natimuk

    • Freckled Duck
    • Blue-winged Shoveler

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

    2014, 2017, 2023, 2024

    Lake Stewart  (private wetland)

    • Brolga

    Disturbance during flocking

    2024, 2025

    Lake Struan

    • Multiple
    • Blue-billed Duck

    Disturbance

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    		2009, 2025

    Lake Tooliorook

    • Blue-Winged Shoveler
    • Blue-billed Duck

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    2025

    Lake Tutchewop

    • Blue-billed Duck
    • Curlew Sandpiper
    • Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    Disturbance prior to migration

    Disturbance prior to migration

    2024, 2025

    Lake Wat Wat

    • Great Egret
    • Blue-winged Shoveler

    Disturbance

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

    2024

    Lake Weering

    • Brolga

    Disturbance during flocking

    2025

    Lake Wongan

    • Brolga
    • Blue-winged Shoveler

    Disturbance during flocking

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

    2022, 2024, 2025

    Little Lake Bael Bael (part of Koorangie SGR)
    • Blue-winged Shoveler
    		Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance2025

    Little Lake Meran 

    • Brolga

    Disturbance during flocking

    		Routinely attracts threatened species

    Lough Calvert 

    • Brolga

    Disturbance during flocking

    		N/A but routinely attracts threatened species

    McGlashins Swamp

    • Blue-billed Duck
    • Freckled Duck

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

    N/A but routinely attracts threatened species

    Moodie Swamp

    • Brolga

    Disturbance during flocking

    2024

    Pine Lake

    • Freckled Duck
    • Musk Duck

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    2019, 2024

    Reedy Lake (part of Lake Connewarre SGR)

    • Great Egret
    • Australasian Bittern
    • Curlew Sandpiper

    Disturbance

    Disturbance

    Disturbance prior to migration

    2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024

    Reedy Lake (near Nagambie)

    • Grey-headed Flying Fox

    Disturbance

    2023

    Round Lake (Lake Boga)

    • Blue-billed Duck
    • Musk Duck

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    2014, 2015, 2016, 2019

    Round Lake (Lake Cope Cope)

    • Freckled Duck

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

    2019

    Toolondo Reservoir

    • Freckled Duck
    • Musk Duck

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks)

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    2016

    Tower Hill SGR

    • Blue-billed Duck
    • Musk Duck
    • Blue-winged Shoveler

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification, flies in mixed flocks) / disturbance

    2009, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

    Walker’s Lake

    • Blue-billed Duck
    • Musk Duck

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    Mistakenly shot (misidentification) / disturbance

    N/A but routinely attracts threatened species