Bucks Lake Game Reserve, Carpenters Rock

Where is it?: Bucks Lake Game Reserve is located 37 km south west of Mt Gambier adjacent to Carpenter Rocks.

Owner: Department for Environment and Water.

Property summary: Total area 138 hectares. Hundred of Kongorong – Pieces 1-4 (Deposited Plan 34791) originally Sections 618 and 758.

Landscape Management Region: Limestone Coast

History: On 25 April 1968 Section 618 was proclaimed as Bucks Lake National Park. It was renamed Bucks Lake Game Reserve on 27 April 1972.

Habitat: The area consists of a low lying wetland with a slight limestone rise on the eastern side of the Reserve. Before the drainage pattern was modified, overflow water from Lake Bonney flowed south east into Bucks Lake, and eventually drained into the sea near Carpenter Rocks. In 1958 the first artificial water outlet for Lake Bonney was constructed. This considerably reduced the amount of water recharging Bucks Lake. The Lake is now a semi-permanent wetland, recharged by run-off water from grazing land to the north east.

The vegetation surrounding the Lake and covering the southern third of the Reserve comprises swamp sedgeland, dominated by Thatching Grass (Gahnia filum) and Sea Rush (Juncus kraussii), with patches of South Australian Swamp Paperbark (Melaleuca halmaturorum). On higher ground this association grades into closed shrubland dominated by Dryland Tea-tree (M. lanceolata), Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha), Coastal Wattle (A. longifolia var. sophorae); Swamp Gum (Eucalyptus ovata), and Messmate Stringybark (E. obliqua). The western portion of the Reserve is dominated by Coast Daisy-bush (Olearia axillaris), and Sword Rush (Lepidosperma gladiatum).

More information: DEW

Total Species Recorded to Date: 58 (non-passerines 27, passerines 31)

Common Species: Superb Fairywren, Rufous Bristlebird, White-browed Scrubwren, Grey Fantail Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow

Less Common Species: Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Little Wattlebird, Striated Fieldwren, Brown Thornbill, Forest Raven

Updated: 9/01/2022