We caught up with John Perkins, a volunteer with the National Parks and Wildlife Service South Coast Shorebird Recovery Program at Durras. John is heavily involved in the protection and conservation of endangered shorebirds in the Murramarang National Park area which encompasses Durras, Depot Beach, Pebbly Beach, Pretty Beach and other secluded beaches.

John and his shorebird recovery team have been having particular success with the Pied Oyster Catcher. Once the eggs are laid, a protective zone is set up and monitored to prevent destruction of the nest by predators such as foxes, crows and dogs. Through an educational program and signage, visitors and tourists are also made aware of the nesting ground and asked to keep their distance.

In the video below, John outlines more of the South Coast Shorebird recovery program. If you would like to know more about this program or become a volunteer with similar programs, please contact your local South Coast National Parks and Wildlive Service or visit the the Shorebird Recovery Program website here.