Some time ago, Shane Kelly, the Site Manager for the Lake Bonney Wind Farm, approached the Lake McIntyre Management Committee with a suggestion that we may benefit from his company’s Community Grants program. A meeting was held at the lake with Shane and several committee members to discuss any long term plans or projects that we may have had regarding any improvements to the lake.

One long held wish for most of the committee members has been the improvement of the two bird hides located around the lake. These hides were erected many years ago, and although still functional, they are relatively small with a capacity of only 3 or 4 people. Shane thought that the improvement to these hides would be a perfect project for a community grant.

Late last year the Committee applied for, and was awarded, a Community Grant from Iberdrola, the parent company for the Lake Bonney Wind Farm, to increase the size of one of the hides and to include three large bird identification signs. The hide selected for the upgrade was the Dotterel Hide, located on the northern side of the lake. The grant money covered the cost of the materials for the building and the signs, with the Lake McIntyre Volunteer Group providing the labour.

The extension to the hide will mean that more people will be able to use it more comfortably. The bird signs depict most of the waterbirds that frequent the lake, and so will assist people to identify the birds they can see whilst sitting quietly within the hide.

The Committee would like to thank Shane Kelly, Iberdrola, Peter Halton and, especially, the great crew that make up the Lake McIntyre Volunteer Group. A great job well done!

Morning tea was a welcome and enjoyable way to celebrate the completion of the project. The Committee will look toward to upgrading the bird hide on the eastern side of the lake sometime in the near future.