Desert Blooms Into Oasis With 300,000 Birds in Remote NSW

In one of Australia's most remote corners, a desert has burst into life with more than 300,000 birds creating a spectacle researchers haven't seen in 35 years.

The Narriearra Caryapundy Swamp in far-west New South Wales only fills every 10 to 20 years. Last year's Queensland floods sent water flowing down the Bulloo River into the 70,000-hectare wetland, creating what might be its largest fill ever.

"I think it's one of the most incredible wetlands that we've got in the country," said river ecologist Professor Richard Kingsford. When scientists surveyed the area by light aircraft in October, flying just 50 metres above the water for hours, they found themselves acting like "race callers" to count the massive bird populations.

The numbers tell an amazing story. More than 100,000 grey teal ducks, 70,000 pink-eared ducks, and tens of thousands of black-tailed native hens now call the swamp home. Even rare species like the Freckled Duck have returned to breed.

The wetland sits a 17-hour drive from Sydney in the Corner Country, near the Queensland border. The NSW government purchased the surrounding Narriearra Station in 2020, opening up access for scientists and Indigenous people to study and appreciate the area's significance.

For Malyangapa man Mark Sutton, the water means something deeply personal. His totem species, the bony bream, can sit as eggs in dry sand for years waiting for exactly this moment. "Within weeks, those previously dry lakes can suddenly be full of fish," he said.

The Ripple Effect

The transformation goes far beyond just birds and fish. As the water slowly evaporates over summer, it will create a chain reaction of life. Invertebrates and fish will feed waterbirds, while moisture in the soil will support plants and woodland animals for months to come.

The site has also revealed incredible Aboriginal cultural heritage, including a rare greenstone axe head traded all the way from Victoria. Ranger Emma McLean says artifacts are everywhere once you step off the beaten paths, from ancient cooking hearths to stone tools.

"This is an incredibly healthy system and it's just going through the natural rhythms that it's been doing for tens of thousands of years," Professor Kingsford said. The wetland earned protected Ramsar status in 2021, recognizing its international importance.

For the first time in 150 years, Aboriginal people can freely access this landscape and connect with their heritage. The government purchase has transformed not just the ecology, but the relationship between Indigenous communities and their ancestral lands.

Nature's ancient cycles continue in the Corner Country, reminding us that even the driest deserts hold the promise of extraordinary life.