With the aid of two Dungog bird watchers Dick Jenkin and Dave Stuart, the Hunter Bird Observers Club has just produced a colour brochure of the Dungog Area Birding Route.

The glossy double-sided A4 brochure folder covers the area of the Barrington southern slopes and lists eight areas where many of these birds can be found.

Accompanying the brochure is a leaflet listing the birds of the Dungog area which was compiled by Dick, Dave and Bill Dowling.

Alan Stuart from the observers club said similar pamphlets had been done for the Newcastle, Ash Island, Kooragang Island and Maitland areas.

“One has recently been produced for the Cattai wetlands,” he said.

“The brochure includes a map of where the find the eight locations in this area.

“There are two markets – local people and visitors.

“They were designed by club member and graphic designer Rob Kyte and 5000 have been printed.”

Dungog Shire Council’s economic development and tourism co-ordinator Ivan Skaines is pleased the Dungog Shire Visitors Information Centre has been able to support the printing of this brochure.

“The Dungog Area Birding Route will be a great resource for locals, including schools, as well as visitors to the area,” he said.

“The brochure will also complement the existing Dungog Shire Great Country Drives brochure and there is also a Bird Species Guide available at the Dungog Shire Visitors Information Centre.

“Depending on demand there could be an opportunity to develop birding brochures for other areas in the shire”

The best areas listed in the brochure for bird watching are Dungog Common, Fosterton Loop, Cabbage Tree Road, Jerusalem Creek, Chichester DA, Blue Gum Loop Trail, Upper Allyn River and Windeyer Street in Dungog.

They are available at the Dungog Visitor Information Centre.