Meet Gippsland's newest residents: Rare Magpie Geese
The species used to be native to Victoria but are now listed as vulnerable, could they make a return?
Jacob Wallace
June 11, 2025
Gippsland is home to some rare new residents.
Magpie Geese are distinct due to their black and white plumage, their yellowish legs and a characteristic knob on the crown of their heads.
They have been spotted in the Gippsland Lakes catchment in both Maffra and Bairnsdale.
The species of geese are a rare visitor to Victoria where they are listed as a Vulnerable species.
Magpie Geese are usually found on floodplains and in freshwater wetlands across coastal Northern and Eastern Australia.
The birds have been spotted near Newry Creek and around Bairnsdale. Image supplied by Sean Phillipson.
Although they used to be native to Gippsland, they rarely make it to Victoria these days because they require freshwater wetlands and aquatic vegetation to survive and much of Victoria’s wetlands have dried up.
The Gippsland Monitor spoke to senior Natural Resource Management Advisor for East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority Sean Phillipson about Gippsland’s rare new Magpie Geese.
“They're the kind of a bird usually found in Northern Australia, sort of typically associated with the floodplains of places like Kakadu and tropical rivers,” he said.
Three of the birds were initially spotted by field naturalist Duncan Fraser near Newry Creek before three more were then spotted around Bairnsdale.
Former Victorians return home
Sean said there used to be large populations of Magpie Geese living in Victoria’s wetlands, “from Gippsland right through to the other side of Melbourne and the western districts.
“Around the 1900s they became essentially extinct in Victoria. The draining of wetlands and then over-hunting basically removed them from the Victorian landscape.”
The Magpie Geese seem to be enjoying Gippsland’s lakes. Image supplied by Sean Phillipson.
How did they get here?
The Geese arrived in Gippsland not long after tropical cyclone Alfred brought severe winds and flooding to Queensland and northern NSW. Initially, Sean thought the birds may have been blown south from the cyclone.
Upon reflection Sean said “it's probably more likely that we're seeing the effects of the drought conditions in Western and Southwestern Victoria. Those smaller populations that are in those wetlands are probably making their way east, looking for water as those wetlands are drying up.”
Sean went to check if they were still hanging around Gippsland only last week.
“They've made themselves well and truly at home here,” he said. “We've just had quite a bit of rain over the weekend so that wetland will be nice and topped up. I think if they're happy they should hang around.”
