Friends of the Hooded Plover

A passionate group of volunteers has helped to achieve a successful breeding season on the Surf Coast for endangered beach nesting bird the Hooded Plover.

The Friends of the Hooded Plover monitor nesting sites along the coast and educate beach users about temporary exclusion zones, which aim to keep vulnerable ‘hoodie’ chicks safe from human foot traffic and predators such as dogs.

Janice Carpenter (pictured), the group’s area coordinator for Lorne to Point Impossible, says 10 chicks fledged during the 2024-25 summer – a record result since monitoring began.

This included three chicks fledging at Aireys Inlet, another first.

“We’re over the moon; we’re really, really happy,” Janice said.“It’s getting better year by year, and that’s very encouraging.”

Monitoring is a huge task for the Friends – the group of around 50 volunteers jointly cover an 11-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week roster for six months of the year across multiple sites.

“We have some very devoted volunteers, which is wonderful,” Janice said.“People volunteer year after year, so they care about the hoodies, but they generally care about the environment.”

The successful season is a result of the combined efforts of the Friends volunteers, authorities, and members of the general community.

The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA), as land manager for Surf Coast beaches, works diligently to monitor nesting sites and set up temporary exclusion zones.

Council’s rangers assist in the hoodies’ survival by working with the Friends and GORPACA to ensure compliance at the exclusion zones.

All beach users and dog owners who followed beach restrictions and respected inclusion zones played an important role in the vulnerable chicks’ survival.