Boroondara Bioblitz

You're invited to help us celebrate the Great Southern BioBlitz 2026. Join us for an evening of family friendly activities and guided walks and learn about the amazing animals that call Willsmere Billabong home. 

What is The Great Southern Bioblitz?

Boroondara is teaming up with local councils from across Greater Melbourne to compete with cities from across the southern hemisphere in the Great Southern BioBlitz. You can participate by taking photos or making sound recordings of wild animals (and plants) between Friday 27 November and Monday 30 November using the iNaturalist app. 

Simply download the free iNaturalist app, join our project Great Southern Bioblitz 2026: City of Boroondara · iNaturalist, start recording your sightings and help us put the amazing animals of Boroondara on the world map!

About Willsmere Billabong

Willsmere Park in Kew East is one of our most significant natural heritage sites. Willsmere Billabong is one of the last remaining billabongs in the lower reaches of the Yarra River.

What’s happening

Join us for free activities for all ages. Bring your family and friends to get to know this beautiful and important native plant and wildlife corridor. Whether you drop in for a hands-on activity or join a guided wildlife walk, there is something for nature lovers of all ages!

Drop-in activities from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm - no bookings required:

• Chat with an expert from Melbourne Water, see the 3D urban water catchment model and learn about the importance of healthy waterways.
• Look at water bugs under a microscope and play frog bingo.
• Decorate your own rock and create a unique nature-inspired keepsake.
• Make a compostable pot and plant a seed to take home and watch it grow.
• Make you own bee hotel to take home to create habitat for local insects.
• Become an artist for the evening and paint a picture inspired by the Billabong.
• Drop into the moth spotting and identification activity with the Entomological Society between 7:30pm to 9:30pm.

Wildlife walks - bookings essential:

• Krefft’s Glider Hollow Checks (older children and adults) 5pm to 6pm
• Kids Animal Adventure Walks 5:30pm to 6:15pm OR 6:30pm to 7:15pm
• Family Friendly Spider and Insect Walk 7.30pm to 8:15pm
• Spider and Insect Walk 8:30 pm to 9:15 pm
• Nocturnal Wildlife Walk and Talk 8:30pm to 9:15pm

The following events are now booked out and you can join the waitlist: 

• Evening Wildlife Walk 7:30pm to 8:15pm

What to bring

For the best experience, please:

• dress for the outdoors with sturdy, enclosed shoes suitable for uneven ground, and be prepared for changing weather conditions.
• don't forget to bring a torch for after-dark guided walks.

While we encourage you to download the free iNaturalist app prior to the event to record your sightings and contribute data to the Great Southern Bioblitz citizen science challenge, this is not essential to enjoy the activities.