Hunter Wetlands Centre Australia

06/06/2026

🎬 Lights, camera, environment! 🌿

Join us this Sunday 7 June for a day of filmmaking fun and environmental storytelling at the Hunter Wetlands Centre’s SWAMP Film Festival.

🎞️ Swamp Kids Make Films (10am–12pm)
Create your own stop-motion animation and explore our Storyboard Trail to make a mini nature documentary. 🎟️ $Free with Entry

🎥 Swamp Films On Screen (2pm–4pm)
A showcase of locally made environmental films featuring wildlife, conservation, animation and stories from across the Hunter. 🎟️ $10 adults $5kids Book Online or Buy at the Door
https://events.humanitix.com/swamp-film-festival-screening-session

📅 Sunday 7 June
📍 Hunter Wetlands Centre 1 Wetlands Pl, Shortland

02/06/2026

🫶We’re truly humbled to hear Sharon Claydon MP recognise our Hunter Wetlands Centre in Parliament this week.

Sharon highlighted the Centre’s recent feature on🪴ABCs Gardening Australia🪴that showcased both the incredible biodiversity of our wetlands ecosystems and the amazing dedication of our volunteers who make this place so special. 🌿

As Sharon noted “It stands as a powerful example of environmental restoration done right - proof that nature can thrive when communities come together with vision and determination.” 👏

If you missed the Gardening Australia episode where HWCA captured the nation’s attention, don’t worry, you can still catch it on ABC iView (Ep9) 📺 https://iview.abc.net.au/video/RF2505V009S00

https://youtu.be/BJbUHJDJ6qs?si=aAfonH4rOxAoGO7i

https://linktr.ee/sharonclaydonSharon Claydon MP speech from 25/0...

27/05/2026

🎥 Swamp Film Festival is just around the corner!

On 6 & 7 June we’re celebrating World Environment Day - and the grand re-opening of our newly refurbished BHP Theatrette - with our inaugural SWAMP Short Film Festival showcasing the beauty and diversity of the Hunter! 🎬👏🎉

SWAMP FESTIVAL PROGRAM
📸 Swamp Walk - a Filmmakers In-Field Workshop exploring nature filmmaking and videography.
⏰ Sat 6 Jun 9am
🎙️Swamp Talk - This special Q&A with environmental and film experts and featuring rare historical footage, explores the Hunter estuary’s Past Present & Future.
⏰ Sat 6 Jun 2pm
🎬 Swamp Kids Make Films - Creative kids can have fun with stop motion, animation and a Storyboard Trail at this FREE drop in session.
⏰ Sun 7 Jun 10am
🎥 Swamp Short Film Screening - Sit back in our new theatrette and enjoy an inspiring afternoon of locally produced short films with an environmental focus on the Hunter.
⏰ Sun 7 Jun 2pm

And there’s still time to enter your films or video clips!

🎟️ For more info about tickets and submission go to our website https://www.wetlands.org.au/upcoming-event/swamp-film-festival

26/05/2026

🐸 If frogs are a sign of healthy wetlands, what do 1500 say about our Centre!

This bunch of bubbles were noticed floating on the surface of a pond, partially obscured by reeds. 🫧 They are the eggs of a Striped Marsh Frog (Limnodynastes peronii) The white foam, made from mucus, keeps their eggs moist, aerated and protected.

Striped Marsh Frogs typically lay around 1500 eggs 🫧🥚They hatch into tiny tadpoles within a few days but it will take 8-12 months for them to grow all the way into a full frog. 🐸

With Striped Marsh Frogs being one of the most common frogs found in urban backyards you’re likely to hear their ‘tok tok’ call after rain and may even find a foam nest floating in a pond near you. 🫧🐸

25/05/2026

🖼️The Hunter Wetlands Centre is pleased to present "Watermark" an exhibition showcasing artworks created by members of the Artisan Collective Port Stephens. 🌊

The theme of "Watermark" is centred on wetland areas and species in the Hunter region, with each piece reflecting a unique artistic interpretation of this vibrant environment.

Through their diverse creative approaches, artists highlight the hidden complexity within wetlands, and the delicate interconnections that sustain these environments. The exhibition encourages viewers to look deeper and recognise the significance of each aspect of these rich ecosystems. 🌿

🖼️ “Watermark” Artisan Collective Port Stephens.
🗓️ 22 May - 26 June 2026
🔴 All artworks are for sale.
📍 Hunter Wetlands Centre Artspace 1 Wetlands Pl, Shortland

21/05/2026

⁉️Did you know that more than 150 volunteers give their time in tasks as diverse as administration to bush regeneration?!

🙏This National Volunteers Week (in the International Year of the Volunteer) we celebrated these amazing people with talks, a guided walk and a BBQ lunch. 🌭🌳 Shared together in the nature they have nurtured, it was certainly a moment to reflect on the impact our Volunteers make. 🌿

🫶To all our volunteers, thank you for your passion, care and generosity. Every hour you give helps the wetlands grow strong for future generations of people and wildlife. 💙💚

If you’re interested in volunteering and being part of our story get in touch through our website: wetlands.org.au/volunteers

18/05/2026

🏃🏻‍♀️HURRY! Last Week! 🖼️ If you haven’t seen our current Exhibtion you will need to hurry down to the wetlands before it closes 21 May!

“Quiet Kingdoms” 🤫 by Ash McIntyre is a fascinating collection of intricately drawn and layered illustrations that will leave you enthralled. 🖌️

Ash shares the exhibition space Les Peterkin OAM. 🏅After a lengthy artistic career as a ceramicist, Les, in this Exhibtion, turns his talents to watercolours. 🎨

All artworks are for sale with a percentage of the sale price going to the Hunter Wetlands Centre ensuring that you’re supporting local artists and nature! 🔴🌿👩‍🎨

🖼️ “Quiet Kingdoms” Ash McIntyre & Les Peterkin OAM
🗓️ 24 April - 21 May 2026
📍HWCA Artspace

14/05/2026

🎙️It was a full house for today’s Fauna, Flora and Foe talk with thanks to HWCA’s Carolyn Gillard and Michele Keith for their informative presentations! 👏

🌲Carolyn explored the remarkable diversity of She-oaks found across Australia and parts of Asia while Michele highlighted current conservation issues and projects related to the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo. 🐦 Habitat loss is a major contributor to the plight of the Glossy (as well as many other species) so the final presentation offered a sobering look at the impact of invasive garden plants that escape our backyards to outcompet native species and reduce vital food and shelter sources for native birds, animals and insects. 🍃

We are honoured to host this annual event in conjunction with the CWA Belmont on topics that coincide with their Agricultural & Environmental Committee focus areas.

The Glossy Black Conservancy and Birdlife Australia are inviting citizen scientists like you to join the Great Glossy Count this weekend. By spending just a little bit of your time surveying a small area can help conservationists understand more about these birds and how to prevent their extinction. To sign up 📋➡️ https://glossyblack.org.au/great-glossy-count/