Ngarrindjeri elder Cedric Varcoe is calling for restrictions on vehicle access to Goolwa Beach in South Australia to protect endangered birds and their nesting sites. Drivers currently have free rein over a 12-kilometer stretch of beach leading to the mouth of the Murray River, an area crucial for both resident and migratory bird species. Ngarrindjeri rangers are collaborating with Birdlife Australia to monitor and conserve these habitats; one such endangered species is the fairy tern, with only about 1,000 individuals left across ten breeding sites in South Australia, two of which are located in the Coorong area.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Ngarrindjeri elder Cedric Varcoe has called for restricting vehicle access to Goolwa Beach in South Australia to protect endangered birds and their nesting sites. Currently, drivers can drive along a 12-kilometer stretch of the beach near the mouth of the Murray River. Mr. Varcoe, who welcomed birds back to the Coorong region last week through a ceremony marking the start of breeding season for some species and the return of others from as far north as the Arctic, emphasized the cultural significance of these birds to his community, describing them as spiritual guides and protectors. Birdlife Australia and Ngarrindjeri rangers are working together to monitor and safeguard nesting areas along this crucial stretch of South Australian coastline. The SA Environment Minister Emily Bourke has stated that the government will continue to collaborate with agencies and local councils on measures to ensure beach safety and environmental protection.
Written for “Bird Conservation Efforts” on 2026-10-11,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
In short:
Ngarrindjeri elder Cedric Varcoe would like vehicle access to Goolwa Beach to be restricted to protect birds and the environment.
asserted
access → like → birds
Drivers can currently access the beach at Goolwa and drive along a 12-kilometre stretch to the mouth of the Murray River.
What's next?
asserted
What → access → River
Ngarrindjeri rangers will continue to work with Birdlife Australia to help monitor and protect nesting birds on the stretch of South Australian coast.
asserted
rangers → continue → coast
A Ngarrindjeri elder says keeping vehicles off Goolwa Beach could help to protect endangered birds as rangers and volunteers work to try and save as many chicks as possible.
uncertain
rangers → say → chicks
Cedric Varcoe welcomed the birds in a ceremony at the Coorong last week, marking the breeding season for some and the return to South Australia of others from as far away as the Arctic.
asserted
Varcoe → welcome → Arctic
The birds of the Coorong are some of the Ngarrindjeri community's Ngartji (totems), and Mr Varcoe said it was the community's role to fight to preserve them and protect their habitat.
asserted
it → say → habitat
"In our culture they're our friend, our spiritual guide, our protectors, and when they're not here, or when they're no longer here, our spirit is no longer alive and strong as well," he said.
asserted
he → say → culture
The Coorong welcome ceremony coincided with the fledging of three hooded plover chicks from the Coorong Beach, a more remote site on the other side of the mouth of the Murray River from Goolwa Beach.
asserted
ceremony → coincide → Beach
Birdlife Australia has been working with Ngarrindjeri rangers to improve bird survival under the federally funded Shorebird and Wetland Habitat program.
asserted
Australia → work → program
The charity's director of coastal, wetland and marine programs, Grainne Maguire, said the area was important for both resident and migratory shorebirds.
asserted
area → say → shorebirds
"They'll travel down and they'll stop over in China and Korea and then they'll come here and this is where they spend most of their life,"she said.
asserted
they → travel → life,"she
"They fatten up and they rest and they get all that energy which determines the journey back, but also if they breed successfully when they go back."
asserted
they → fatten → journey
One of the resident birds being watched is the fairy tern, considered to be at high risk of extinction in the wild, with 1,000 remaining in South Australia across 10 breeding sites.
asserted
1,000 → watch → sites
Two of those sites are in the Coorong, where the terns lay their eggs in a shallow and often difficult to see nest above the high tide mark.
asserted
terns → lay → mark
Ban questioned
asserted
Ban → question → ?
The beach at Goolwa attracts a high number of tourists, where the local council has responsibility for the access ramp.
asserted
council → attract → ramp
While a permit system has been discussed in the past there is not currently one in place.
asserted
system → discuss → place
Hindmarsh Island resident Wayde Eldridge regularly drives on the beach, setting up his jetski and shade for himself and his dogs Little and Notso.
asserted
Eldridge → drive → himself
He thought people driving on the beach were responsible and a ban would be unpopular.
asserted
ban → think → beach
You get the odd young ones that do silly stuff in their cars and that, but apart from that … I think people look after it pretty well."
asserted
people → get → it
Adelaide University associate professor Craig Styan has been looking at how the beach is used and has surveyed a number of beachgoers.
asserted
beach → look → beachgoers
He said while there was no level of driving on the beach that had zero environmental impact, it posed a difficult management question.
"
asserted
it → say → question
It's almost a paradox … the reason for going is because it's a natural environment, but you being there potentially impacts on some of those natural values," he said.
asserted
he → go → values
Dr Styan said many beach drivers were unaware of the impact their cars were having.
asserted
cars → say → impact
SA Environment Minister Emily Bourke said the government would "continue to work with relevant agencies and local councils on matters affecting the safety and protection of our beaches and coastal environments".
asserted
government → say → beaches
The Aporia