Aviary to be removed at Serendip as works get underway

PARKS Victoria will remove the ageing aviary at Serendip Sanctuary after confirming the structure has reached the end of its life.

The decision follows engineering assessments that found the aviary’s support posts had deteriorated, compromising its structural integrity.

In an update to the community last week, Parks Victoria said deconstructing the aviary was necessary to ensure the “safety of animals, staff and visitors”.

“While we have carried out several repairs to date, further work would not meet current safety standards and, ultimately, only last a matter of months,” a spokesperson said.

Removal of the aviary will include taking down the overhead netting at the Wildlife Waterhole, which Parks Victoria said will remain “a defining feature for the diversity of birdlife” at the sanctuary.

A familiar feature for visitors, the aviary’s loss follows a steady scaling back of animal enclosures and exhibits at the sanctuary since 2022.

The direction has drawn criticism from some in the local community, who have long argued the removal of animals from the sanctuary will undermine the site’s tourism appeal.

Veterinary specialists will assess the condition of the heron currently housed in the aviary.

“Their advice will determine whether the heron can be safely relocated within the sanctuary or requires rehoming to support its long-term wellbeing,” a Parks Victoria spokesperson said.

The move comes as the next phase of upgrades at the sanctuary get underway, backed by $5.7 million in state funding.

The works will focus on improving accessibility and the visitor experience, including upgrades to the entrance and carpark, a refurbishment of the Education Centre, new toilets and shelters, improved walking paths and additional bird-viewing areas.

Construction of the new carpark has begun, with the redesign aimed at improving traffic flow, parking and access for people with diverse abilities.

Parks Victoria said the safety and wellbeing of wildlife remained a priority during the works, with animals to be relocated to a new purpose-built area within the sanctuary.

“Ongoing human interaction has influenced our resident wildlife to remain within limited areas of the sanctuary,” a spokesperson said.

“The new space will offer them greater freedom to roam within modern predator-proof fencing, an expanded watering hole for drinking and bathing, quiet refuges from public view, as well as essential quarantine infrastructure for the safe management of illness or injury.”

The new sensory garden will remain open to the public while the redevelopment takes place. The upgrades are expected to continue through 2026.