The Osprey House is an environmental centre that provides a natural environment for osprey and other local fauna. It is owned by Moreton Bay Regional Council and operated by volunteers. It is located on the Pine River not far from the mouth of the river in on Dohles Rocks Road Murrumba Downs, in Griffin, on the northern end of Brisbane.
Inside the centre, volunteers can help you with information about the area, and get you started on exploring around. There are displays about sustainability, such as solar power, recycling, and a worm farm. The kids’ corner has activities for them to do, and samples of insects and other things to look at.
Outside, there are boardwalks along the river shore to a couple of bird hides where you can look for the different birds along the shores. The bird hides have illustrations of birds to look for. Ask the volunteers and they will lend you a pair of binoculars to assist your bird watching. A lookout platform and an amphitheatre on the shore out passed the mangroves provides for views across the river. While we were at the amphitheatre a volunteer did the fish feeding, which my boys enjoyed watching.
Ospreys like to build nests in high locations. Osprey house has a tall pole with an area at the top of it for ospreys to make a nest. A camera mounted above the nest captures the activities in the next. A nesting pair laid an egg and successfully reared a chick in 2009, which was named Talon. Nests have been built since, but haven’t successfully raised an osprey chick. The camera can be viewed from within the centre when osprey are nesting.
Next to the centre is a picnic area with tables and seating, and an electric BBQ to cook up some lunch, while the kids explore.
