Listed under the Ramsar Convention as a Wetland of International Importance, this reserve is home to a number of threatened birds including the King Island Scrub Tit Acanthornis magna greeniana and the King Island Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla magnirostris.
The King Island Scrub Complex was listed as a threated ecological community under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) in 2024. This complex and species diverse community occurs in Lavinia State Reserve.
Northern section
The northern section of Lavinia State Reserve contains two freshwater lakes: Lake Martha Lavinia and Penny’s Lagoon.
Penny’s Lagoon is one of only a few perched lakes in the world. Freshwater is held by compacted sand and organic matter such as leaves, bark and dead plants. No water flows into or out of the lake – it relies entirely on rain to keep it topped up. Penny’s is a popular picnic spot with barbecues and a toilet.
Just a bit further down the road is Lavinia Beach. White sand, aqua water, this isolated coastline attracts surfers from all over the world.
Southern section
In the southern section of Lavinia State Reserve, the largest river on the island snakes around wetland and saltmarsh communities. The Sea Elephant River is named after the Southern Elephant Seals that use to be abundant here. This river and the vegetation surrounding it are listed as a ‘wetland of international importance’ under the Ramsar Convention.
Along the 600m return, grade 2 walk a bird hide provides a vantage point to view King Island’s abundant bird species. Various species of Ducks along with Black Swans and temporary visitors to the island such as the endangered Orange-bellied Parrot use the estuary as a safe resting spot.
Other birds you may see include Pied Oystercatchers, White-Faced Heron, Grey Fantail and the King Island Tasmanian Thornbill.