Cassowaries to Pardalotes: 7 Australian birdwatching marvels every 'twitcher' needs to visit

Australia is well known for its plethora of unique creatures and there is no shortage of quirky birds that call the country home.

Birdwatchers, affectionately known as twitchers, travel around the nation trying to catch a glimpse of our feathered friends.

Here are some of the best spots around Australia to go birdwatching.

The Werribee Western Treatment Plant hardly sounds like an attractive place, but if you're a twitcher with a set of binoculars, it is birdwatching heaven. Its lagoons are home to thousands of birds, Melbourne Water claiming more than 300 species have been recorded at the site.

With Werribee only a 50-minute train ride from the Melbourne CBD, there is no shortage of things to do in the area if you're not out spotting Brolgas or Orange-bellied Parrots. If you haven't had enough of spotting wildlife, you can see rhinos and giraffes at the Werribee Open Range Zoo.

The south of Bruny Island is one of the state's most stunning places with its mixture of towering dolerite cliffs, rolling sand dunes and temperate rainforests all within a short drive of one another. As a result, you can see all manner of birds from Albatross to the elusive Swift Parrot or the even rarer Forty-Spotted Pardalote, which can only be seen here or on nearby Maria Island.

Inala Nature Reserve is a great opportunity to see many of these rare birds but if you want to match expansive views with coastal birdwatching, it is hard to go past the Fluted Cape track which takes you to the top of an almost 300-metre-tall cliff.

For those staying in Hobart, Bruny Island is an ideal day-trip destination with ferries running regularly between Kettering and the island. If you enjoy travelling at a more leisurely pace and want to stay the night, there are luxurious options like 43 Degrees Bruny Island in Adventure Bay or for something more down-to-earth you can stay at Captain Cook Holiday Park.

About 90 minutes inland of Cairns is the world-famous birdwatching region, the Atherton Tablelands. Southern Cassowaries roam the dense rainforests of the tablelands as well as other bright and colourful tropical birds.

And you can stay among the birds in a treehouse at The Canopy Rainforest Treehouses & Wildlife Sanctuary in Tarzali. If you fancy a tiple, there are various distillers in the region, most notably the Mt Uncle Distillery, which has won multiple global awards for its rum.

Slightly more off the beaten track, the Capertee National Park is a rugged birdwatching experience, with very little internet and rough unsealed tracks. But there are some adorable birds there, like the double-barred finch, which enjoy the untouched nature that the park offers.

There are some quirky accommodation options in the area, such as Bubbletents Australia, which as the name suggests, allows guests to sleep in spherical tents under the stars. As far as food is concerned it's hard to look past the Royal Hotel Capertee which delivers classic small-town service and has accommodation options as well.

Kakadu National Park is simply one of the most beautiful places in Australia and it provides an incredible backdrop to spot some of its 270 bird species that are within the park. The park's residents vary widely dependent on season; in the dry season, you can see the over four-foot-tall Jabiru and the wet season welcomes more waterborne species, like the Magpie Goose.

Jabiru is the main town to stay in at Kakadu and it has quite a unique accommodation offering, the Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel, which is shaped like the ancient reptile.

Many migratory shorebirds make Roebuck Bay their destination after a long flight from the northern hemisphere, so any birdwatcher should add the bay to their destination list. The birds tend to land at the bay between August and October before moving further south.

But it is the March and April departure season that is most impressive as the shorebirds depart en masse for their six to eight week journey northwards.

Across from Roebuck Bay is Matso's Brewery, a popular watering hole for visitors and locals alike. Continuing the coastal theme, stay at The Cable Beach Club Resort with poolside and beachside lounging options.

A 45-minute drive from Adelaide, the Laratinga Wetlands in Mount Barker is a perfect family-friendly destination for some birdspotting. While the species you will find here are not as rare as what you could find at some of the other places on this list, you will still find a great variety of birds from spotted crakes to crimson rosellas.

Given it is within the Adelaide Hills, it would be rude not to visit one of the numerous wineries. Howard Vineyard, a particularly close option, has good food options as well. CABN Hahndorf offers eco-cabin lodging in the town over and keeps you within the Adelaide Hills.