At Charlesworth Bay Beach Resort in Coffs Harbour, our stunning coastal retreat is home to more than just our guests. From playful dolphins in the surf to brush turkeys wandering our gardens, the resort is alive with local wildlife wonders. Every corner has a story, and each visit reveals something new for nature lovers and families alike.
Starting this fortnight, we’re launching a series of posts exploring the Wildlife Wonders at Charlesworth Bay Beach Resort. Each post will focus on a different creature—some familiar, others surprising. Grab your binoculars and your curiosity as we start our wildlife journey!
🦃 Meet Our Local Residents: The Australian Brush-Turkeys
You might notice some large, bold birds wandering around the gardens and paths — these are our native Australian Brush-Turkeys or bush chooks
One of the most noticeable residents around the resort is the Australian Brush-Turkey (Alectura lathami), often called a bush chook. These bold birds are commonly seen strutting along our gardens, paths, and even carparks.
Brush turkeys are part of the megapode family, famous for building huge nesting mounds instead of sitting on their eggs. They are about the size of a chicken but with longer legs and a more upright stance. Their striking appearance—black feathers, bare red head, and bright yellow (or sometimes blue) wattle—makes them easy to spot. Their tails fan out like a lyrebird’s, though shorter and stiffer.(Environment and Heritage, 2021)
They’re not overly afraid of people and can be quite bold, especially in suburban areas. You’ll often see them strutting around carparks, picnic areas, or even resort grounds, perhaps you’ve had a few encounters here at Charlesworth Bay!. They forage for insects, fruits, and seeds, scratching through leaf litter like mini bulldozers.
Fun Facts
- The males do all the mound work — the females simply inspect it and decide whether it’s suitable for egg-laying.
- Once the chicks hatch, they’re entirely independent — no parental care whatsoever. They dig themselves out of the mound and are on their own from day one.
- They’ve adapted really well to urban areas, especially on the east coast, because gardens provide perfect materials for mounds.
🦎 Meet Our Local Residents: The Eastern Water Dragons
Another true local character! These lizards are like the chill surfers of the reptile world, If you spot a scaly little sunbather lounging near the ponds or garden areas, you’ve just met another of our Wildlife wonder here at Charlesworth bay being our local Eastern Water Dragons. These laid-back lizards are completely harmless and a beloved part of the resort’s natural surroundings.
Their scientific name is Intellagama lesueurii, and there are two main subspecies: Eastern Water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii) – found along the east coast of Australia, including coastal NSW and Queensland (these are the ones you can find Here at Charlesworth Bay and around Coffs Harbour!).
Gippsland Water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii howittii)
– found further south, in parts of Victoria and southern NSW. Water dragons are expert swimmers and can often be seen basking in the sun on rocks or darting into the water when startled
They’re also excellent climbers and may perch on branches or ledges to warm up.
Males can grow up to a meter long and are easy to recognize by their impressive tails and flashes of red or orange on their chest during breeding season. They live on a mix of insects, small fish, fruit, and flowers — so there’s no need to feed them (they’ve got plenty of good food here already!).
These reptiles are completely wild and prefer to be admired from a distance. If you’re lucky, you might even see one taking a dip or 
soaking up the sun near your room!
FUN FACTS
- They can regrow their tails if they lose them to predators (though the new one’s usually shorter).
- Their skin colour can darken or lighten slightly to help with temperature regulation.
- In cooler weather, they hibernate or become dormant, often sheltering in burrows or under logs.
- Their long, muscular tail helps them swim — they can actually dive underwater and stay submerged for up to 90 minutes when hiding from predators!
If you’re visiting Coffs Harbour and staying at Charlesworth Bay Beach Resort, keep an eye out for these cheeky locals. They’re just one of many species you might encounter during your stay.
