Lake Cronin Nature Reserve is an area of around 1,000 hectares in the
Great Western Woodlands area of southern Western Australia. The GWW area protects the largest remaining intact Mediterranean-climate woodland on earth. Within this
nature reserve is the semi-permanent freshwater
Lake Cronin, which when full attracts and supports a wide variety of native birdlife and as such is a significant site for birdwatchers.
A
day use area here provides
toilets and picnic tables but camping is not permitted.
Lake Cronin Nature Reserve is also
home to the
Lake Cronin snake (Paroplocephalus atriceps), a small (to 82cm) potentially dangerous venomous snake from the inland freshwater mallee lakes and
granite outcrops from
Lake Cronin (east of
Hyden), east to Fraser Range and north to
Peak Charles and
Peak Eleanora. This snake is brown, with matt scales, golden iris, dark head, pale spots on lips.
When the
lake occasionally fills with water there can be large numbers of
Grey Teals, Pink-eared Ducks, Australian Shelducks and Black-tailed native hens. The vegetation of the surround area supports a variety of birds including the Western Rosella, Striated Pardalote and Blue-breasted Fairy-wren.
Lake Cronin Nature Reserve is within easy distance of the
Hyden Norseman Road; off Forrestania Road. The track in is sandy and requires 4WD