List of Ramsar sites in Australia
This is a list of wetlands in Australia that are designated by the Ramsar Convention as sites of international importance. Under the Convention, the wetlands are considered as being of significant value not only for the Australian community, but for humanity as a whole.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands came into force for Australia on. As of 28 February 2018, Australia has 66 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance, with a total area of.
Management of Ramsar wetlands in the Australian jurisdiction
The management of Ramsar sites listed within Australia is controlled at national level by the Australian government via the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and its accompanying regulations, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000.The Act, as of 2015, lists the principles required for meeting treaty obligations in respect to “wetlands of international importance” including “environmental approvals”, the prerequisites for the making of both “declarations” and “bilateral agreements”, the approval process, “strategic assessments”, and the management approach.
The applicable regulation lists three requirements as of 2015. Firstly, a set of general principles for management is described including the need for "public consultation," the involvement of parties with an interest and/or who may be affected by the management of wetland, as well as allowing for "continuing community and technical input." Secondly, the requirements for the management plan to be prepared for each listed wetland are described. Thirdly, the requirements for the “environmental impact assessment and approval" are described for parties wishing to undertake activities that are likely to have "a significant impact on the ecological character of a Ramsar wetland."
Australian Capital Territory
The following wetlands are located in the Australian Capital Territory:Name | Location | Coordinates | Area | Designated | Designation No. | Description | Image |
Ginini Flats Subalpine Bog Complex | Namadgi National Park | RS793 |
New South Wales
The following wetlands are located in New South Wales:Name | Location | Coordinates | Area | Designated | Designation No. | Description | Image |
Blue Lake | Kosciuszko National Park | RS800 | |||||
Fivebough and Tuckerbil Swamps | Riverina | RS1224 | |||||
Gwydir Wetlands | North West Slopes | RS993 | |||||
Hunter Estuary Wetlands | RS287 | ||||||
Little Llangothlin Lagoon | Northern Tablelands | RS798 | |||||
Lake Pinaroo | Sturt National Park, Far West | RS799 | |||||
Macquarie Marshes | North West Slopes | RS337 | |||||
Myall Lakes | Mid North Coast | RS994 | |||||
Narran Wetlands | North West Slopes | RS995 | |||||
Central Murray Forests | Riverina | RS1291 | |||||
Paroo River Wetlands | Far West | RS1716 | |||||
Towra Point Nature Reserve | Sutherland Shire, Sydney | RS286 |
Northern Territory
The following wetlands are located in the Northern Territory:Name | Location | Coordinates | Area | Designated | Designation No. | Description | Image |
Cobourg Peninsula | Garig Gunak Barlu National Park | RS1 | |||||
Kakadu National Park | Alligator Rivers, Kakadu National Park | RS204 | |||||
Kakadu National Park | Alligator Rivers, Kakadu National Park | RS441 |
Queensland
The following wetlands are located in Queensland:Name | Location | Coordinates | Area | Designated | Designation No. | Description | Image |
Bowling Green Bay | North Queensland | RS632 | |||||
Currawinya Lakes | South West Queensland | RS791 | |||||
Great Sandy Strait | Wide Bay–Burnett | RS992 | |||||
Moreton Bay | South East Queensland | RS631 | |||||
Shoalwater and Corio Bays | Central Queensland | RS792 |
South Australia
The following wetlands are located in South Australia:Name | Location | Coordinates | Area | Designated | Designation No. | Description | Image |
Banrock Station Wetland Complex | Riverland | RS1221 | |||||
Bool and Hacks Lagoons | Limestone Coast | RS322 | |||||
Coongie Lakes | Lake Eyre Basin | RS376 | |||||
Coorong and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert Wetland | Lake Alexandrina | RS321 | |||||
Piccaninnie Ponds Karst Wetlands | Limestone Coast | RS2136 | |||||
Riverland | Riverland | RS377 |
Tasmania
The following wetlands are located in Tasmania:Name | Location | Coordinates | Area | Designated | Designation No. | Description | Image |
Apsley Marshes | Freycinet Peninsula | RS255 | |||||
Cape Barren Island, east coast lagoons | Furneaux Group | RS255 | |||||
Interlaken Lakeside Reserve | Central Highlands | RS259 | |||||
Jocks Lagoon | RS258 | ||||||
Lavinia | King Island | RS253 | |||||
Little Waterhouse Lake | North East | RS260 | |||||
Logan Lagoon | Flinders Island, Furneaux Group | RS252 | |||||
Lower Ringarooma River | North East | RS257 | |||||
Moulting Lagoon Nature Reserve | Freycinet Peninsula | RS251 | |||||
Pittwater-Orielton Lagoon | Southern Tasmania | RS254 |
Victoria
The following wetlands are located in Victoria:Name | Location | Coordinates | Area | Designated | Designation No. | Description | Image |
Barmah Forest | Goulburn Valley, Hume | RS262 | |||||
Corner Inlet | South Gippsland | RS261 | |||||
Glenelg Estuary and Discovery Bay Ramsar Site | Glenelg Shire | RS2344 | |||||
Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands | Port Phillip | RS1096 | |||||
Gippsland Lakes | East Gippsland | RS269 | |||||
Gunbower Forest | RS263 | ||||||
Hattah-Kulkyne Lakes | Murray Mallee | RS264 | |||||
Kerang Wetlands | Murray Mallee | RS265 | |||||
Lake Albacutya | Wimmera | RS270 | |||||
Port Phillip Bay and Bellarine Peninsula | Port Phillip, Bellarine Peninsula | RS266 | |||||
Western District Lakes | Western District | RS268 | |||||
Western Port Bay | Western Port | RS267 |
Western Australia
The following wetlands are located in Western Australia:Name | Location | Coordinates | Area | Designated | Designation No. | Description | Image |
Becher Point Wetlands | Swan Coastal Plain | RS1048 | |||||
Eighty Mile Beach | Kimberley | RS480 | |||||
Forrestdale and Thomsons Lakes | Swan Coastal Plain | RS481 | |||||
Lake Gore | Goldfields-Esperance | RS1049 | |||||
Lake Warden System | Goldfields-Esperance | RS485 | |||||
Lakes Argyle and Kununurra | Kimberley | RS478 | |||||
Muir-Byenup System | South West | RS1050 | |||||
Ord River Floodplain | Kimberley | RS477 | |||||
Peel-Yalgorup System | Swan Coastal Plain | RS482 | |||||
Roebuck Bay | Kimberley | RS479 | |||||
Toolibin Lake | Wheatbelt | RS483 | |||||
Vasse-Wonnerup System | South West | RS484 |
External territories
The following wetlands are located in the External territories:Name | Location | Coordinates | Area | Designated | Designation No. | Description | Image |
Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve | Ashmore and Cartier Islands | RS1220 | |||||
Coral Sea Reserves | Coral Sea Islands Territory | RS1222 | |||||
The Dales | Christmas Island | RS1225 | |||||
Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve | Coral Sea Islands Territory | RS1223 | |||||
Hosnies Spring | Christmas Island | RS512 | |||||
Pulu Keeling National Park | Cocos Islands | RS797 |