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Queensland Government
WetlandInfo   —   Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation

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Bioregions

Cape York Peninsula (CYP) bioregion

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Name: Cape York Peninsula (CYP)
Area type: Bioregion
Total area: 12,305,219 ha
% total Qld: 7.1%
Page table of contents
Catchment stories
Wetland observations
Wetland extents
Wetland extent changes
Australian Land Use and Management Classification (ALUMC)
Drainage divisions
Drainage basins
Drainage sub-basins
Regional natural resource management (NRM) bodies
Local government areas
100K map tiles
Climate zones
Biogeographic subregions
IBRA bioregions
IBRA subregions
Bioregional assessment areas
Marine meso-scale bioregions
Marine provincial bioregions
Regional plans
World Heritage areas
Ramsar internationally important wetlands
DIWA nationally important wetlands
National parks
Marine parks (Queensland)
Study areas
Report cards
Conservation parks
State forests
Forest reserves
Resources reserves
Timber reserves
Fish habitat areas
Coastal management district
Nature refuges
Freshwater biogeographic provinces
Aquatic Conservation Assessments (AquaBAMM) and others
Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—conceptual models
Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—management profiles
Groundwater dependent ecosystem type—conceptual models
Healthy Land and Water conceptual models
Water resource planning areas
Aquatic ecosystem monitoring programs
Point source monitoring
Wetland soil indicator case studies
Wetland management case studies
Wetland projects
Area specific conceptual model case studies
Paddock to Reef (P2R) report cards
Water Quality Improvement Plan catchments
EPP (Water) scheduled environmental values and water quality objectives
Shorebird zones
Biopassage structures
Related legislation/policies
Wildlife

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Catchment stories info

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Wetland observations

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Wetland extents info metadata

Based on wetland mapping version 7.0

Display areas in

Cape York Peninsula (CYP) bioregion wetland area by system 2021
System Area (ha) % wetlands area % total area
Total 632,091 100.0% 5.1%
Total excluding riverine and artificial/highly modified riverine 537,632 85.1% 4.4%
Artificial and highly modified 2,440 0.4% 0.0%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (natural) 244,712 38.7% 2.0%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (slightly modified) 0 0.0% 0.0%
Lacustrine (natural) 5,383 0.9% 0.0%
Lacustrine (slightly modified) 181 0.0% 0.0%
Lacustrine (unknown degree of modification) 0 0.0% 0.0%
Palustrine (natural) 284,611 45.0% 2.3%
Palustrine (slightly modified) 305 0.0% 0.0%
Riverine 94,458 14.9% 0.8%

View wetland system extents for all bioregions

For definitions of artificial, highly modified, modified, slightly modified and natural wetlands, see the Queensland Wetland Mapping Method - A Method to Provide Baseline Mapping of Wetland Extent and Changes in Wetland Extent in Queensland (PDF, 0.6 MB).

Cape York Peninsula (CYP) bioregion wetland area by habitat 2021
Habitat Area (ha) % wetlands area % total area
Total 530,594 100.0% 4.3%
Mangroves - Casuarina 0 0.0% 0.0%
Mangroves - other 155,832 29.4% 1.3%
Salt marsh and salt flats 88,576 16.7% 0.7%
Arid and semi-arid saline lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid permanently inundated lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain rock lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (window) lake 4,942 0.9% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (perched) lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain soil lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid saline swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain tree swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain shrub swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain tree swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain shrub swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid Great Artesian Basin fed spring swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 150,899 28.4% 1.2%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp 259 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 93,865 17.7% 0.8%
Coastal and sub-coastal other non-floodplain swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 9,654 1.8% 0.1%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 22,594 4.3% 0.2%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp 3,972 0.7% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal other floodplain swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal tree (palm) swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Swamp - Arid and semi-arid 0 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Swamp - Coastal and sub-coastal 0 0.0% 0.0%

View wetland habitat area for all bioregions

Disclaimer

Areas do not include marine or estuarine waters but do include estuarine wetland vegetation
(e.g. mangroves and tidal flats).

All statistics are approximate and generated based on data transformed to a customised Albers equal-area projection, thus allowing wetland extent change for different regions of Queensland to be comparable.

Areas may change over time as mapping approaches improve.

Totals may not match the sum of individually displayed figures due to the rounding of displayed figures.

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Wetland extent changes

Cape York Peninsula (CYP) bioregion wetland extent change by system
System 2021 area
(ha)		 2019 area
(ha)		 2017 area
(ha)		 2013 area
(ha)		 2009 area
(ha)		 2005 area
(ha)		 2001 area
(ha)		 pre-clear area
(ha)		 2021/pre-clear
percentage
Total 632,091 632,093 631,811 631,632 631,548 631,152 631,081 631,289 * 99.7%
Artificial and highly modified 2,440 2,440 2,121 1,901 1,763 1,360 1,294 0 n/a
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (natural) 244,712 244,714 244,715 244,716 244,711 244,711 244,711 245,472 99.7%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (slightly modified) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 n/a
Lacustrine (natural) 5,383 5,383 5,383 5,383 5,383 5,383 5,383 5,444 98.9%
Lacustrine (slightly modified) 181 181 179 179 175 167 169 0 n/a
Lacustrine (unknown degree of modification) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 n/a
Palustrine (natural) 284,611 284,611 284,622 284,626 284,687 284,691 284,690 285,642 99.6%
Palustrine (slightly modified) 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 0 n/a
Riverine 94,458 94,458 94,487 94,522 94,524 94,534 94,529 94,731 99.7%

* Total 2021/pre-clear percentage excludes artificial and highly modified

metadata View 2021 wetland system extents for all bioregions

metadata View 2019 wetland system extents for all bioregions

metadata View 2017 wetland system extents for all bioregions

metadata View 2013 wetland system extents for all bioregions

metadata View 2009 wetland system extents for all bioregions

metadata View 2005 wetland system extents for all bioregions

metadata View 2001 wetland system extents for all bioregions

metadata View pre-clear wetland system extents for all bioregions

metadata View 2021/pre-clear wetland system extent percentages for all bioregions

Cape York Peninsula (CYP) bioregion wetland extent change by habitat
Habitat 2021 area
(ha)		 2019 area
(ha)		 2017 area
(ha)		 2013 area
(ha)		 2009 area
(ha)		 2005 area
(ha)		 2001 area
(ha)
Total 530,594 530,596 530,608 530,613 530,674 530,678 530,658
Mangroves - Casuarina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mangroves - other 155,832 155,833 155,834 155,835 155,831 155,831 155,827
Salt marsh and salt flats 88,576 88,578 88,578 88,578 88,582 88,582 88,586
Arid and semi-arid saline lake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain lake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid permanently inundated lake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain lake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain rock lake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (window) lake 4,942 4,942 4,942 4,942 4,942 4,942 4,942
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (perched) lake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain soil lake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid saline swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain tree swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain shrub swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain tree swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain shrub swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid Great Artesian Basin fed spring swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 150,899 150,899 150,910 150,914 150,974 150,973 150,956
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp 259 259 259 259 259 259 259
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 93,865 93,865 93,865 93,865 93,866 93,870 93,867
Coastal and sub-coastal other non-floodplain swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 9,654 9,654 9,654 9,654 9,655 9,655 9,655
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 22,594 22,594 22,594 22,594 22,594 22,594 22,594
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp 3,972 3,972 3,972 3,972 3,972 3,972 3,972
Coastal and sub-coastal other floodplain swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal tree (palm) swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unknown - Swamp - Arid and semi-arid 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unknown - Swamp - Coastal and sub-coastal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

metadata View 2021 wetland habitat area for all bioregions

metadata View 2019 wetland habitat area for all bioregions

metadata View 2017 wetland habitat area for all bioregions

metadata View 2013 wetland habitat area for all bioregions

metadata View 2009 wetland habitat area for all bioregions

metadata View 2005 wetland habitat area for all bioregions

metadata View 2001 wetland habitat area for all bioregions

Disclaimer

Areas do not include marine or estuarine waters but do include estuarine wetland vegetation
(e.g. mangroves and tidal flats).

All statistics are approximate and generated based on data transformed to a customised Albers equal-area projection, thus allowing wetland extent change for different regions of Queensland to be comparable.

Areas may change over time as mapping approaches improve.

Totals may not match the sum of individually displayed figures due to the rounding of displayed figures.

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Australian Land Use and Management Classification (ALUMC) metadata

Cape York Peninsula (CYP) bioregion land use
ALUMC code and description
Area (ha)
% total area
Total 12,285,305 99.8%
2.1 Grazing native vegetation 4,592,070 37.3%
1.2 Managed resource protection 4,429,614 36.0%
1.1 Nature conservation 2,658,321 21.6%
6.5 Marsh/wetland 417,455 3.4%
1.3 Other minimal use 65,758 0.5%
6.6 Estuary/coastal waters 38,257 0.3%
6.3 River 28,978 0.2%
5.8 Mining 17,855 0.1%
6.1 Lake 15,739 0.1%
5.5 Services 4,964 0.0%
5.4 Residential and farm infrastructure 4,390 0.0%
3.6 Land in transition 4,379 0.0%
5.7 Transport and communication 2,183 0.0%
4.1 Irrigated plantation forests 2,050 0.0%
6.2 Reservoir/dam 978 0.0%
2.2 Production native forests 905 0.0%
3.3 Cropping 338 0.0%
3.2 Grazing modified pastures 203 0.0%
5.9 Waste treatment and disposal 197 0.0%
3.4 Perennial horticulture 177 0.0%
5.2 Intensive animal production 162 0.0%
5.3 Manufacturing and industrial 152 0.0%
5.6 Utilities 74 0.0%
4.3 Irrigated cropping 41 0.0%
3.5 Seasonal horticulture 33 0.0%
4.4 Irrigated perennial horticulture 24 0.0%
5.1 Intensive horticulture 7 0.0%

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Drainage divisions info metadata

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Drainage basins info metadata

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Drainage sub-basins info metadata

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Regional natural resource management (NRM) bodies info metadata

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Local government areas info metadata

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100K map tiles info metadata

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Climate zones info metadata

  • map Equatorial
  • map Tropical

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Biogeographic subregions info metadata

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IBRA bioregions info metadata

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IBRA subregions info metadata

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Bioregional assessment areas info metadata

none

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Marine meso-scale bioregions metadata

  • map East Cape York (ECY)
  • map Karumba-Nassau (KAN)
  • map Ribbons (RBN)
  • map Torres Strait (TS)
  • map West Cape York (WCY)
  • map Wet Tropic Coast (WTC)

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Marine provincial bioregions metadata

  • map Cape Province
  • map Northeast Shelf Province
  • map Northeast Shelf Transition
  • map Northern Shelf Province

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Regional plans info metadata

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World Heritage areas info metadata

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Ramsar internationally important wetlands info metadata

none

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DIWA nationally important wetlands info metadata

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National parks info metadata

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Marine parks (Queensland) info metadata

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Study areas metadata

none

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Report cards metadata

none

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Conservation parks info metadata

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State forests info metadata

  • map Hann State Forest

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Forest reserves info metadata

none

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Resources reserves info metadata

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Timber reserves info metadata

none

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Fish habitat areas info metadata

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Coastal management district info metadata

  • map Available (all have been combined since February 2012)

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Nature refuges info metadata

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Freshwater biogeographic provinces info metadata

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Aquatic Conservation Assessments (AquaBAMM) and others info metadata

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Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—conceptual models info metadata

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Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—management profiles info metadata

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Groundwater dependent ecosystem type—conceptual models info metadata

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Healthy Land and Water conceptual models info metadata

none

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Water resource planning areas info metadata

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Aquatic ecosystem monitoring programs info metadata

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Point source monitoring info metadata

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Wetland soil indicator case studies info metadata

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Wetland management case studies info metadata

none

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Wetland projects info metadata

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Area specific conceptual model case studies info metadata

none

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Paddock to Reef (P2R) report cards info metadata

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Water Quality Improvement Plan catchments info metadata

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EPP (Water) scheduled environmental values and water quality objectives info metadata

none

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Shorebird zones info metadata

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Biopassage structures info metadata

Name Construction year Structure types Stream name
map Arraw Dam 2019 Rock Ramp Norman Creek

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Wildlife

Kingdom
Class
 Native Introduced Wetland
indicator
species		 Rare or
threatened
species		 All
TOTAL 5,862 479 621 286 6,344
Animals 1,137 24 270 87 1,161
Mammals 125 11 7 19 136
Birds 479 8 92 34 487
Reptiles 238 3 33 20 241
Amphibians 61 1 18 10 62
Ray-finned fishes 71 0 71 0 71
Cartilaginous fishes 19 0 19 3 19
Insects 139 1 30 1 140
Malacostracans 5 0 0 0 5
Bacteria 22 0 0 0 22
Chromists 20 0 0 0 20
Fungi 553 0 0 0 553
Plants 4,130 455 351 199 4,588

Note: Wildlife statistics are based on information that has been submitted to the DETSI WildNet database and converted to a 10km² grid. The grid information has been intersected with the mapping polygons to determine the species lists. Click here to view the species grid metadata.

Information from WildNet can also be accessed via Wildlife Online and WetlandMaps.

Rare or threatened includes species listed as extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable or conservation dependent under either the Nature Conservation Act or Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act

Disclaimer: While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this product, the Queensland Government and Australian Government make no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaim all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which might be incurred as a consequence of reliance on the product, or as a result of the product being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason.

AreaType-bioregion

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2013) Cape York Peninsula (CYP) bioregion — facts and maps, WetlandInfo website, accessed 20 June 2025. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/facts-maps/bioregion-cape-york-peninsula-cyp/