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Moreton Bay Ramsar internationally important wetlandAccess wetland mapping in PDF and KML format by selecting the desired 100K map tile below or download the data via the Queensland Government Information Service. The below map is for visual representation purposes only. For more detailed mapping, please download the boundary KML. Drag this bar to relocate the map on your screen Open WetlandMaps interactive map server
OverviewThe international importance of wetland areas within Moreton Bay was recognised with parts of the Bay and surrounds being designated as a Ramsar site in 1993. Covering more than 120,000ha, the Moreton Bay Ramsar site is extremely varied, ranging from perched freshwater lakes and sedge swamps on the offshore sand islands, to intertidal mudflats, marshes, sandflats, coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves next to the Bay’s islands and the mainland. This variety enhances the Bay’s biological diversity with an overlap of wildlife species normally considered tropical or temperate. The site contains extensive intertidal areas that are valuable for supporting waterbirds and fauna of conservation significance, as well as providing important nursery conditions for fish and crustaceans. Further information about the wetland values and management of the site can be found in the documents below: The Moreton Bay Information Sheet (2018) outlines the justification for listing, the ecological character, threats, conservation measures, use of the site and the legal boundary. Moreton Bay—a wetland of international importance provides a summary of the values of the site. Protecting and managing Ramsar sites is a collaborative effort. Federal, state and local governments work together with natural resource management groups, private industry, Traditional Owners, landholders and the community to care for the sites and the values they support. The site includes large areas that are National Parks and Marine Parks, such as the Moreton Island National Park and Recreation Area and Moreton Bay Marine Park. A full list of the areas covered by protected areas and council reserves are available through the Ramsar Information Sheet. Additional resources can be found at the following links:
Wetlands International provides a Ramsar Sites: Directory and Overview for preparing reports on specific aspects of the site. Catchment stories
|
| System | Area (km²) | % wetlands area | % total area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 236.1 | 100.0% | 19.6% |
| Artificial and highly modified | 0.2 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Estuarine | 148.3 | 62.8% | 12.3% |
| Lacustrine | 1.7 | 0.7% | 0.1% |
| Palustrine | 86.0 | 36.4% | 7.1% |
| Riverine | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
There are approximately 292 lacustrine/palustrine wetlands in this region.
| Habitat | Area (km²) | % wetlands area | % total area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 236.1 | 100.0% | 19.6% |
| Estuarine - mangroves and related tree communities | 121.7 | 51.5% | 10.1% |
| Estuarine - salt flats and saltmarshes | 26.6 | 11.3% | 2.2% |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain tree swamp—Melaleuca spp. and Eucalypus spp. | 25.8 | 10.9% | 2.1% |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp | 0.9 | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass sedge and herb swamp | 38.8 | 16.4% | 3.2% |
| Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree swamp—Melaleuca spp. and Eucalypus spp. | 20.1 | 8.5% | 1.7% |
| Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, herb swamp | 0.3 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand lake—Window | 0.7 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand lake—Perched | 0.9 | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain soil lake | 0.1 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Artificial and highly modified wetlands (dams, ring tanks, irrigation channels) | 0.2 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Riverine | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
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.
Wetland extent changes
| System | 2017 area (km²) |
2013 area (km²) |
2009 area (km²) |
2005 area (km²) |
2001 area (km²) |
2017/pre-clear percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 236.1 | 236.1 | 236.1 | 236.1 | 236.1 | 98.7% |
| Artificial and highly modified | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | n/a |
| Estuarine | 148.3 | 148.3 | 148.3 | 148.3 | 148.3 | 98.9% |
| Lacustrine | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 100.0% |
| Palustrine | 86.0 | 86.0 | 86.0 | 86.0 | 86.0 | 98.3% |
| Riverine | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 62.2% |
View 2017 wetland system extents for all Ramsar internationally important wetlands
View 2013 wetland system extents for all Ramsar internationally important wetlands
View 2009 wetland system extents for all Ramsar internationally important wetlands
View 2005 wetland system extents for all Ramsar internationally important wetlands
View 2001 wetland system extents for all Ramsar internationally important wetlands
| Habitat | 2017 area (km²) |
2013 area (km²) |
2009 area (km²) |
2005 area (km²) |
2001 area (km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 236.1 | 236.1 | 236.1 | 236.1 | 236.1 |
| Estuarine - mangroves and related tree communities | 121.7 | 121.7 | 121.7 | 121.7 | 121.7 |
| Estuarine - salt flats and saltmarshes | 26.6 | 26.6 | 26.6 | 26.6 | 26.6 |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain tree swamp—Melaleuca spp. and Eucalypus spp. | 25.8 | 25.8 | 25.8 | 25.8 | 25.8 |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass sedge and herb swamp | 38.8 | 38.8 | 38.8 | 38.8 | 38.8 |
| Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree swamp—Melaleuca spp. and Eucalypus spp. | 20.1 | 20.1 | 20.1 | 20.1 | 20.1 |
| Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, herb swamp | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand lake—Window | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand lake—Perched | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain soil lake | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Artificial and highly modified wetlands (dams, ring tanks, irrigation channels) | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Riverine | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
View 2017 wetland habitat area for all Ramsar internationally important wetlands
View 2013 wetland habitat area for all Ramsar internationally important wetlands
View 2009 wetland habitat area for all Ramsar internationally important wetlands
View 2005 wetland habitat area for all Ramsar internationally important wetlands
View 2001 wetland habitat area for all Ramsar internationally important wetlands
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.
Drainage divisions 
Drainage basins
Drainage sub-basins
Regional natural resource management (NRM) bodies
Local government areas
100K map tiles
Climate zones
Subtropical
Bioregions
Biogeographic subregions
IBRA bioregions
IBRA subregions
Bioregional assessment areas
Marine meso-scale bioregions
- Tweed-Moreton (TM)
Marine provincial bioregions
- Central Eastern Shelf Transition
Regional plans
World Heritage areas
DIWA nationally important wetlands
National parks
Marine parks (Queensland)
Study areas
Report cards
-
Healthy Land and Water
- Bribie Island (Healthy Land and Water)
- Broadwater (Healthy Land and Water)
- Caboolture (Healthy Land and Water)
- Central Bay (Healthy Land and Water)
- Eastern Bay (Healthy Land and Water)
- Logan (Healthy Land and Water)
- Lower Brisbane (Healthy Land and Water)
- Moreton Island (Healthy Land and Water)
- North Stradbroke Island (Healthy Land and Water)
- Pimpama-Coomera (Healthy Land and Water)
- Pine (Healthy Land and Water)
- Pumicestone (Healthy Land and Water)
- Pumicestone Passage (Healthy Land and Water)
- Redland (Healthy Land and Water)
- South Stradbroke Island (Healthy Land and Water)
- Southern Bay (Healthy Land and Water)
- Western Bay (Healthy Land and Water)
Conservation parks
- Beachmere Conservation Park
- Bird Island Conservation Park
- Buckleys Hole Conservation Park
- Bullock Creek Conservation Park
- Cape Moreton Conservation Park
- Carbrook Wetlands Conservation Park 1
- Carbrook Wetlands Conservation Park 2
- Coombabah Lake Conservation Park
- Deception Bay Conservation Park
- Goat Island Conservation Park
- Hays Inlet Conservation Park 1
- Hays Inlet Conservation Park 2
- King Island Conservation Park
- Main Beach Conservation Park
- Mud Island Conservation Park
- Myora Conservation Park
- Ningi Creek Conservation Park
- South Stradbroke Island Conservation Park
- Teerk Roo Ra Conservation Park
State forests
Forest reserves
Resources reserves
Timber reserves
Fish habitat areas
Coastal management district
- Available (all have been combined since February 2012)
Nature refuges
Freshwater biogeographic provinces
Aquatic Conservation Assessments (AquaBAMM) and others
Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—conceptual models
- Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, herb swamp
- Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree swamp—Melaleuca spp. and Eucalypus spp.
- Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp
- Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass sedge and herb swamp
- Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand lake—Perched
- Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand lake—Window
- Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain soil lake
- Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain tree swamp—Melaleuca spp. and Eucalypus spp.
- Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp
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
- Aerial surveys of waterbirds in eastern Australia
- Ecosystem health monitoring program – estuarine and marine
- Environmental flows assessment program (EFAP)
- Framework for the assessment of river and wetland health (FARWH) – Queensland trials
- Groundwater ambient network (GWAN) – water quality
- Groundwater water level network
- Long term historical trend water quality monitoring data
- Lyngbya monitoring program
- Moreton Bay mangroves
- Moreton Bay marine park monitoring program
- Moreton Bay regional council waterway health monitoring program
- Queensland wetland mapping
- South East Queensland (SEQ) Catchments community water quality monitoring program
- Surface water ambient network (SWAN) – water quality
- Surface water monitoring network
Point source monitoring
Wetland soil indicator case studies
Wetland management case studies
Wetland projects
- Deadly Science
- Integrated Sunshine Coast Clean-up project
- MI5 Community Invasive Species Control/Eradication Program 2015, Stage 1
- Newport Waterways entrance channel offset - rehabilitation Uhlmann Road sewage treatment plant site
- Promoting sustainable vegetation management and ecosystem resilience on Coochiemudlo Island
- Pumicestone Passage Water and Mangrove Monitoring
- Silcock Street, Hays Inlet weed control
- Working with Eprapah Creek Catchment Landcare Association to Restore the Carbrook and Moreton Bay Ramsar Listed Wetlands
Area specific conceptual model case studies
Water quality improvement plan catchments
EPP (Water) scheduled environmental values and water quality objectives
-
Brisbane Creeks—Bramble Bay (WQ1423)
- HEVa1283 (HEV) – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2008: Marine National Park zone
-
Brisbane River Estuary (WQ1431)
- W1 (HEV) – Moreton Bay : Waterloo Bay enclosed coastal
- W2 (MD) – Western Bay : EHMP zone including Bramble Bay and Waterloo Bay (part)
-
Coomera River (WQ1462)
- B2 (MD) – Broadwater : EHMP zone
- HEVa1061 (HEV) – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2008: Marine National Park zone
-
Logan River (WQ1454)
- HEVa1285 (HEV) – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2008: Marine National Park zone
-
Moreton Bay (WQ1441)
- B1 (HEV) – Moreton Bay:Southern Bay : estuary/enclosed coastal water including deltaic mangrove islands
- B2 (MD) – Broadwater : EHMP zone
- C1 (HEV) – Moreton Bay : Central Bay enclosed coastal
- C2 (MD) – Central Bay : EHMP zone (part)
- E1A (HEV) – Moreton Bay: Eastern Bay and Banks Open coastal waters - oceanic and estuarine influence
- E1B (HEV) – Moreton Bay: Eastern Bay and Banks Open coastal waters - oceanic and estuarine influence
- E1C (HEV) – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2008: Marine National Park zone
- E1C (HEV) – Moreton Bay: Eastern reef open coastal waters
- E2A (MD) – Eastern Bay (north) : EHMP zone (part)
- E2C (MD) – Eastern Bay (south) : EHMP zone (part)
- HEVa1281 (HEV) – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2008: Marine National Park zone
- HEVa1283 (HEV) – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2008: Marine National Park zone
- HEVa1284 (HEV) – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2008: Marine National Park zone
- HEVa1285 (HEV) – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2008: Marine National Park zone
- M1 (HEV) – Moreton Island : freshwater creeks and wetlands largely in protected estate.
- PLE1 (HEV) – Pumicestone Passage (north) : lower estuary includes Fish Habitat Area
- S1 (HEV) – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2008: Marine National Park zone
- S1 (HEV) – Moreton Bay:Southern Bay : estuary/enclosed coastal including deltaic mangrove islands
- S2 (MD) – Southern Bay : EHMP zone
- ST1A (HEV) – North Stradbroke Island : freshwater creeks and wetlands in the Blue Lake National Park
- ST1B (HEV) – North Stradbroke Island : freshwater creeks and wetlands in the 18 Mile Swamp
- ST1C (HEV) – South Stradbroke Island : island freshwater creeks largely in protected estate.
- W1 (HEV) – Moreton Bay : Waterloo Bay enclosed coastal
- W2 (MD) – Western Bay : EHMP zone including Bramble Bay and Waterloo Bay (part)
- W2 (MD) – Western Bay: EHMP zone Deception Bay
-
Pimpama River (WQ1465)
- B1 (HEV) – Moreton Bay:Southern Bay : estuary/enclosed coastal water including deltaic mangrove islands
-
Pine Rivers and Redcliffe Creeks (WQ1421)
- HEVa1341 (HEV) – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2008: Marine National Park zone
- HEVa1342 (HEV) – Tinchi Tamba Wetlands
-
Pumicestone Passage (WQ1413)
- C1 (HEV) – Coochin/Mellum Creeks : coastal wallum streams with linkages to estuarine areas
- PLE1 (HEV) – Pumicestone Passage (north) : lower estuary includes Fish Habitat Area
- PME1 (HEV) – Pumicestone Passage (north) : middle estuary includes Fish Habitat Area
-
Redland Creeks (WQ1453)
- C1 (HEV) – Moreton Bay : Central Bay enclosed coastal
- HEVa1284 (HEV) – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2008: Marine National Park zone
- W1 (HEV) – Moreton Bay : Waterloo Bay enclosed coastal
Back on Track actions for biodiversity
Shorebird zones
Related legislation/policies
External links/description
Wildlife
|
Kingdom
Class
|
Native | Introduced | Wetland indicator species |
Rare or threatened species |
All |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 3514 | 639 | 487 | 124 | 4214 |
| Animals | 951 | 40 | 222 | 77 | 991 |
| Mammals | 103 | 16 | 9 | 12 | 119 |
| Birds | 497 | 11 | 93 | 41 | 508 |
| Reptiles | 101 | 2 | 15 | 8 | 103 |
| Amphibians | 39 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 40 |
| Lobe-finned fishes | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Ray-finned fishes | 48 | 8 | 56 | 2 | 56 |
| Cartilaginous fishes | 18 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 18 |
| Lampreys | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Insects | 135 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 137 |
| Malacostracans | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Snails | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bacteria | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 |
| Chromists | 71 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 |
| Fungi | 467 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 472 |
| Plants | 1990 | 599 | 265 | 47 | 2644 |
| Protozoans | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Note: Wildlife statistics are based on information that has been submitted to the DES 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.
This page should be cited as:
Moreton Bay Ramsar internationally important wetland — facts and maps, WetlandInfo, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland, viewed 31 January 2020, <https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/facts-maps/ramsar-wetland-moreton-bay/>.
— Department of Environment and Science