Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The Cheetham & Altona IBA comprises of a number of wetlands on the north-western shores of Port Phillip Bay, at the edge of Melbourne. It includes the undeveloped coast between Williamstown and Seaholme including the Jawbone Reserve, Altona Coastal Park and the Rowden's Swamp section of the Kororit Creek; the Cheetham Wetlands including the undeveloped wetland between Altona and Altona meadows and Truganina Swamp along the Laverton Creek as far north as the railway; the Spectacle Lakes complex, RAAF Lake and adjacent stretches of muddy coast; but not the dry areas of Cheetham or Point Cook parks or the urbanised Santuary Lakes or stretches of coast lacking mudflats. This is defined to include all of the remnant freshwater wetlands, mudflats, saltpans and shallow inshore waters and intertidal mudflats which support the key bird species. This heavily developed area supports a range of recreational activities. The area enjoys a temperate climate, with warm summers and cool winters, rarely below freezing, and winter-spring dominant rainfall of 550 mm per year. Most of the area is managed for recreation and conservation, and a length of coast north of Point Cook is included in the Port Phillip Bay and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar site.
The wetlands are also significant at national, state and regional scales for the high total number of species recorded (240), high numbers of migratory and other waterbirds, the high incidence of rare species, the large numbers of waterfowl, the number of roosting seabirds, and the populations of terrestrial species. Nine species that have been recorded at the wetlands are considered threatened in Victoria and one, the Orange-bellied Parrot is endangered nationally but has not been regularly seen in recent years. Regionally important counts of Red-capped Plover (max 280), Banded Stilt (2388 in 1986), Red-necked Avocet (1498 in 1983), Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (declining, max 2986 in 1981 but only 1144 in 2006), Curlew Sandpiper (declining, max 9025 in 1981 but only 1179 in 2006) and Double-banded Plover (declining, max 633 in 1982 but only 306 in 2006)(AWSG data; Altona Regional Surveys 2002-2007, K. Wood in litt. 2007). The near threatened Flame Robin was recorded in seven of 103 (7%) Atlas of Australian Birds surveys from 1998 to 2008 (Atlas of Australian Birds database). Small numbers of Striated Fieldwrens (usually two to four but sometimes none to 16 individuals) have been recorded in quarterly bird counts (Altona Regional Surveys 2003-2006; K. Wood in litt. 2007).
Non-bird biodiversity: The shallow inshore waters of Port Phillip Bay contain diverse and abundant marine species, two areas of which have recently been declared as marine sanctuaries. Populations of Bottlenose Dolphin and Little Penguin feed offshore.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
New developments must consider run-off of polluted water and the impact of increased numbers of visitors. Visitor access to Cheetham wetlands should continue to be regulated.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Development of the 'Range Wetlands'; reservation of parts of the 'Range' coast; reservation of Laverton Saltworks and, earlier, Point Cook Coastal Park; declaration of two marine sanctuaries; habitat enhancement at Truganina Swamp and Challis-Paisley Drain outlets; and development of wetlands at Federation Steps Park.
The IBA overlaps with three small protected areas.
Victorian State Government managed by Parks Victoria, City of Hobsons Bay, Melbourne Water and the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
Site access / Land-owner requests
Access to Cheetham Wetlands and the coastal area of the Range Wetlands is restricted and requires permission of Parks Victoria.
The nomination was prepared by Kevin Wood with assistance from rangers for Parks Victoria (particularly Bernie McCarrick), AWSG for shorebird counts, Friends of the Williamstown Wetlands, Altona Regional Survey Group (Kevin Wood, Richard Leppitt, Mary Burbidge, Glen White, Anneliese Rosenmayer, Mark Barter).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Cheetham and Altona (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/cheetham-and-altona-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.
