Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
This IBA consists of the continuous mudflats along the north and east of Gulf of St Vincent north of Adelaide. It extends from Ardrossan in the north-west, past the Price saltworks to the mouth of the Port River and Outer Harbour at Adelaide. The main habitats are two large salt works used by salt-tolerant shorebirds and as high-tide roosts for other shorebirds, intertidal mudflats and mangroves, and some other small coastal wetlands. Much of the IBA abuts residential and industrial development, especially to the north of Adelaide. Key sites within the IBA are Price saltworks (has supported threshold numbers of eight species), Clifton Conservation Park (six species), Parham (two species), Port Prime (one species), Dry Creek (=ICI, St Kilda, Penrice) saltfields, Salisbury wetlands especially Greenfields, Barker Inlet wetlands, Bolivar sewage works and Buckland Park Lake (seven species), Port River mouth (one species), Torrens island complex (one species) and Outer Harbour (two species). Many birds move between these sites and the area is best treated as a single IBA. Management of the IBA varies from unmanaged access to off-road vehicles in parts of Pt Gawler CP to well-managed access in the defence land south of Port Wakefield. Greenfields Wetlands and most of the freshwater part of Barker Inlet Wetlands are artificial wetlands created in the last 30 years; these have high bird conservation values but support different species to the natural habitats. The number of shorebirds using this IBA has declined since the 1970s and 1980s, and it no longer supports threshold numbers of several species.
A single high count of 200 Blue-billed Duck at Bolivar Sewage Ponds in 2001 (Atlas of Australian Birds database); this species may be regular in significant numbers but data are lacking. A single high count of 15,000 Whiskered Tern in 1993 at Dry Creek Saltfields, where thousands in 1985 (Carpenter et al. 2003). Other high counts in 2000 include 805 Greenshank, 743 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2019 Red Knot, 702 Great Knot and 1796 Curlew Sandpiper (Wilson 2000). Counts of 1300 Banded Lapwing in Clinton CP in 1985 and 500 in 1983 (Carpenter et al. 2003). One record of critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot in October 2006 (Orange-bellied Parrot Winter Count and Re-sights Database). Several records of the vulnerable Australian Painted Snipe (C. Rogers in litt. 2007; Atlas of Australian Birds database) and at least one record of Australian Little Bittern (Atlas of Australian Birds database). Slender-billed Thornbill breeds in some saltmarsh areas and Rock Parrot was frequently reported in Atlas of Australian Birds surveys undertaken from 1998 to 2008 (Atlas of Australian Birds database).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Development must not infill any wetlands, especially the few freshwater wetlands, nor significantly alter the hydrology of these wetlands. Specifically, the City of Salisbury plans to infill wetlands and saltmarsh are inconsistent with their biodiversity objectives. Conservation of key shorebird foraging and roosting areas should be included in site management plans for salt fields and government managed land. Prohibit housing and other development on areas of high conservation value (and areas highly susceptible to sea-level rise and tide surges).
Several - see separate section.
Commonwealth/Federal (Department of Defence); South Australian state government (Department for Environment and Heritage); private (salt works).
Site access / Land-owner requests
Public access is prohibited on Department of Defence land at Proof Range.
David Close, John Cox and Rodney Attwood commented on the nomination.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gulf St Vincent (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gulf-st-vincent-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.
