Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
This IBA is a stretch of muddy and sandy coast just east of Darwin, from the shorebird roost at Lee Point to the end of the muddy bay at Tree Point. The northern extent of the boundary is poorly defined and could extend to the northern boundary of the Shoal Bay Conservation Area or to Gunn Point (the end of the bay); this requires more fieldwork. The IBA extends inland to include the mangroves but not the terrestrial vegetation.
The IBA has supported up to 1313 near threatened Black-tailed Godwit (A. & S. Keates in litt. 2007). It also supports nationally important numbers of Greater Sand Plover (700-1500 in Nov 2006-Jan 2007) and high numbers of Terek Sandpiper (e.g. 337 at Tree Point on 5 Nov 2006) and a handful of Beach Stone-curlews (A. & S. Keates in litt. 2007). Other species recorded in the IBA or on adjacent wetlands and plains include Little Whimbrel, Little Tern, Chestnut Rail, Bush Stone-curlew, Varied Lorikeet, Yellow Chat, White-gaped Honeyeater, Australian Yellow White-eye, Australian Bustard and Red Goshawk (Chatto 2006; DEWHA 2008; Atlas of Australian Birds database).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Any large-scale infrastructure development should be planned to avoid impacting the intertidal mudflats. Human disturbance needs to be controlled along the beach.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
The Shoal Bay area is listed as a nationally important wetland in the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. Shoal Bay is also classified as a site of conservation significance by the Northern Territory Government (Harrison et al. 2009; Ward & Harrison 2009).
The IBA overlaps with Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Shoal Bay Coastal Reserve, Buffalo Creek Management Area and the Tree Point Conservation Area.
Department of Defence and unallocated Crown Land.
Monthly shorebird counts have been undertaken by A & S Keates for the purpose of determining whether the site meets the IBA criteria.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Shoal Bay (Darwin) (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/shoal-bay-(darwin)-iba-australia on 22/11/2024.
