Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
Shoalwater Bay is located 93 km north of Rockhampton and comprises a complex continuous wetland aggregation that is formed in a large shallow marine embayment. It is a good example of shallow marine and estuarine wetland, and various freshwater wetland types on coastal sands. The site is part of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, which is 453,700 ha of mainland, islands and intervening marine areas, owned by the Department of Defence (Australian Government) and managed equally for the purposes of military training and nature conservation. The IBA covers all wetland habitat suitable for migratory shorebirds, including all intertidal mud flats, extending from Broome Head in the north to the southern boundary of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, including Akens Island, Pelican Rock and Corio Bay to the south and including the north-eastern beaches, which have limited intertidal areas for migratory shorebirds but support Beach Stone-curlews. The IBA excludes the marine waters within the Training Area, some inland sections of the Ramsar site and the dry mainland portions of the Training Area. Six wetland habitats occur within the area: shallow open water systems including seagrass beds, rocky marine shores, beaches and bars, lower intertidal mudflats, mangrove communities, supra-tidal flats and freshwater swamps (wet heath, grass/sedge and shrubby/wooded).
Shoalwater Bay was estimated to support 23,000 migratory shorebirds in 1995 and 32,000 in 2007 (Jaensch 2008). This includes significant populations of Bar-tailed Godwit (5077 in 1195; 4242 in 2007); Whimbrel (7089 in 1995; 2891 in 2007); Terek Sandpiper (3410 in 1995; 1953 in 2007) and Little Tern (1300 in 1995). Australian Pelicans nest on Akens Island, usually 300-400 pairs but occasionally up to 1000 pairs (P. O'Neill in litt. 2008). Access to the island is restricted by the Department of Defence. A total of 226 bird species have been recorded from the larger Shoalwater Bay Training Area (Ramsar summary on DEH website). Bush Stone-Curlew have been recorded in the region (Atlas of Australian Birds database) but numbers of this species are unknown.
Non-bird biodiversity: Rich aquatic beds of seagrass that consist of eight species, and 18 of the 39 species of mangrove found in Australia, occur in the area. The seagrass provides extensive areas of Dugong habitat. Significant non-breeding populations of Green Turtle use the area, and Loggerhead, Flatback and Hawksbill Turtles also occur. Estuarine Crocodiles have been observed in Shoalwater Creek and Port Clinton.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Implement recommendations in the area’s integrated strategic plan and management plan.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
The Queensland Environment Protection Agency regularly tags and monitors turtle populations in Shoalwater Bay.
The IBA overlaps with five protected areas.
Department of Defence.
Site access / Land-owner requests
Access is strictly prohibited without authorisation from the Department of Defence.
Allan Briggs of Birds Australia Capricornia, John McCabe of QPWS, Paul O'Neill of QPWS (now Defence), Peter Driscoll and Roger Jaensch of Wetlands International kindly provided data and comments. The nomination was kindly supported by Leanne Sommer of the Department of Defence.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Shoalwater Bay (Rockhampton) (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/shoalwater-bay-(rockhampton)-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.
