Moreton Bay

Blue Lake, Moreton Bay Ramsar Site
North Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay Ramsar Site
Cooloola Sedgefrog (Litoria cooloolensis), Moreton Bay Ramsar Site
North Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay Ramsar Site
North Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay Ramsar Site
North Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay Ramsar Site

Moreton Bay

  • Country: 
    Australia
  • Site number: 
    631
  • Area: 
    120,639 ha
  • Designation date: 
    22-10-1993
  • Coordinates: 
    27°23'S 153°19'E
Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Overview

The Site is an estuarine basin, semi-enclosed by two of the world’s largest sand islands lying near the southern limit of reef-building corals. It is notable for its large size, diversity of wetland habitats and high species diversity that includes threatened ecological communities. It includes one of the most extensive intertidal areas of seagrass, mangrove and saltmarsh communities on the eastern coast of Australia, supporting fish, waterbirds and marine megafauna of conservation significance. Several animal species in the Site such as the Cooloola sedgefrog (Litoria cooloolensis), the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the Australian humpback dolphin (Sousa sahulensis) are either vulnerable or endangered. The Site regularly supports more than 50,000 waterbirds representing at least 28 migratory shorebird species, and is recognized as a network site under the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership. It is popular for water-based recreation and tourism.

Administrative region: 
The Site is in Queensland, Australia. Five local government areas intersect the Ramsar site: Sunshine Coast Regional Council; Moreton Bay Regional Council; Brisbane City Council; Redland City Council; City of Gold Coast.

  • National legal designation: 
    • Declared Fish Habitat Area - Coomera (FHA-023)
    • Declared Fish Habitat Area - Peel Island (FHA-10); Pumicestone Channel (FHA-011); Hays Inlet (FHA-012); Deception Bay (FHA-013); Kippa-Ring (FHA-014); Moreton Banks (FHA-015); Coombabah (FHA-16); Myora–Amity Banks (FHA-017); Jumpinpin-Broadwater (FHA-021); Pimpama (FHA-022)
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Beachmere Conservation l Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Beerburrum East State Forest
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Beerwah State Forest
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Bird Island Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Bribie Island National Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Bribie Island State Forest
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Buckleys Hole Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Bullock Creek Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Carbrook Wetlands Conservation Park 2
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Coombabah Lake Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Deception Bay Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Goat Island Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Hays Inlet Conservation Park 1 & 2
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - King Island Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Main Beach Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Moreton Bay Marine Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Moreton Island National Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Mud Island Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Myora Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Naree Budjong Djara Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Naree Budjong Djara National Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Ningi Creek Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Pumicestone National Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - South Stradbroke Island Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - St Helena Island National Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Teerk Roo Ra Conservation Park
    • State Protected Area (QLD) - Teerk Roo Ra National Park
  • Regional (international) legal designations: 
    • Other international designation
  • Last publication date: 
    01-12-2023