Ramsar wetlands preservation in the Hunter region

The Securing the Sanctuaries of Ramsar and Priority Wetlands for Migratory and Marine Species project supports the recovery and resilience of the Hunter Estuary Wetlands and Myall Lakes Ramsar sites, alongside First Nations peoples.

Project works include:  

• improvement of habitat and mitigation of impacts of rising sea levels for threatened species, including the eastern curlew
• support for increased leadership and participation of First Nations peoples in the management of threats. 

Project background

Hunter Estuary Wetlands is listed as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention for migratory shorebirds, green and golden bell frog, Australasian bittern and the estuary stingray.  

Myall Lakes is listed as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention as a natural wetland with a complex variety of habitats and rich biodiversity, including rare species and threatened ecological communities.  

Stockton Sandspit is one of the most significant shorebird roost sites in NSW. Its ongoing value to shorebirds is maintained by volunteers from a local birdwatching group, the Hunter Bird Observers Club.  

Eastern curlew migrate annually between Australia, China and Russia. They require undisturbed feeding and roosting sites so they can build up enough bodily reserves to survive their long migration flights. The eastern curlew is one of the flightiest species of birds. A curlew can be spooked by a person from as far as 250 metres away, making them highly susceptible to disturbance.  

Key threats to these wetlands and their ecosystems include:  

• changes in tidal range from dredging and flood mitigation structures  
• changes to freshwater/saltwater balance due to drainage works  
• habitat loss and fragmentation  
• introduced animals that prey on native birds  
• introduced plants  
• inappropriate fire regimes  
• industrial and urban development on adjoining land  
• human disturbance at key migratory shorebird roosting and foraging habitats  
• climate change including sea level rises  
• pollution  
• upstream land degradation, erosion and runoff resulting in poor water quality. 

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Video transcript

Shorebirds of the Hunter estuary

With the Hunter wetlands, they've got a unique place in New South Wales and nationally as being one of the top shorebird sites. There are birds from lots of different bird families in the shore bird group and some of them are migratory, some of them are resident. The majority of 'em are going into the northern hemisphere going to at least near the Arctic Circle. 

Some fly nonstop from say Alaska to Australia, so they really need to immediately start resting and feeding. We need to allow them to do that in order for this breeding strategy to work. 

I remember years ago somebody asked me so 'so what if we lost all of our saltmarsh'. What makes up a school prawn in the hunter estuary is primarily salt marsh, so salt marsh is primary production for the food that we get out of the ocean and salt marsh is also shorebird habitat. 

It all fits together and if we lose the salt marsh, not only do the shorebirds lose their feeding and resting areas, but we lose the food that goes into the system, that feeds the food, that ends up on our plate. 

People go 'they're clickbait'. If they can do that at low tide, then they've already managed the disturbance that they may have created for the shore birds. 

If you're out on the waterway the dykes there upstream from the bridge, is another major daytime roost for the shore birds. For any reason you need to be really close to that dyke, then it's slow as you go 

[Music] 

Australia in general is such a unique environment for native flora and fauna that from a young age everybody who lives here should embrace that against all odds, that this, is amazing. 

[Music]

Project objectives

This project will support the recovery and resilience of the Hunter Estuary Wetlands and Myall Lakes Ramsar sites by:  

• improving habitat
• controlling weeds and feral animals
• providing community engagement activities
• improving climate change resilience
• improving community knowledge about migratory shorebirds  
• increasing leadership and participation of First Nations peoples in Ramsar site management 
• protecting and enhancing migratory shorebird roosting and foraging habitat 
• reducing the threat of predation from foxes 
• conserving and enhancing natural and cultural values 
• contributing to preserving the critically endangered eastern curlew. 

These objectives align with: 

• Hunter Wetlands National Park Plan of Management
• Hunter Estuary Coastal Management Plan
• Myall Lakes National Park Plan of Management
• Port Stephens Estuary Shorebird Site Action Plan
• Hunter Estuary and Worimi Conservation Lands Shorebird Site Action Plan.

Project delivery

Work includes: 

• supporting the community to better understand migratory shorebirds and how to minimise impacts of their activities on roosting and feeding habitat 
• restoring and repairing dykes to improve high tide roost habitat and mitigate impacts of climate change and rising sea levels  
• improving habitat quality and reducing threats to migratory shorebirds 
• scientific research to inform Ramsar site management actions 
• supporting knowledge sharing and collaborative management of Ramsar sites. 

Project timeline

2023–24:

• works planning
• consultation with First Nations communities, land managers and other stakeholders.  

2024–25:

• Ramsar forum (April 2025)
• ecological surveys
• weed management
• shorebird habitat restoration
• wetland user education activities.  

2025–26

• Ramsar forum (March 2026)
• weed management
• shorebird habitat restoration
• pest animal management
• wetland user education activities
• development of a shorebird threat assessment protocol in the Birdata app
• shorebird ID and threats training for First Nations organisations and the public. 

2026–28:

• Ramsar forums (April 2027, April 2028)
• repair/restore Kooragang dykes
• ecological surveys
• weed management
• pest animal management
• wetland user education activities
• project close (June 2028) and outcomes reporting. 

How to get involved

Opportunities to get involved in education workshops during this project will be promoted through our social media sites, e-newsletters and local media as they become available. 

You can reduce disturbance to shorebirds by keeping dogs on leashes and ensuring people, vehicles or horses aren’t within 250 metres of roosting or feeding birds. 

The Ash Island Volunteers group is always at work and may welcome new volunteers.

Funding and partnerships

This project is funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by Hunter Local Land Services, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel. All outcomes for this project are recorded in MERIT.