Portphillipbay(Westernshoreline)And Bellarinepeninsularamsarsite

PortPhillipBay(WesternShoreline)and BellarinePeninsulaRamsarSite

ProtectingWetlandsforWildlife

BarTailedGodwit(Limosalapponica)

A wildlife haven

on Melbourne’sdoorstep

ThePortPhillip(WesternShoreline)andBellarinePeninsulaRamsarSite isoneofelevenwetlandsof internationalsignificance in Victoria listedundertheConvention onWetlands (Ramsar,Iran 1971). In recentyearsthesitehas beenrecognisedas oneof thehighestvaluecoastalandmarineenvironments withinthePortPhillipandWestern Portregion.

ThePortPhillip(WesternShoreline)andBellarinePeninsulaRamsarSitesitsalongthewesternshorelineofPortPhillip,throughtheCityofGreaterGeelong,ontothe BellarinePeninsula. The site is adjacentto someofthefastestgrowingurbanareasof MelbourneandGeelongwhichpresentssomechallengesfor management.

ThisRamsarsiteconsists ofanumberofcomponentareasincluding:

•partsofthe shoreline,intertidal zoneand adjacent wetlandsofwesternPortPhillipBay,extendingfromAltonasouthtoLimeburnersBaynearGeelong.Specificparts ofthe site in this areaincludeSkeletonCreekto PointCookincluding CheethamWetlands,theWesternTreatmentPlant;theSpitNatureConservation Reserve;AvalonAirfield;and PointWilson toLimeburners Bay

•partsofthe shoreline,intertidal zoneand adjacent wetlandsoftheBellarinePeninsula,extendingfrom Edwards PointtoBarwon Headsand including Swan Bay;MudIslands;andLakeConnewarreandReedy Lake.

Thesite consists of bothextensiveareas ofpublicland andareasofprivateland. Publiclandismanagedby ParksVictoria,DepartmentofSustainabilityand Environment(DSE),MelbourneWater,Departmentof Defence,CityofGreaterGeelong,WyndhamCity Council,HobsonsBay City Councilwithsupport fromthePortPhillipandWesternPortCatchment ManagementAuthorityandCorangamiteCatchmentManagementAuthority.PubliclandisleasedtoprivateinterestsatAvalonairport.Privatelandholders adjoiningtheRamsarsite include bothurbanand rural properties.

AStrategicManagementPlandevelopedin2003identifiesarangeofsitemanagementstrategiesto protectwetlandvaluesfromabroadrangeof threateningprocesses including pestplantsand animals,poorwaterquality,andarangeofhuman activities. Thisplan canbe foundat

World Class Wetlands

ThisRamsarsitemeetsanumberof criteriafor listing asa wetland of international importanceincluding:

•has6threatenedspeciesthataresupportedbythe wetlands

•supportsanumberof criticallifestages including largenumbersofmigratoryshorebirds,moultingoflargenumbersofwaterfowl,breedingof49speciesofwaterbird;andadroughtrefuge for waterbirdandfishspecies

•annuallysupports morethan40,000waterbirds

•regularlysupportsmorethanonepercentoftherelevantpopulations of15species ofwaterbirds

•importantfeedingandnursery areasforanumberof fishspecies

WithinthePort PhillipRamsartherearesixtypesof marineandcoastalwetlandsincludingshallowmarinewaters,rockymarineshores,sandshingleorpebble shores,estuarinewaters,intertidalmudandsand flats,andintertidalmarshes including saltmarsh;two typesofinlandwetlands(permanentriver/streams/creeks,andpermanentfreshwatermarshes/pools);andtwotypesofartificialwetlands (irrigatedlandandsewagetreatmentponds).

For further information CallParksVictoriaon131963orvisit

Caring for ourwetlands Helpuslookafterourwetlandsbyfollowingtheseguidelines:

Ensurethatcatsanddogsarealwayskeptundercontroland notallowedtowanderinto

wetlands

Keepdogsona leadandawayfromimportantroostingand feedingareasforwaderand wetlandbirdspecies

Supportthe activities of land managersindealingwithpest animalssuchasthe Red Fox

Disposeofunwanted chemicals andoilsappropriatelywithout lettingthem intodrainsthat lead to ourwetlands

Useenvironmentallyfriendlylowphosphorushousehold detergentsandwashing powdersto helppreventalgal growthinwaterways

FindoutaboutthemanyspeciesthatusetheRamsarwetlandsinyourareaandshareyourknowledgewithfriends

andfamily

Discardedgear andrubbish can endangerbirds andmarineanimals–pleasetakeyourrubbish with youfor recycling

and disposal

Vehicles,including motorbikes,mayonlybeusedonformedopenroads.Driversmustbelicensedandvehicles registeredandroadworthy

HealthyParksHealthyPeopleVisitingaparkcanimproveyourhealth,mind,bodyandsoul.So,withoverfourmillionhectaresofparklandavailabletoVictorians,whynotescape

toaparktoday!

WhatMightYou See

TheEasternCurlew(Numeniusmadagascariensis)

TheEasternCurlewisthelargestwaderthatvisits Australia.Ithasavery longdown‐curved bill witha longneckandlegs.Itisadark‐streakedbrownwaderandisoftenseenfeeding onthedeeperedges ofsand and mudflats.

EasternCurlewsarewidespreadincoastalregionsin the north‐east andsouth of Australia,but are rarely seeninland.Theybreed inRussiaandnorth‐easternChina.

EasternCurlewsfeedonsmallcrabsandmolluscsboth bydayandnight.Theirlongbeakscanreachdeepinto thesedimenttofindburied animals orcanalsobeused to pickfood fromthesurface.

VisitingtheSite

Therearea numberofparksandreservesacrossPortPhillipBay(WesternShoreline)andtheBellarinePeninsulaRamsarSitewhereyoucanvisitand,atcertaintimesoftheyear,seemanyofthebirdspecies thatmakethesewetlandssoimportant.

Theseinclude:

•TowertoMigrationatCheethamWetlands

•PointCookCoastalPark

•WesternTreatmentPlant(byappointment)

•TheSpitWildlifeReserve

•HovellsCreekandLimeburnersLagoon

•LakeConnewarre

•ReedyLake

•SwanBay

•MudIslands

Ifyouwould likefurther informationaboutthePortPhillipBay(WesternShoreline)andBellarinePeninsula RamsarSite,contactParksVictoriaon131963orvisit

ForInformationonMelbourneWater’s Western TreatmentPlantcall131722orvisit .

February2012

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