Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water
The Hon Michaela Settle, Victorian Minister for Water
An additional 1,400 hectares of important wetlands in Victoria will receive international recognition and stronger environmental protections, as part of an expansion of the Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar Site.
To be placed on the Ramsar list, a site must contain representative, rare or unique wetland types, or be internationally important for conserving biological diversity.
This expansion increases the size of the existing Ramsar-listed wetland to 24,110 hectares.
New areas being added include the Moolap Wetlands, parts of the Edwards Point Swan Bay Wildlife Reserve and Coastal Reserve, Lake Connewarre Complex Conservation Reserve and Point Cook Cheetham Coastal Park and Marine Sanctuary.
These wetlands contain valuable saltmarsh and seagrass habitats that provide food, shelter and resting places for migratory shorebirds travelling thousands of kilometres along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
The newly included areas also support several threatened species, including the critically endangered curlew sandpiper and far eastern curlew. They also provide habitat for spiny peppercress, a threatened plant species that will be included within the Ramsar site for the first time.
The expansion follows extensive consultation led by the Victorian Government with local communities, land managers and other stakeholders.
The extension will be submitted to the Convention on Wetlands Secretariat for adoption.
By extending the Ramsar site boundary, these important wetland areas will receive greater recognition and protection under Australia's national environmental laws. This helps ensure that activities that could significantly impact the wetlands or the species they support are carefully assessed and managed.
The expanded listing will strengthen the long-term conservation of these habitats, and help maintain the ecological values that make the area internationally important. It will also support more coordinated management, strengthen resilience to climate change and enable targeted conservation actions, such as habitat restoration and artificial nesting and roosting platforms for wetland-dependent birds.
The site is one of 67 wetlands across Australia recognised as internationally important under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Environment and Water, Murray Watt:
"The Albanese and Carroll Governments are working together to protect more of Victoria's internationally significant wetlands, which will safeguard our unique wildlife and biodiversity for future generations."
"Collectively, Australia's Ramsar-listed wetlands cover more than 8.3 million hectares-an area larger than Tasmania-and play a vital role in supporting biodiversity, improving water quality, storing carbon and providing important habitat for native species."
Quotes attributable to the Victorian Minister for Water, Michaela Settle:
"Expanding Victoria's Ramsar wetlands will strengthen the conservation of threatened species, migratory shorebirds and these internationally significant habitats for future generations."
"This outcome is a testament to the dedication of local communities that have championed the recognition of these wetlands for their outstanding environmental significance".
Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Corangamite, Libby Coker:
"My community cares deeply for the local environment and protecting precious assets including Lake Connewarre, Swan Bay and the Moolap Wetlands."
"I want to thank the community for their advocacy and acknowledge the Federal Minister for the Environment for listening to my communities and protecting these important areas."
"This extension will see important local habitat recognised around the world."
"This couldn't have happened without the strong support of the local community, so congratulations to all involved in the long-standing community advocacy and agency partnerships."
Quotes attributable to State Member for Bellarine, Alison Marchant:
"After years of hard work, our community should feel so proud to have these precious wetlands protected for generations to come."
"These pristine wetlands are the lifeblood for so much of our native plants and animals and these new protections will help protect them for everyone safely and sustainably enjoy."
