1.1.7.3 Aquatic species and communities


1.1.7.3.1 Classification of aquatic habitats

Seven estuaries and 15 wetlands are nationally protected as listed in DIWA (Department of the Environment, 2014; Table 23). Of these, the Gippsland Lakes (including Lake King wetlands, Lake Victoria wetlands and Lake Wellington wetlands) and Corner Inlet are internationally listed on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

Some 8349 wetlands occupying 152,631 ha (Table 24) have been identified and mapped within the Gippsland Basin bioregion by the DELWP. A total of 426 wetlands are classified as estuarine (47% of wetland area), 5344 as lacustrine (6%), three as marine (40%), and 2068 as palustrine (7%). A further 508 are classified as lacustrine or palustrine (<1%). Further wetland descriptions are given in Table 24.

Close to 9000 km of rivers, creeks, streams flow through the Gippsland Basin bioregion of which 142 rivers are ephemeral and 32 are perennial. Only 18 rivers in the Gippsland Basin bioregion are listed under the regional Heritage Rivers Act 1992, including the Bemm, Snowy and Thomson perennial rivers, as rivers requiring protection to reserve valuable features (referred to as Heritage rivers). Detailed stream condition in East and West Gippsland Catchment Management Authorities, determined between 2004 and 2010 (DEPI, 2010), provides baseline stream condition information. In general, the lower reaches on the Mitchell and Snowy rivers are in poor health in East Gippsland while the majority of rivers in West Gippsland are in moderate to poor health across the Gippsland Plains. The Latrobe River, which flows to Lake Wellington, is classed as poor and very poor along its reaches across the plains (DEPI, 2010).

Table 23 Nationally important wetlands in the Gippsland Basin bioregion listed in A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia (Department of the Environment, 2014c)


Wetland name

Classification

Anderson Inlet

Estuary

Bald Hills State Wildlife Reserve

Wetland

Bemm, Goolengook, Arte and Errinundra rivers

Wetland

Billabong Reserve

Wetland

Bosses/Nebbor Swamp

Wetland

Corner Inlet

Estuary

Deep Water Morass

Wetland

Ewings Marsh (Morass)

Wetland

Jack Smith Lake State Game Reserve

Wetland

Lake Bunga

Wetland

Lake King Wetlands

Estuary a

Lake Tyers

Wetland

Lake Victoria Wetlands

Estuary a

Lake Wellington Wetlands

Estuarya

Lindenow Wildlife Sanctuary

Wetland

Lower Snowy River Wetlands System

Wetland

Macleod Morass

Wetland

Powlett River Mouth

Estuary

Russells Swamp

Wetland

Shallow Inlet Marine & Coastal Park

Wetland

Snowy River

Estuary

Sydenham Inlet Wetlands

Estuary

Tambo River (Lower Reaches) East Swamps

Wetland

Tamboon Inlet Wetlands

Estuary

Data: Department of the Environment, (Dataset 6)

a-Gippsland Lakes estuary

Table 24 Area of wetlands in the Gippsland Basin bioregion under four classes, incorporating wetland description


Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning wetland classification

Wetland description

Number of wetlands

Area

(ha)

Estuarine

Freshwater meadow

4

143

Shallow freshwater marsh

7

334

Deep freshwater marsh

39

12,408

Permanent open freshwater

1

14,923

Semi-permanent saline

254

16,922

Permanent saline

116

26,749

Unclassified

6

363

Total

426

71,841

Lacustrine

Freshwater meadow

1

3

Sewage oxidation basin

33

382

Shallow freshwater marsh

80

467

Deep freshwater marsh

121

1365

Permanent open freshwater

5084

6476

Semi-permanent saline

9

33

Permanent saline

3

17

Unclassified

13

96

Total

5344

8838

Marine

Semi-permanent saline

1

7559

Permanent saline

2

53,178

Total

3*

60,737

Palustrine

Flooded river flats

1

2

Freshwater meadow

549

1272

Shallow freshwater marsh

764

2896

Deep freshwater marsh

620

4811

Semi-permanent saline

47

917

Unclassified

87

1038

Total

2068

10,935

Palustrine or lacustrine

Shallow freshwater marsh

344

139

Deep freshwater marsh

158

123

Unclassified

6

17

Total

508

279

Grand Total

426

152,631

Data: Department of Environment and Primary Industries (Dataset 7)

1.1.7.3.2 Ramsar wetlands

There are two Ramsar-listed wetland complexes within the Gippsland Basin bioregion:

  • Gippsland Lakes (60,015 ha)
  • Corner Inlet (67,186 ha).

These wetlands provide important habitat to migratory birds, with 43 listed as threatened in the EPBC Act migratory species for the Gippsland Lakes and 17 for Corner Inlet (Table 25).

The Gippsland Lakes

The Gippsland Lakes is made up of a group of coastal lagoons and marshes that are separated from the sea by sand dunes and Ninety Mile Beach. Within the Gippsland Lakes, 11 Ramsar wetland types occur and include:

  • marine subtidal aquatic beds
  • sand, shingle or pebble shores
  • estuarine waters
  • intertidal marshes
  • coastal brackish or saline lagoons
  • permanent inland deltas
  • permanent river, streams or creeks
  • permanent saline, brackish or alkaline marshes and pools
  • permanent freshwater marshes and pools
  • freshwater tree-dominated wetlands
  • wastewater treatment areas.

These provide a wide range of habitats including submerged and emergent macrophytes (e.g. seagrass beds), plankton-dominated open water and fringing wetland (fresh, brackish and hypersaline) vegetation that support nationally and internationally threatened wetland species, waterbird breeding, and fish spawning.

The Gippsland Lakes support 86 waterbird species (BMT WBM, 2011b), many of which are listed under the Japan-Australia Migratory Birds Agreement (JAMBA) 1986, China-Australia Migratory Birds Agreement (CAMBA) 1974 and/or the Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Birds Agreement (ROKAMBA) 2007 and are EPBC Act listed as threatened Migratory species (Table 25). The Gippsland Lakes were reported to regularly support 40,000 to 50,000 waterbirds during the 1990s (DSE, 2003). More recent data suggest that they regularly support significantly lower populations – approximately 20,000 waterbirds (BMT WBM, 2011b). Waterbirds utilising freshwater habitats have experienced the most decline. Deep freshwater marshes, salt marsh and shallow permanent saline wetland habitats sustained the highest usage rates by waterbirds in the Gippsland Lakes (Corrick and Norman, 1980).

The Gippsland Lakes Ramsar site provides habitat for two nationally threatened frog species (Table 22), which depend on the presence of permanent, still-to-low flowing freshwater bodies, with aquatic and fringing vegetation. The persistence of these frog populations is mostly dependent on the maintenance of:

  • water quality (low nutrients and salinity, adequate dissolved oxygen)
  • freshwater inundation (natural freshening patterns that prevent rises in salinity)
  • vegetation (extent and condition).

Three nationally threatened wetland-associated flora species occur within the Gippsland Lakes Ramsar site (Table 22). Water regimes that support these species are unknown (BMT WBM, 2011b), however it is likely at least two of the species are water dependent (Table 22).

Many fish species use the marine subtidal aquatic beds in the Gippsland Lakes as a nursery area (BMT WBM, 2011b). There is little known about aquatic invertebrates in the Gippsland Lakes, but they are assumed to perform a number of services such as the basis of food chains, nutrient cycling, breakdown of detritus, habitat for other species, population regulation of other organisms, and maintenance of water quality (BMT WBM, 2011b).

Ecological processes (BMT WBM, 2011b) considered having the strongest influence on the ecological character of the Gippsland Lakes include:

  • riverine inflows of freshwater
  • groundwater inflows
  • marine inflows.

These processes control the variable salinity regime across the Gippsland Lakes and have shaped the ecological patterns and processes. Threats include altered hydrology, invasive species and water pollution (nutrients and sediments).

Corner Inlet

Corner Inlet is a marine embayment that contains tidal channels, sandy barrier islands and drainages from freshwater rivers, creeks and wetlands.

The following Victorian Ministry for Conservation 1980 wetland types occur at Corner Inlet (BMT WBM, 2011a):

  • permanent shallow marine waters (typically less than 6 m at low tide)
  • marine subtidal aquatic beds
  • intertidal mud, sand or salt flats
  • intertidal marshes
  • intertidal forested wetlands.

In addition, the following Ramsar wetland types also occur at Corner Inlet:

  • rocky marine shores
  • sand, shingle or pebble shores
  • estuarine waters
  • coastal freshwater lagoons
  • seasonal rivers/streams/creeks
  • permanent freshwater marshes/pools
  • seasonal/intermittent freshwater marshes/pools on inorganic soils
  • shrub-dominated wetlands
  • freshwater, tree-dominated wetlands.

Unconfirmed Ramsar wetland types that may also occur at Corner Inlet include:

  • non-forested peatlands
  • forested peatlands
  • ponds, including farm ponds, stock ponds and small tanks
  • canals and drainage channels.

Corner Inlet provides a diverse range of marine, estuarine and freshwater wetland habitats (including the largest seagrass beds (Posidonia australis) in Victoria) that support nationally threatened species, bird breeding and fish spawning. Corner Inlet provides habitat for one Critically Endangered and one Endangered bird (Table 22) and 43 Migratory species listed under the JAMBA, CAMBA and/or ROKAMBA (Table 25). The tidal flats and fringing wetland habitats are used by shorebirds for roosting, breeding and feeding. Corner Inlet regularly supports more than 20,000 shorebirds and, at times, more than 40,000. It is also used as a refuge by large aggregations of post-breeding waterbirds when environmental conditions are unfavourable (BMT WBM, 2011a).

Tidal flats, along with the deeper waters, provide habitat for benthic invertebrates. Three of more than 390 marine invertebrates recorded at Corner Inlet appear to be unique to the site and were recommended for listing under the FFG Act as Vulnerable species (BMT WBM, 2011a).

Corner Inlet provides habitat for one nationally threatened frog species (Table 22) which requires permanent or seasonal freshwater flooding and still or slow moving water for breeding to occur and aquatic vegetation for feeding and shelter (EPBC, 2009).

The marine, estuarine and freshwater habitats within Corner Inlet are used by a wide range of fish species (some of commercial interest) for a variety of purposes (including nursery areas, spawning, feeding, shelter, migratory pathway). Three nationally threatened (EPBC Act) Marine species have also been recorded within the Corner Inlet Ramsar site (BMT WBM, 2011a; Table 22).

Corner Inlet also provides food, nesting and nursery areas for many other animals including a variety of reptiles, amphibians, mammals and birds. Approximately 390 species of native flora and 160 species of native terrestrial fauna have been reported at Corner Inlet, as well as a wide variety of marine mammals. Two nationallyVulnerable orchid species occur within the Corner Inlet but these are not considered water dependent (BMT WBM, 2011a; Table 22).

The key threats to the character of Corner Inlet include altered hydrology, climate change, oil spill or marine incident, water pollution (sediment and nutrients), habitat loss due to future development (infrastructure, urban, natural resource), acid sulfate soils, invasive species (flora and fauna) and recreational activities (Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, 2011).

Table 25 Migratory shorebirds within Corner Inlet Ramsar site that are listed as EPBC Act Migratory species. Many species are also listed under bilateral agreements as indicated with a box


Migratory birds

scientific names

Common name

China-Australia Migratory Birds Agreement 1974

Japan-Australia Migratory Birds Agreement 1986

Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Birds Agreement 2006

Actitis hypoleucos

Common Sandpiper

■X

Apus pacificusa

Fork-tailed Swift

Ardea ibisa

Cattle Egret

■X

■X

Ardea modesta

Eastern Great Egret

■X

■X

Ardenna tenuirostris

Short-tailed Shearwater

■X

■X

Arenaria interpres

Ruddy Turnstone

■X

■X

■X

Calidris acuminataa

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

■X

■X

■X

Calidris albaa

Sanderling

■X

■X

■X

Calidris canutusa

Red Knot

■X

■X

■X

Calidris ferrugineaa

Curlew Sandpiper

■X

■X

■X

Calidris melanotos

Pectoral Sandpiper

■X

■X

Calidris ruficollisa

Red-necked Stint

■X

■X

■X

Calidris tenuirostris

Great Knot

■X

■X

■X

Charadrius leschenaultii

Greater Sand Plover

■X

■X

■X

Charadrius mongolus

Lesser Sand Plover

■X

■X

■X

Chlidonias leucopterusa

White-winged Black Tern

■X

■X

■X

Diomedea exulans

Wandering Albatross

Glareola maldivarum

Oriental Pratincole

■X

■X

■X

Gallinago hardwickiia

Latham's Snipe

■X

■X

■X

Haliaeetus leucogaster*

White-bellied Sea-Eagle

Heteroscelus brevipes

Grey-tailed Tattler

■X

■X

■X

Hirundapus caudacutusa

White-throated Needletail

Hydroprogne caspia

Caspian Tern

■X

■X

Limosa lapponica

Bar-tailed Godwit

■X

■X

■X

Limosa limosa

Black-tailed Godwit

■X

■X

■X

Macronectes giganteusa

Southern Giant-Petrel

Merops ornatusa

Rainbow Bee-eater

Monarcha melanopsisa

Black-faced Monarch

Myiagra cyanoleucaa

Satin Flycatcher

Numenius madagascariensis

Eastern Curlew

■X

■X

■X

Numenius phaeopus

Whimbrel

■X

■X

■X

Pluvialis fulva

Pacific Golden Plover

■X

■X

■X

Pluvialis squatarola

Grey Plover

■X

■X

■X

Rhipidura rufifronsa

Rufous Fantail

Sterna hirundo

Common Tern

■X

■X

■X

Sternula albifronsa

Little Tern

■X

■X

■X

Sterna bengalensis

Lesser Crested Tern

■X

Thalassarche chrysostoma

Grey-headed Albatross

Thinornis rubricollisa

Hooded Plover

Tringa glareola

Wood Sandpiper

■X

■X

■X

Tringa nebularia

Common Greenshank

■X

■X

■X

Tringa stagnatilis

Marsh Sandpiper

■X

■X

■X

Xenus cinereus

Terek Sandpiper

■X

■X

■X

a =migratory birds also present in the Gippsland Lakes Ramsar site.

Data: BMT WBM (2011a), BMT WBM (2011b)

Migratory shorebirds in Gippsland Lakes are identified with an asterisk. All species are EPBC Act Migratory listed species

1.1.7.3.3 Marine national parks

Three marine national parks are designated beyond the coastal extent of the bioregion boundary and include Ninety Mile Beach Marine National Park, Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park and Corner Inlet Marine National Park. The condition of marine areas is highly dependent on terrestrial processes and quality of water delivered to the ocean.

Last updated:
8 January 2018
Thumbnail of the Gippsland bioregion

Product Finalisation date

2015