Large areas of Moreton Bay and surrounding wetlands form part of an internally significant Ramsar wetland. The Moreton Bay Ramsar site is extremely varied, ranging from perched freshwater lakes and sedge swamps on the offshore sand islands, to intertidal mudflats, marshes, sandflats, coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves next to the Bay’s islands and the mainland.
This Ramsar site is notable for its large size, diversity of wetland habitats, connectivity between wetland types, as well as diverse flora and fauna that includes threatened species and ecological communities.
The site supports migratory waterbirds and other fauna of conservation significance such as such as the humpback whale, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, Dugong, Green turtle, Loggerhead turtle and Hawksbill turtle also occur. It also provides nursery conditions for commercially significant fish and crustaceans.
Ramsar wetlands are a matter of international, national and local importance that are protected under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
The Moreton Bay Ramsar sites and the values it support are cared for by federal, state and local governments working together with natural resource management groups, private industry, Traditional Owners, landholders and the community.
Learn more about the Moreton Bay Ramsar wetland.