Kerang Wetlands
- Country:Australia
- Site number:265
- Area:9,784 ha
- Designation date:15-12-1982
- Coordinates:35°39'S 143°52'E
Overview
Supporting eight Ramsar wetland types, the Site comprises 23 named lakes, marshes and swamps, which vary in area, depth and salinity, on the lower reaches of the Avoca and Loddon Rivers and the Pyramid Creek near the town of Kerang. It has long been influenced by the Torrumbarry Irrigation System, which was built to store water in 1923, some six decades before the wetlands were designated as a Ramsar Site. Dominated by permanent and intermittent freshwater lakes, the Site also includes a significant area of permanent and intermittent saltwater lakes. The variety of salinity and water regimes results in a diversity of wetland vegetation communities including black box, river red gum, tangled lignum, chenopod shrubland, grassland, sedgeland, aquatic herbland and reed beds. Due to this, the area is of great importance to a great abundance and range of waterbirds. Over 50 species have been recorded breeding within the Site, such as Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca) and straw-necked ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis). Among threatened species found are the nationally critically endangered curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea), the globally endangered Australian bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus), and the globally vulnerable silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus).
- National legal designation:
- sewage purposes reserve
- timber reserve
- municipal purposes reserve
- public land vested in water authority
- water supply reserve
- salinity disposal reserve
- freehold land
- crown land wildlife reserve
- crown land wildlife reserve
- crown land wildlife reserve
- crown land wildlife reserve
- Last publication date:15-07-2019
Downloads
Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)
Archived RIS
Site map
Additional reports and documents
- A detailed Ecological Character Description (ECD)
- Site management plan
- Other published literature