Australian Wetlands Database

Ramsar wetlands

Roebuck Bay

Overview

Key facts and figures:
Date of listing:	07 June 1990	Roebuck Bay, Photo: Clive Minton
Australian Ramsar site number:	33
Criteria:	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8
State/Territory:	Western Australia
Area:	34 119 hectares
Drainage Division or IMCRA region:	Northern IMCRA Province; Tanami-Timor Sea Coast
Wetland type:	B - Marine subtidal aquatic beds; includes kelp beds, sea-grass beds, tropical marine meadows G - Intertidal mud, sand or salt flats H - Intertidal marshes; includes salt marshes, salt meadows, saltings, raised salt marshes; includes tidal brackish and freshwater marshes I - Intertidal forested wetlands; includes mangrove swamps, nipah swamps and tidal freshwater swamp forests
Key features of the site:
The Roebuck Bay Ramsar site is located at Roebuck Bay near Broome in north Western Australia. Roebuck Bay has a very large tidal range which exposes around 160 square kilometres of mudflat, covering most of the Ramsar site. Waters more than 6 m deep at low tide are excluded from the site. The eastern edge of the site is made up of microscale linear tidal creeks. The site receives tidal seawater as well as fresh surface and groundwater, and the balance between the two influences the residual groundwater salinity and the distribution of plants and animals. Mangrove swamps line the eastern and southern edges of the site, and extend up into the linear tidal creeks. They are important nursery areas for marine fishes and crustacea, particularly prawns. Extensive seagrass beds occur in the bay, providing an important feeding ground for dugong and green turtle. Dolphins and nationally threatened turtles also regularly use the site. The intertidal mud and sand flats support a high abundance of bottom dwelling invertebrates, which are a key food source for waterbirds. The site is one of the most important migration stopover areas for shorebirds in Australia and globally. For many shorebirds, Roebuck Bay is the first Australian landfall they reach on the East Asian Australasian Flyway. The total numbers of waders using the site each year is estimated at over 300 000. The northern beaches and Bush Point provide important high tide roost sites. The site is used for recreational or tourism activities such as fishing, crabbing, sightseeing and bird watching. Broome Bird Observatory, a small reserve at the northern end of the site, engages in shorebird research and public education. Roebuck Bay lies in the traditional estate of indigenous people belonging to both Jukun and Yawuru groups. The site was an important area for seasonal meetings, exchanging gifts, arranging marriages and settling disputes. Numerous shellfish middens, marking former camping places, can still be seen along coastal cliffs and dunes. Indigenous people continue to make extensive use of Roebuck Bay's natural resources for activities such as gathering shellfish, fishing and hunting.
Justification of the listing criteria:
The Roebuck Bay Ramsar site meets seven of the nine criteria: Criterion 1: The site is a superb example of a tropical marine embayment within the Northwest (IMCRA) bioregion. It is one of only a dozen intertidal flats worldwide where benthic food sources are found in sufficient densities that they regularly support internationally significant numbers of waders. Criterion 2: Loggerhead turtles (nationally endangered) and green turtles (nationally vulnerable) regularly use the site as a seasonal feeding area and as a transit area on migration. Flatback turtles (nationally vulnerable) regularly nest in small numbers around Cape Villaret during the summer months. Sawfish (nationally endangered) regularly use the tidal creeks and mangrove areas for breeding and refuge. Criterion 3: The site supports a significant component of the regional (Northwest IMCRA bioregion) intertidal and shallow marine biodiversity in terms of the marine mammals (dugong, turtles and dolphin), marine invertebrate infauna, and avian fauna across the site. The total density of macrobenthic animals (1 287 individuals per m2) is high by global standards for a tropical mudflat and species richness is very high (estimated to be between 300 to 500 species). Criterion 4: The site is one of the most important migration stopover areas for shorebirds in Australia and globally. It is the arrival and departure point for large proportions of the Australian populations of several shorebird species, notably bar-tailed godwit and great knot. The site provides essential energy replenishment for many migrating species, some of which fly non-stop between continental East Asia and Australia. Criterion 5: The site regularly supports over 100 000 waterbirds. The highest number of shorebirds counted at the site was 170 915 in October 1983 and allowing for turnover, the total number of shorebirds using the site may exceed 300 000 annually. It is the fourth most important site for waders in Australia in terms of absolute numbers and the most important in terms of the number of species it supports in internationally significant numbers. Criterion 6: The site regularly supports at least one per cent of the population of at least 22 wader species (20 migratory and two resident species). Criterion 8: The site is important as a nursery and/or breeding and/or feeding ground for at least five species of fish and for mudcrabs and prawns. The site’s mangal system is particularly important as a nursery area for marine fishes and prawns.
Please see the More Information page for additional information on this Ramsar site and access to the Ramsar Information sheets and other associated site documents.

More information

The Ramsar Convention encourages the development of three key documents for each Ramsar site: Ramsar Information Sheets - required at the time of nomination of a site to the List of Wetlands of International Importance, are to be updated every six years, or when there are significant changes in the site's ecological character. Ecological Character Descriptions - describe the ecological character of the site at the time of its listing as a wetland of international importance. Management Plans - used to formulate and implement planning so as to promote the wise use and conservation of wetlands. For more information about these documents see the Ramsar documents page. Along with the available site documents, additional information and resources on this Ramsar site are listed below. Please note that apart from the Ramsar Information Sheets, not all documents are currently available for every Australian Ramsar site.
Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS):	Roebuck Bay RIS - PDF \| RTF
Ecological Character Description (ECD):	Ecological Character Description for the Roebuck Bay Ramsar site
Management Plan (MP):	A management plan is in preparation for the Roebuck Bay Ramsar site
Additional information provided to the Ramsar Secretariat:
Other information:	Western Australia Ramsar sites National Reserve System Species Profiles and Threats database Protected Matters search tool Migratory Species in Australia National Landcare Programme Weeds in Australia and weed management

Additional resources:
Australian Nature Conservation Agency. 1996. A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia (Second Edition). Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra. [Current version on-line at: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/wetlands] Battley, P. 2000. Behavioural ecophysiology of migrating Great Knots. PhD Thesis prepared for the Australian School of Environmental Studies, Griffith University, Brisbane. Burbidge, A., McKenzie, N., and Kenneally, K. 1991. Nature Conservation Reserves in the Kimberley, Western Australia. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia. Chalmers, C. and Woods, P. 1987. Broome Coastal Management Plan. Environmental Protection Authority Bulletin 252. Churchill, S. 1998. Australian Bats. New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd, Sydney. Collins, P. 1995. The Birds of Broome - An Annotated List. Broome Bird Observatory. Collins, P., Boyle, A., Minton, C. and Jessop, R. 2001. The importance of inland claypans for waders in Roebuck Bay, Broome, NW Australia. Stilt 38, 4-8. Collins, P. and Jessop, R. 1997. Little Terns Sterna albifrons in the West Kimberley Division of Western Australia. Stilt 30, 26-31. Collins, P. and Jessop, R. 2001. Arrival and departure dates and habitat of Little Curlew Numenius minutus at Broome, North-Western Australia. Stilt 39, 10-12. Cummings, B. and Hardy, A. 2000. Revision of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) and Development of Version 5.1 - Summary Report. Environment Australia, Canberra. (Also available online at http://www.ea.gov.au/parks/nrs/ibra/version5-1/summary-report/index.html. DCLM. 1994. A Representative Marine Reserve System for Western Australia. Report of the Marine Parks and Reserves Selection Working Group, Part 3, 18-22 and Map 3 -2. George, R. and Jones, D. 1982. A revision of the fiddler crabs of Australia (Ocypodinae: Uca). Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 14. Government of Western Australia 1990. Wetlands Nominated by the Government of Western Australia for Inclusion of the List of Wetlands of International Importance, Ramsar Convention. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia. Hassell, C. 2000. Migration Report April 2000. Unpublished Report for Broome International Airport, 1-21. Hickey, R, Carew, R., Watkins, R, Piersma, T. and Pearson, G. 1998. Integrated GIS, Database Management, and Environmental Visualisation at Roebuck Bay, Western Australia. In: Adding a Spatial Dimension to Business, National conference, Fremantle WA, 353-362. Mapping Sciences Institute, Canberra. IMCRA Technical Group. 1998. Interim Marine and Coastal Regionalisation for Australia: An ecosystem-based classification for marine and coastal environments. Version 3.3. Environment Australia, Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Canberra. Jessop, R. and Minton, C. 1995. Sightings of leg-flagged waders banded in NW Australia. Stilt 26, 37-38. Jessop, R. and Minton, C. 1995. Sightings of leg-flagged waders banded at other locations and seen in NW Australia. Stilt 26, 39. Jessop, R. and Collins, P. 1999. Observations of feeding and roosting behaviour of Little Curlew Numenius minutus overwintering in the North-west of Australia. Stilt 35, 62-63. Jessop, R. and Collins, P. 2000. The effects of cyclonic weather conditions on the bird life around Broome, Western Australia. Stilt 36, 11-15. Johnstone, R. 1990. Mangroves and mangrove birds of Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 32, 1-120. Kenneally, K., Edinger, D. and Willing, T. 1996. Broome and Beyond: Plants and people of the Dampier Peninsula, Kimberley, Western Australia. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Como, Western Australia. Lands, M. and Mann, M. 1990. Yawuru Seasons Kit. Unpublished Resource Manual for Aboriginal Studies Curriculum, Nulungu College, Broome, 1-169. Lane, B. and Jessop, A. 1985. Tracking of migrating waders in north-western Australia using meteorological radar. Stilt 6, 17-28. McKenzie, N. and Rolfe, J. 1986. Structure of bat guilds in the Kimberley mangroves, Australia. Journal of Animal Ecology 55, 401-420. Minton, C. and Jessop, R. 1994. The 1994 Northwest Australia Wader Expedition. Stilt 25, 8-11. Minton, C. and Jessop, R. 1995. Sightings of waders leg-flagged in NW Australia - List No. 2. Stilt 27, 33. Minton, C. and Jessop, R. 1996. Further sightings of waders leg-flagged (Yellow) in North West Australia; List Number 3 - July 1996. Stilt 29, 51-52. Minton, C. and Jessop, R. 1997. Sightings of waders leg-flagged (Yellow) in North-West Australia: List Number 4 - August 1997. Stilt 31, 50-53. Minton, C. and Jessop, R. 1999. Sightings of leg-flagged waders from NW Australia: Report Number 5. Stilt 34, 41-45. Minton, C. and Jessop, R. 1999. Sightings of waders and terns leg-flagged in North-Western Australia: Report Number 6. Stilt 35, 52-58. Minton, C. and Jessop, R. 2000. Corrections to sightings of waders leg-flagged in North-Western Australia: Report Number 6. Stilt 36, 39-41. Minton, C., Jessop, R., and Collins, P. In press. A summary of the results of the North-west Australian wader and tern expedition from 28 June to 19 July 2003. Stilt. Minton, C., Jessop, R., Collins, P., Fallaw, J., Hayward, B., Sparrow, J. and Hassell, C. 2000. Visible departures of waders on northward migration from NW Australia. Stilt 37, 51. Minton, C., Sitters, H., and Jessop, R. 1997. Report on the 1996 North West Australia wader Study Expedition, 2 March - 20 April. Stilt 30, 56-65. Pepping, M., Piersma, T., Pearson, G. and Lavaleye, M. (eds) 1999. Intertidal sediments and benthic animals of Roebuck Bay, Western Australia. Netherlands Institute for Sea Research Report 3, Texel, Netherlands, 1-214. Piersma, T., Pearson, G., Hickey, B., Lavaleye, M. and Rogers, D. 2002. Southern Roebuck Bay Invertebrate and Bird Mapping 2002: SROEBIM-02. Unpublished preliminary research report prepared for the Department of Conservation and Land Management, Perth. Piersma, T., Pearson, G. and Lavaleye, M. 1998. The teeming mud of Roebuck Bay. Landscope 13(4), 16-22. Pook, J. 1992. Banding round-up complete list. Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme. Stilt 11: 32-35 Prince, R. 1986. Dugong in northern waters of Western Australia. Technical Report no.7. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia. Rogers, D. 1999a. What determines shorebird feeding distribution in Roebuck Bay? In Pepping et.al. (Op. cit.), chapter 9, 145-174. Rogers, D. 1999b. Roost choice in the waders of Roebuck Bay: is avoiding heat stress their main consideration? Stilt 35, 65. Rogers, D. 2000. Age-related variation in foraging ecology of Great Knots and Red Knots in Roebuck Bay, North-Western Australia. Stilt 37, 51-52. Rogers, D., Boyle, A. and Hassell, C. 2001. Wader counts on Kidneybean Claypan and adjacent Roebuck Plains, Northwestern Australia. Stilt 38, 57-63. Semeniuk, V., Kenneally, K. and Wilson, P. 1978. Mangroves of Western Australia. Western Australian Naturalists' Club, Perth. Handbook No.12, 1-92. Tulp, I. and de Goeij, P. 1994. Evaluating waders habitats in Roebuck Bay (North-western Australia) as a springboard for northbound migration in waders, with a focus on Great Knots. Emu 94, 78-95. Tulp, I., McChesney, S. and de Goeij, P. 1994. Migratory departures of waders from North-western Australia : behaviour, timing and possible migration routes. Ardea 82, 201-221. Watkins, D. 1993a. A National Plan for Shorebird Conservation in Australia. Australasian Wader Study Group, World Wide Fund for Nature and the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. RAOU Report No. 90. Watkins, D. 1993b. Roebuck Bay (Western Australia): Background Information for the Conservation of a Wetland of International Importance. Unpublished report to the Department of Conservation and Land Management, Perth. Watkins, D., Brennan, K., Lange, C, Jaensch, R. and Finlayson, M. 1997. Management planning for Ramsar Sites in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia. Wetlands International - Oceania. Canberra. Report to the Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia, 1-192. Worms, E. 1944. Aboriginal place names in Kimberley, Western Australia: an etymological and mythological study. Oceania 14 (4), 284-310.