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Local Wildlife in Australian Wetlands

Australian wetlands are home to a great diversity of wildlife – from birds and frogs, to platypuses, turtles, fish and more. But many of our wildlife species that live in wetlands face a multitude of threats – from habitat destruction and fragmentation to climate change – which is threatening their very survival.

Wetlands are important for many reasons. 67 in Australia have been designated as Ramsar wetlands of international importance as a way of managing them for conservation.

Conservation Volunteers Australia is dedicated to protecting wetlands through wetland restoration activities with volunteers, citizen science activities to collect data on wetland species and by raising awareness about the importance of wetlands.

Our Revive Our Wetlands initiative program takes action in wetlands across Australia to replant and rehabilitate these habitats while helping to save wildlife species that inhabit these areas. Learn more below about some of the rare and special animals that live in wetlands in Australia and need our help to ensure their survival.

Shining a Spotlight on Amazing Local Wildlife Found in Australian Wetlands

We have some truly incredible, unique and iconic species of wildlife in Australian wetlands. Below we highlight six of these.

The Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis)

This shorebird species is listed as critically endangered in Australia, and has been one of 20 bird species prioritised by the Australian Government for conservation.

Globally it’s estimated that this species has declined by 80% in the last 30 years – one of the main causes is the development, loss and fragmentation of intertidal mudflats along its migration pathway to Australia for the winter.

Eastern Curlews breed in Russia and north-eastern China. Around 75% of this species population visits Australia during the winter months, often following a migration route via Japan, Korea and Borneo before arriving in Australia.

After travelling about 10,000 kilometres to reach Australian shores, the Eastern Curlew is found mainly along Australia’s coastline in the northeast and south, including Tasmania. It’s the largest shorebird to visit our coastline.

Wetlands provide an important habitat for the Eastern Curlew, which have a preference for intertidal mudflats and sandflats, estuaries, mangrove swamps, bays, harbours and lagoons. One of the popular spots that they frequent in Australia is the Ramsar-listed wetlands of Toondah Harbour in Moreton Bay.

These large wading birds (55-61 cm)have streaked or flecked brown and tan plumage, and a very long cured black bill with pink at its base. Their bill is designed for digging in the sand and mud for small crabs and molluscs.

According to the Australian government, these are some of the priority conservation actions to protect the Eastern Curlew:

• Continue support for Eastern Curlew conservation in international flyway agreements
• Protect key non-breeding habitat in Australia
• Educate beach users on appropriate behaviour to minimise disturbance to feeding or resting Eastern Curlews.

Water Mouse (Xeromys myoides)

Also known as the mangrove mouse, false water rat, and yirrkoo – the Water mouse is a small, rodent species native to Australia that’s classified as vulnerable by the Australian, Queensland and Northern Territory governments.

The water mouse is mostly found in Queensland in areas like Proserpine to Cape Palmerston, Moreton Bay and surrounding islands – and all the way down to Coomera. They also occur in the Northern Territory, Arnhem Land and Melville Island, and Papua New Guinea as well as northern Western Australia and coastal northeast New South Wales.

As a nocturnal carnivore, the water mouse primarily lives in wetland habitats like mangroves and shallow areas near lagoons and swamps where they feed on crabs, shellfish, snails, and worms.

A National Recovery Plan for the Water Mouse is in effect which aims to guide people and organisations towards collaborating to stabilise and recover the national water mouse population. Among the primary threats to the water mouse’ survival are predatory and feral cats and foxes, and habitat loss and fragmentation due to development for real estate, golf courses, wastewater treatment plants, etc.

Stormwater discharge and water pollution can also affect the water mouse’s habitat; and climate change poses a risk for the survival of its wetland habitat.

Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

The platypus is one of Australia’s most iconic, endemic animals, and is culturally significant as a totemic species. Also known as the duck-billed platypus, platypuses are the only mammals in the world that lay eggs (monotremes), along with echidnas.

Platypuses are found mostly in east and south-eastern Australia in a range of habitats, including freshwater creeks, tropical rainforest creeks, in rivers, and in alpine areas. While their distribution in these areas has remained largely unchanged, they were once more common across their range but many local populations have since declined or gone extinct.

The IUCN’s Red List classifies the platypus as ‘Near Threatened’. They’re listed as vulnerable in Victoria and endangered in South Australia, with more data required in New South Wales and Queensland before further protections can be made.

Habitat destruction and fragmentation, pollution of waterways, and climate change-induced events like droughts and bushfires are the main threats to this species. By continuing to restore and protect their habitats, we can help to ensure the continued survival of the platypus.

Orange-bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster)

Reaching less than 50 breeding pairs remaining in the wild, the IUCN has classified the Orange-bellied Parrot as critically endangered, meaning they have a real risk of going extinct. It’s also been labelled as the bird that’s second most likely to go extinct in Australia.

Orange-bellied Parrots are one of only two migratory species worldwide. Twice a year these little birds make the difficult flight across the bass strait. They spend summer in Tasmania before migrating to the mainland, where they rely on Victoria and South Australia’s coastal wetlands and woodlands during the cool seasons. By protecting their critical natural habitats – coastal wetlands and woodlands – we can help to protect the future of this rare and incredible species.

“In Melbourne and Geelong, CVA staff and our volunteers care for unique pockets of coastal wetland and woodland habitats across the Bellarine Peninsula and Port Phillip Bay. These Ramsar Convention listed wetlands serve as the primary foraging grounds for the Orange-bellied Parrot and support their dwindling populations by providing essential food and habitat.” – CVA Project Officer.

Snake-necked Turtles

Snake-necked turtles like the Southwestern snake-necked turtle and the Eastern long-necked turtles are found in wetlands, waterways and freshwater habitats across Australia. These semi-aquatic reptiles speed time in water and on land, and feed on tadpoles, fish and invertebrates.

However, many species of snake-necked turtle have dwindling populations due to a number of threats. This includes predation (particularly of eggs) by feral animals, fatal collisions with cars, climate change-induced impacts like droughts and fires, and the destruction, modifications and fragmentation of their natural habitat.

Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) is passionate about protecting the homes of these unique creatures. Through our volunteer-powered events, we are actively restoring wetlands and other habitats, so our snake-necked friends and other species can thrive.

“Through our Revive our Wetland initiative in Perth, we have been able to support many important wetland habitats and wildlife that call these places home” – Yasmina Tulloch-Medigovich, CVA Project Coordinator, Perth.

White-bellied frog (Anstisia alba)

Amphibians are among the species most rapidly declining and seeing large numbers of extinctions worldwide, with experts calling it an extinction crisis of amphibians. A third of all amphibian species, which includes frogs, are listed on the IUCN Red List as either threatened or extinct.

Of the 243 Australian frog species, Australia’s White-bellied frog – also known as the Creek frog – is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. These frogs are found in Western Australia in wetland areas like swamps and creeks. Disease, habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and invasive species are among their main threats.

CVA is actively involved in rehabilitation and revegetation of wetland habitats across Australia, aimed at ensuring that these important habitats for wildlife are conserved and that wildlife corridors are maintained and expanded upon. The Australian bushfires of 2019-2020 are estimated to have killed over 51 million frogs.

How Wetlands Support Wildlife

Wetlands provide many benefits for wildlife and are vital ecosystems that need our protection.

Here’s a summary of how wetlands support wildlife:

• Wetlands provide food and shelter for animals, helping biodiversity to thrive
• Wetlands breeding grounds and nursery grounds for animals
• Wetlands filter and clean water
• Wetlands provide habitat for migratory species
• Wetlands help to regulate local climates
• Wetlands can help mitigate the impacts of storms and severe weather events like flooding.

We have a responsibility to protect and revive our wetland habitats so that they continue to support an abundance of plants and animals, helping to ensure continued ecosystem services and benefits for all Australians.

How to Get Involved in Saving Wetlands with CVA

Join Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) in restoring and protecting wetlands! There are many ways you can get involved in saving wetlands:

👉  Join one of our wetland conservation volunteer events in Australia in 2025

👉  Download the CVA App and find resources and a community of nature stewards

👉  Support our conservation projects by making a donation to CVA

👉  Plant a Nature Block at home to create natural habitats for plants and wildlife

👉  Learn more about nature in Australia from reading our blog