2016-12-12 General Committee - Attachment 1 to Item 6 - Biodiversity Assessment Report

                                                     Noosa Biodiversity Plan – Biodiversity Assessment Report




                                                                                              Non-floodplain grass
                                                                                             sedge and herb swamp


                                                                               Non-floodplain wet
                                                                                 heath swamp

   Riverine
                                        Palustrine                     Non-floodplain tree
                                                                       swamp—Melaleuca
                                                                       spp. and Eucalypus
                                                                              spp.




                                                                                   Floodplain wet heath
 Artificial                                                                              swamp
   and                                                                                         Floodplain tree
  highly                                                                                          swamp—
 modified                                                                                      Melaleuca spp.
               Estuarine - mangroves,                                                          and Eucalypus
 wetlands
                    saltmarshes                                                                     spp.
Lacustrine - sand & soil
         lake


Figure 16: Wetland habitat types within Noosa Shire

       3.6.1     Wetlands of International Importance (RAMSAR sites)
The acidic and freshwater wetlands and streams of the Cooloola sand mass within Noosa are part of the
Noosa River catchment. The Great Sandy Strait region to the north of the Noosa Shire is recognised as
a wetland of international importance and is listed as a Ramsar site.

The Great Sandy Strait region is of significant value and importance to numerous fauna species. The
area provides feeding grounds that are frequently or occasionally used by six species of threatened
marine turtle, as well as the Dugong (Dugong dugong), Water Mouse (Xeromys myoides), Illidge's Ant
Blue Butterfly (Acrodipsas illidgei), and the Oxleyan Pygmy Perch (Department of Environment and
Energy (DoEE), 2016). Wetlands along Great Sandy Strait regularly support in excess of 20,000
migratory shorebirds, with 18 species listed under international migratory bird conservation agreements
(DoEE, 2016).

The Cooloola sand mass area of the Great Sandy Strait in particular, contains the only subtropical
representations in the world of patterned fens, which are a unique wetland type that supports an unusual
number of rare and threatened invertebrate species. In particular crayfish, earthworms and other
invertebrate species associated with this area exhibit a high degree of diversity and endemism (Lewis et
al., 2007).




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