What is a Critical Aquatic Habitat?
Australia’s critical aquatic habitats are significant environmental assets which are also fundamentally important to the Australian lifestyle and economy. Critical Aquatic Habitats may include rivers, wetlands, floodplains, lakes, inland saline environments, groundwater dependent environments and estuaries, but do not include the marine environment. Critical aquatic habitats are ecosystems with high ecological values and are recognised through key agreements and conventions signed by the Australian Government at the national level: Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, World Heritage Convention, Japan Australia Migratory Bird Agreement, China Australia Migratory Bird Agreement, and the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Caring for our Country recognises the importance of these ecosystems and is seeking projects for identified on-ground management actions on public and private land (including on a
