Ramsar sites (or Ramsar wetlands) are wetlands of international importance listed under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. For more information on the convention globally visit the Ramsar Convention website.
There are 11 Ramsar sites in Victoria. The following documents are available for each Ramsar site and can be accessed by clicking on the individual Ramsar site link below.
- Ecological character descriptions document the ecological character of Ramsar sites at the time they were listed under the Ramsar Convention.
- Ramsar Information Sheets provide essential data on Ramsar sites and are required by the Ramsar Convention.
- A geospatial layer of Ramsar site boundaries (RAMSAR25) can be obtained via the Victorian Government Data Directory website. The interactive mapping tool Biodiversity Interactive Map can be used to view and produce Ramsar sitemaps.
- Ramsar site strategic management plans set out the management objectives and strategies for each Ramsar site. The Management of Victoria's Ramsar Wetlands Strategic Directions Statement establishes a set of objectives and state wide strategies for the management of Ramsar sites in Victoria.
- Barmah Forest
- Corner Inlet
- Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands
- Gippsland Lakes
- Gunbower Forest
- Hattah-Kulkyne Lakes
- Kerang Wetlands
- Lake Albacutya
- Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula
- Western District Lakes
- Western Port
National guidelines for Ramsar sites
In addition to the policy for managing Ramsar sites in Victoria as set out in the Victorian Waterway Management Strategy, there are also national guidelines on the following matters which can be found on the Australian Government Department of the Environment website.
- Mapping specifications for Australian Ramsar Wetlands
- National framework and guidance for describing the ecological character of Australia's Ramsar Wetlands
- National guidance on notifying change in ecological character of Australia's Ramsar Wetlands (Article 3.2)
- Australian Ramsar site nomination guidelines
Nationally important wetlands
Many wetlands in Victoria have been recognised as nationally important in A Directory of National Wetlands in Australia. More information on these wetlands can be found in the Australian Wetlands Database on the Australian Government Department of Environment website.
A geospatial layer of the Victorian wetlands in the Directory (WETLANDDIR) can be obtained via the Victorian Government Data Directory website. The interactive mapping tool Biodiversity Interactive Map can be used to view nationally important wetlands and produce maps.
PDF Accessibility Disclaimer
This page contains content in PDF version only. The department is committed to accessibility and is in the process of creating alternative versions of this content.
If you are unable to access any content while we are in the process of creating alternative versions, please contact us via - telephone 136 186, or email firstname.lastname@example.org.
Deaf, hearing impaired or speech impaired? Call us via the National Relay Service on 133677 or visit www.relayservice.com.au