The Cheetham Wetlands are 420 hectares of artificial and natural

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an ...

s, created on old

salt works A salt evaporation pond is a shallow artificial salt pan designed to extract salts from sea water or other brines. The salt pans are shallow and expansive, allowing sunlight to penetrate and reach the seawater. Natural salt pans are formed throu ...

land on the western shores of

Port Phillip Bay Port Phillip ( Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, narrow channel known as The Rip, and is comple ...

, Australia. The wetlands are approximately southwest of

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, and sit within the Municipal Councils of Hobsons Bay and Wyndham City. The wetlands are part of the Point Cook Coastal Park and are

crown land Crown land, also known as royal domain, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it. Today, in Commonwealth realm ...

for conservation purposes. The area is currently managed by the Department of Sustainability & Environment and

Melbourne Water Melbourne Water is an Australian statutory authority owned by the Victorian State Government, which controls and manages much of the water bodies and supplies in metropolitan Melbourne, the capital of Victoria. Its jurisdiction includes all t ...

, with

Parks Victoria Parks Victoria is a government agency of the state of Victoria, Australia. Parks Victoria was established in December 1996 as a statutory authority, reporting to the Victorian Minister for Environment. The ''Parks Victoria Act 2018'' updates ...

informally managing the area to the north of the wetlands. They are protected under the

Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on We ...

Land use

The Cheetham Wetlands were originally a natural

salt marsh A salt marsh, saltmarsh or salting, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. I ...

and grassy

woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with woody plants (trees and shrubs), or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the '' plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunli ...

s; the area was later used as a

saltworks A saltern is an area or installation for making salt. Salterns include modern salt-making works (saltworks), as well as hypersaline waters that usually contain high concentrations of halophilic microorganisms, primarily haloarchaea but also oth ...

. The later use created the

s, which attract many birds to the area. In 1996, the land was set aside to protect the

wetland A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...

system and its diverse fauna and flora, including

migratory bird Bird migration is a seasonal movement of birds between breeding and wintering grounds that occurs twice a year. It is typically from north to south or from south to north. Migration is inherently risky, due to predation and mortality. Th ...

Ecological processes

Even though Cheetham Wetlands is made up of artificial wetland lagoons, the ecological processes that they create are significant in sustaining values under the

. The wetlands also provide the following functions: * Ground water recharge or discharge; * Water purification; * Water storage; * Nutrient recycling; * Sewage treatment; * Shoreline stability; and * Retention of sediment.

Significant species

The Cheetham Wetlands has been known to support over two hundred species of birds, with many birds returning each year. The birds found in the area breed mainly in the

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined by humans as being in the same celestial sphere, celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the Solar ...

during the summer months and migrate to the Southern Hemisphere between July and November; bird numbers peak in the Point Cook Coastal Park area between September and March. The Wetlands currently support significant populations of: *

Red-necked stint The red-necked stint (''Calidris ruficollis'') is a small migratory wader. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''kalidris'' or ''skalidris'', a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ''ruficollis'' is from La ...

(''Calidris ruficollis'') * Red-necked avocet (''Recurvirostra novaehollandiae'') *

Sharp-tailed sandpiper The sharp-tailed sandpiper (''Calidris acuminata'') is a small-medium migratory wader or shorebird, found mostly in Siberia during the summer breeding period (June to August) and Australia for wintering (September to March). Taxonomy The gen ...

(''Calidris acuminata'') *

Double-banded plover The double-banded plover (''Anarhynchus bicinctus''), known as the banded dotterel or pohowera in New Zealand, is a species of bird in the plover family. Two subspecies are recognised: the nominate ''Charadrius bicinctus bicinctus'', which bree ...

(''Charadrius bicinctus'') *

Common greenshank The common greenshank (''Tringa nebularia'') is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the Neo-Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek ''trungas ...

(''Tringa nebularia'') *

Marsh sandpiper The marsh sandpiper (''Tringa stagnatilis'') is a small wader. It is a rather small Tringa, shank, and breeds in open grassy steppe and taiga wetlands from easternmost Europe to the Russian Far East. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the Neo-Latin name ...

(''Tringa stagnatilis'') *

Curlew sandpiper The curlew sandpiper (''Calidris ferruginea'') is a small wader that breeds on the tundra of Arctic Siberia. It is strongly bird migration, migratory, wintering mainly in Africa, but also in south and southeast Asia and in Australia and New Zeal ...

(''Calidris ferruginea'') *

Orange-bellied parrot The orange-bellied parrot (''Neophema chrysogaster'') is a small parrot endemic (ecology), endemic to southern Australia, and one of only three species of parrot that bird migration, migrate. It was described by John Latham (ornithologist), John ...

(''Neophema chrysogaster'') *

Fairy tern The fairy tern (''Sternula nereis'') is a small tern which is native to the southwestern Pacific. It is listed as " Vulnerable" by the IUCN and the New Zealand subspecies is "Critically Endangered". Fairy terns live in colonies along the coastli ...

(''Sterna nereis'') *

Common tern The common tern (''Sterna hirundo'') is a seabird in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, its four subspecies breeding in Temperateness, temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America. It is stron ...

(''Sterna hirundo'') * Yellow sedge-skipper (''Hesperilla flavescens'')

Environmental threats

Wetland areas have been identified as some of the most threatened

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

s in the world. The Cheetham Wetlands are no exception and are currently under threat by a number of natural and man-made sources.

Urban encroachment

One of the biggest threats is encroachment on the land, especially from the rapidly expanding municipality of Wyndham City. In Victoria’s integrated planning document, Melbourne 2030, the

Werribee Werribee is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the local government area of the City of Wyndham. Werribee recorded a population of 50,027 at the 2021 census. Werrib ...

growth area was identified as one of five growth areas. The urban land boundary for Wyndham abuts Point Cook Coastal Park to the west and north. The increased demand for housing and development in the area has and will continue to change the nature and character of Point Cook Coastal Park and Cheetham Wetlands.

Water quality

Decreasing

water quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...

of the wetlands due to

storm water Stormwater, also written storm water, is water that originates from precipitation (storm), including heavy rain and meltwater from hail and snow. Stormwater can soak into the soil ( infiltrate) and become groundwater, be stored on depressed lan ...

treatment, drainage and hard rubbish has also been identified as a threat. The wetlands' water levels are managed by pumping and water flow controls onsite. The correct maintenance and operation of these processes is critical to maintaining the Ramsar sites. Pumping water into the wetlands when there are high freshwater flows can result in

sediment Sediment is a solid material that is transported to a new location where it is deposited. It occurs naturally and, through the processes of weathering and erosion, is broken down and subsequently sediment transport, transported by the action of ...

and

nutrient pollution Nutrient pollution is a form of water pollution caused by too many Nutrient, nutrients entering the water. It is a primary cause of eutrophication of surface waters (lakes, rivers and Coast, coastal waters), in which excess nutrients, usually ni ...

from storm water.

Pests

Further threats have been identified in the area, with disturbance of migratory shorebirds and their habitats by human activities. Examples are allowing pets in the area and the area being used as a recreational reserve. There is also a significant threat posed by introduced or exotic fauna and flora species, including feral cats, foxes and rabbits. Pest signage

Management and conservation programs

Cheetham Wetlands has been identified as a significant environmental area and as such management, conservation and protection plans have been implemented are currently implemented or being developed for the future. Some of the programs currently being undertaken onsite include: *

in conjunction with Hobson’s Bay Council recently planted a stretch of land within the wetlands, with indigenous plants. This has restored canopy and habitat connectivity to the area. The hope is that this will encourage native species into the area and provide some coverage from pests. * Cheetham Wetlands was chosen as one of 10 sites under the "Revive our Wetlands focus project", with financial assistance provided from 2004-2006. This program was created to engage the community in conservation, restore habitat for endangered species, improve water quality, reduce litter and help record accurate wildlife records. * Significant

regeneration and planting of Thatching grass (''Gahnia filum'') has been done at the wetlands. This included the removal of invasive woody weed boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum). This weed species competes with the Thatching grass, which is necessary for the survival of the Yellow Sedge-Skipper (''Hesperilla Flavescens''). * The Shorebird Conservation Project (SCP), which is funded by the Natural Heritage Trust and coordinated by WWF Australia. This project aims to increase awareness, understanding and involvement by local people in conservation of habitat, and enable communities to conserve and wisely manage important shorebird sites. * The Ramsar Protection Plan (pest plant and animal control program), funded by the Caring for our Country program. This program is aimed at conserving areas of national significance and combatting the issues of weed and feral animals within these areas. As part of this program 200 hectares of the wetlands will have rabbit proof fencing installed. * River Health Program: Improving protection for the Cheetham Wetlands and water quality entering the bay, through implementing priority actions from the Melton and Wyndham Storm water management Plan.

Benefits of management

Management practices implemented have included limiting access to the wetland and allowing walking only, into the grassland area abutting the wetlands, creating designated walking tracks and boardwalks and offering two viewing decks of the area. These practices help to ensure that the natural habitats of the wetlands are not disturbed and can be conserved. After a study conducted in 2008, it was found that people were still accessing areas of the Point Cook Coastal Park, including the Cheetham Wetlands that were off bounds to the general public. This study gave management an indication that these types of activities occurred more during holiday periods. To combat this further signage was erected and patrols were set up for peak times.
Management programs, including listing the site as a

Ramsar wetland The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It i ...

, the creation of the Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsular Ramsar Site: Strategic Management Plan, and declaring the area around Point Cook Coastal Park as a

marine reserve A marine reserve is a type of marine protected area (MPA). An MPA is a section of the ocean where a government has placed limits on human activity. A marine reserve is a marine protected area in which removing or destroying natural or cultural ...

, all contribute to the conservation of Cheetham wetlands. The area being listed as a Ramsar site ensures that any proposed development in the area must go through an

EPBC The ''Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'' (Cth) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and cult ...

process as a minimum. The creation of the Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsular Ramsar Site: Strategic Management Plan identified key threats to the sites and assessed and proposed implementation of strategies to combat these threats. Management of the water regime for the Cheetham Wetlands, which is dependent on the pumping of seawater from the estuary of Skeleton Creek, also contributes to the conservation of the area. In the late 1980s, the area was still managed as a

and pumping of seawater and salt production were suspended for two years. By the second year, summer counts of waterbirds had declined by 85%. The resumption of pumping resulted in an immediate recovery in waterbird numbers. The ongoing conservation programs listed above also benefit the unique and varying flora and fauna species that inhabit the area. Of particular note is the conservation of habitats for the Orange-Bellied Parrot and the Yellowish-Sedge Skipper, both of which are listed as critically endangered. The Tower viewing Deck