Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Climate change
    Climate change Driving climate action, science and innovation so we are ready for the future.
    • Climate science and adaptation
    • Australia's climate change strategies
    • Emissions reduction
    • Emissions reporting
    • International commitments
    • Climate Active
    • Climate change publications and data
    • Australia’s National Greenhouse Accounts (Emissions Data)
    Stronger action on climate change

    Stronger action on climate change

    See how the Australian Government is committed to taking more ambitious action on climate change.

    Find out more

  • Energy
    Energy Building a secure and sustainable energy system for all Australians.
    • Energy policy in Australia
    • Energy ministers
    • Renewable energy
    • Energy publications
    • energy.gov.au
    • Energy Rating
    • Commercial Building Disclosure Program
    • Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)
    • Your Home
    Decorative image

    Australian Energy Employment Report survey

    Share insights to help the energy workforce plan for the future

    Find out more

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • Biodiversity
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Invasive species
    • Land
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
    • Wildlife trade
    Decorative image

    Read our Nature Positive Plan

    Our plan sets out the Australian Government’s commitment to environmental law reform

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water supply for industry, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Our science strategy
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Our climate is changing

    Our climate is changing

    Find out more about how climate science helps Australians with the impacts of climate change.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We lead Australia’s response to climate change and sustainable energy use, and protect our environment, heritage and water.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Decorative image

    Juukan Gorge response

    Read the Australian Government's response to the destruction at Juukan Gorge and the recommendations

    Read the response

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Water
  3. Wetlands
  4. World Wetlands Day

Sidebar first - EN - Wetlands

  • Wetlands
    • About Wetlands
      • Wetlands and migratory shorebirds
      • Wetlands hot topics
    • The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
      • Ramsar documents
      • Australian National Guidelines for Ramsar Wetlands
      • Implementing the National Framework
      • Criteria for identifying Wetlands of International Importance
      • Ramsar wetland type classification
    • Managing Wetlands
      • Australian Ramsar management principles
      • EPBC Act and Wetlands
      • What can I do?
    • Australian Wetlands Database
      • Australian Ramsar Wetlands
      • Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia
        • Help on searching for Directory Wetlands
    • Wetlands programs
      • Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness Programme
      • Australian wetland education centres
      • Queensland Wetlands Program
        • Great Barrier Reef Coastal Wetlands Protection Program
    • World Wetlands Day
    • Wetlands and climate change
    • Wetlands publications and resources
      • Wetlands Australia

World Wetlands Day

Cobourg Peninsula. Photo - Elizabeth McCrudden

Cobourg Peninsula - Australia's first Ramsar wetland. Photo - Elizabeth McCrudden

World Wetlands Day is recognised as a United Nations International Day of Importance, celebrated around the world each year on 2 February. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971.

Since 1997, World Wetlands Day has been used to:

  • raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits
  • promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

Join in on the day. Attend a seminar or festival, help with a revegetation project, go on a bird walk, and discover the many ways that you can take action in your own home and in your community.

Wetlands Restoration

This year’s theme, ’It’s time for wetlands restoration’, highlights restoration projects in progress across Australia’s diverse wetlands to regenerate wildlife habitats, improve water quality and build more climate resilient landscapes.

Local communities are at the heart of wetland restoration - planting, weeding and surveying wildlife to ensure our wetlands continue to provide fresh water, critical habitats and effective carbon storage.

To learn more, check out Wetlands Australia and subscribe to receive the upcoming 2023 edition.

The stories in Wetlands Australia show the good work that people across the nation are taking to value, understand and protect Australia’s amazing wetlands.

The role of wetlands

Wetlands are important for water security, wellbeing and culture. They play a role in:

  • clean water
  • water supply
  • ecosystem resilience
  • sustainable livelihoods and jobs
  • biodiversity conservation
  • storm protection
  • carbon storage
  • climate change adaptation
  • health and well-being
  • tourism and recreation

For further details:

  • Wetlands and Water

History

Australia was one of the 5 founding nations to sign the Convention. We also designated the world’s first Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar wetland) under the Convention. This was the Cobourg Peninsula, Northern Territory, in 1974.

Australia continues to play an important role. We help manage and implement the Convention, internationally, in the Oceania and in Australia.

Australia has 67 Ramsar wetlands, covering every state and territory. They cover more than 8.3 million hectares.

Iconic Australian sites include:

  • Kakadu National Park (NT)
  • Roebuck Bay (WA)
  • Gippsland Lakes (Vic)
  • Moreton Bay (Qld)
  • Blue Lake (NSW)
  • Macquarie Marshes (NSW)
  • Coorong (SA)

Worldwide, there are 170 Contracting Parties to the Convention and over 2,400 listed Ramsar wetlands.

Ramsar Secretariat resources

World Wetlands Day 2 February 2023 It's time for wetland restoration

The Ramsar Convention Secretariat has developed a number of downloadable World Wetlands Day materials for 2023, including posters, a power point presentation, fact sheets and logos. These materials can be found on the Ramsar Convention Secretariat’s World Wetlands Day 2023 website. Groups and individuals are encouraged to adapt these materials for their own World Wetlands Day events and activities throughout the year.

World Wetlands Day materials

  • Wetlands Australia - National Wetland Update
  • Wetlands fact sheets
  • Celebrating Australia’s wetlands: A showcase of Australian Ramsar sites
  • Celebrating Australia’s wetland science: World class research for wetlands
  • Virtual tours of Australian Ramsar wetlands
  • Discovering wetlands in Australia – a primary classroom resource
  • Australia's amazing wetlands- brochure
  • Australia's amazing wetlands - video
  • Australia's wetlands photo gallery on flickr

Ramsar Convention 50th Anniversary resources

Fact Sheet

  • Celebrating 50 Years of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Postcards

Barmah Forest, Vic (PDF - 304.13 KB)
Cobourg Peninsula, NT (PDF - 314.16 KB)
Hunter Estuary, NSW (PDF - 315.39 KB)
Kakadu, NT (PDF - 316.43 KB)
Moulting Lagoon, Tas (PDF - 273.44 KB)
Peel-Yalgorup System, WA (PDF - 288.33 KB)
The Coorong, SA (PDF - 281.17 KB)

Posters

Eastern Australia (PDF - 724.12 KB)
External Territories (PDF - 976.69 KB)
Murray-Darling Basin (PDF - 757.45 KB)
Northern Australia (PDF - 735.95 KB)
Southern Australia (PDF - 756.56 KB)
Southern Western Australia (PDF - 701.3 KB)
Tasmania (PDF - 763.97 KB)

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 01 February 2023

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.