What is the Coorong?

The Coorong is a long, shallow lagoon more than 100 km in length that is separated from the Southern Ocean by a narrow sand dune peninsula.

The Lakes Alexandrina and Albert form the mouth of the River Murray and are comprised of fresh to saline waters.

The Coorong's fragile ecology depends on getting a mix of fresh water from the Murray and sea water from the ocean.

Physical Features

The lakes form a natural wetland system with the associated shoreline marshes at the mouth of the River Murray and are connected with the Coorong lagoon.

The area also contains a number of ephemeral salt lakes and examples of ephemeral carbonate lakes that are both of national and international significance.

Ecological Features

The Coorong Wetlands are one of the most important wetlands in Australia. The wetland consists of ocean beach, the mouth of the River Murray, the lakes and estuaries. This combination provides a wide range of habitats that vary from freshwater to hypersaline which are for the most part in a natural state.

The wetlands around the Coorong including Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert cover 140,500 hectares. This system is important as a habitat for many animals, some endangered, and in particular provides a refuge for waterbirds.

The Coorong and the nearby lakes have both historical and cultural significance for all Australians.

Social and Cultural Value

The area is valued for conservation, its scenic attributes and accessibility considering that the northern part is only 80 minutes drive from Adelaide. Many parts are used for outdoor recreational pursuits including: wildlife observation and studies; sailing and boating of all kinds; sight-seeing, hiking and camping; and, recreational fishing.

The region and particularly the Coorong lagoon, is noted for its extensive aboriginal sites with both historic and geological significance. Some of the northern islands within the Coorong lagoon are not included in the Coorong National Park or Game Reserve but instead are reserved for use by Aboriginal people.

Commercial fishing occurs both along the extensive stretch of beach and in some parts of the wetland complex.

Bird Life

There is a diversity of species with many types of waders and waterfowl. A count conducted by the Australasian Wader Studies Group of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union estimated the summer population of waders for the area at 122,000, compared with a South Australian population of 200,000 and an Australian population of 403,000. The migratory waders whose flyways and breedig grounds come under international protection include:

Accurate counts of waterfowl are not available, however, in 1982 it was estimated that there were 45,000 ducks in the area. Spectacular numbers of Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) are present at times and H.J. Frith estimated there were as many as 50,000 in the Coorong in 1957. However, typical numbers for the whole wetland would be in excess of 5,000.

Approximately 2,000 Cape Barren Geese (Cereopsis novaehollandiae), normally summer within 1 km of the wetland. The area also supports large numbers of Grey Teal (Anas gibberifrons), Pacific Black Duck (A. superciliosa) and Australian Shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides) with lesser numbers of others such as:

• Hardhead Aythya australis
• Chestnut Teal Anas castanea
• Australasian Shoveler A. rhynchotis
• Maned Duck Chenonetta jubata
• Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus
• Musk Duck Biziura lobata
• Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australis
• Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevo

Other common waterbird species to be seen:

• Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae
• Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida
• Crested Tern Sterna bergii
• Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
• Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
• Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
• Pied Cormorant P. varius
• Little Black Cormorant P. sulcirostris
• Little Pied Cormorant P. melanoleucos
• Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
• Sacred Ibis T. aethiopicus
• Glossy Ibis Pleqadis falcinellus
• Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia
• Yellow-billed Spoonbill P. flavipes
• Great Egret Egretta alba
• Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
• Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
• Fairy Martin Cecropis ariel
• Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus

Many other species are present in lesser numbers, including the endangered Orange-bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster)

The Coorong is an important breeding area for the Pelican, Crested Tern and Fairy Tern, and Lake Alexandrina for egrets, ibises, cormorants and the Rufous Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus).

Source: Coorong, Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert RAMSAR Management Plan, 1999.

Back to the top