Protect Our Bay

Despite being one of the most developed estuaries in Australia, Botany Bay still contains diverse land and marine ecosystems that are home to unique flora and fauna. To preserve these unique environments, it is important to be respectful of the natural environment when visiting.

The seagrass in Botany Bay is important habitat for a diverse array of marine life, including sea horses, fish, octopuses, turtles, prawns, crabs, and squid. Seagrass grows slowly and requires ample light and stable sediments to thrive and recover. Unfortunately, human activities such as dredging, development that creates shade, and direct damage like anchor dragging have significantly reduced the seagrass meadows in Botany Bay over the past century. Efforts to restore these vital habitats are underway, with the University of NSW, Sydney Marine Institute, and Gamay Rangers through Operation Posidonia are leading the charge. Their initiatives, along with the construction of several groynes along Foreshore Beach by Port Botany, are contributing to the recovery of the Bay’s seagrasses. 

White’s Seahorse (Hippocampus whitei) - Endangered

The White’s Seahorse is a medium-sized seahorse that grows to a maximum length of 16 cm. Habitats that are considered important habitat for the White’s Seahorse include natural habitats such as sponge gardens, seagrass meadows and soft corals

The primary cause for the decline in abundance of White’s Seahorse is the loss of natural habitats across their range in eastern Australia. The seahorses occur within coastal estuaries and embayments, which are areas subject to population pressure.

Earlier this year, 200 juvenile White Seahorses were released into Botany Bay. The release of the juveniles is part of a recovery conservation project in collaboration with the Sydney Institute of Marine Science and the Gamay Rangers.

Read more:

Sea Horses Released into Botany Bay
White's Seahorse | nsw.gov.au

Shorebirds

Botany Bay is visited every year by migrating shorebirds. 

Protecting these migratory species and preserving their habitats is important for the overall well-being of our planet.

We can all contribute to the protection of our shorebirds by properly disposing of our waste, and not polluting their environment.

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Bar-Tailed Godwit

The Bar-Tailed Godwit flies nonstop for 11 days and travels over 13,000 kms from Alaska to spend summer on the foreshore of Botany Bay 

The longest non-stop flight in the world belongs to the Bar-tailed Godwit. This bird can fly 13,500km from Alaska to Australia in 11 days, without resting or eating. It has an average speed of over 50km/h and weighs only about 400 grams. It loses half of its body weight during the journey.

To survive this feat, the Bar-tailed Godwit needs to feed constantly when it arrives in Australia, to gain enough strength for the return trip to the Arctic, where it breeds. The Bar-tailed Godwit inhabits estuarine mudflats, beaches and mangroves in Australia.

It uses its long bill to search for molluscs, worms and aquatic insects in the sand and mud. It is important not to disturb it when it is feeding, as it may not be able to replenish its energy reserves for the next flight.

The Bar-tailed Godwit does not breed in Australia, it migrates south in September to escape the Arctic winter and spends the summer in Australia to prepare for the flight back to the Arctic in April. In the Arctic, it has a short breeding season, during which it builds nests, lays eggs and raises chicks.

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Far-Eastern Curlew

The Far-Eastern Curlew gets its name from its call, a long lonely ‘cuuuurrlew’, ringing out across coastal wetlands.

Far Eastern Curlews are the largest shorebirds in the world. The average size is 63cm and the average weight is 900 grams. They have long necks and legs and very long down-curved bills almost 20cm long which they use to dig up crabs, their main food source in Australia. The Curlew gets its name from its call, a long lonely ‘cuuuurrlew’, ringing out across coastal wetlands.

The Far Eastern Curlew flies 30,000km each year flying back and forth to Australia from the Arctic. It is sometimes called the Moon Bird because if it lasts its 20-year lifespan it would have flown the distance between the earth and the moon.

Most of the Curlews in the world spend the summer in Australia so we have a special duty to look after them and make sure we preserve their habitat.

Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus funereus

During autumn, these large black cockatoos, identifiable by their yellow cheek patches and tail panels, form flocks that roam Sydney in search of food. Their flight is buoyant and effortless, characterized by slow, deep wing beats and floating glides as they wheel through the treetops. They often call loudly while in flight with a far-carrying ‘whyeeela’ and emit harsh screeches when alarmed. The distinctive grinding sound they make while feeding is quite noticeable.

These birds inhabit a variety of environments, including coastal, inland, and alpine eucalypt forests, as well as heath, banksia, hakea, and acacia woodlands, and rainforests. They feed on the seed capsules of native trees and shrubs such as eucalypts, banksias, and hakeas. Additionally, they consume exotic pines and can extract wood-boring insects from tree trunks.