Skip links and keyboard navigation

Queensland Government
WetlandInfo   —   Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation

HIDE THIS SECTION
Drainage divisions

Gulf drainage division

Access wetland mapping in PDF and KML format by selecting the desired 100K map tile below or download the data via the Queensland Government Information Service.

The below map is for visual representation purposes only. For more detailed mapping, please download the boundary KML.

Drag this bar to relocate the map on your screen

Open WetlandMaps interactive map server

Download boundary KML (KMZ, 0.1 MB) metadata

How to use KMLs?

Name: Gulf
Area type: Drainage division
Total area: 45,317,909 ha
% total Qld: 26.2%
Page table of contents
Catchment stories
Wetland observations
Wetland extents
Wetland extent changes
Australian Land Use and Management Classification (ALUMC)
Drainage basins
Drainage sub-basins
Regional natural resource management (NRM) bodies
Local government areas
100K map tiles
Climate zones
Bioregions
Biogeographic subregions
IBRA bioregions
IBRA subregions
Bioregional assessment areas
Marine meso-scale bioregions
Marine provincial bioregions
Regional plans
World Heritage areas
Ramsar internationally important wetlands
DIWA nationally important wetlands
National parks
Marine parks (Queensland)
Study areas
Report cards
Conservation parks
State forests
Forest reserves
Resources reserves
Timber reserves
Fish habitat areas
Coastal management district
Nature refuges
Freshwater biogeographic provinces
Aquatic Conservation Assessments (AquaBAMM) and others
Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—conceptual models
Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—management profiles
Groundwater dependent ecosystem type—conceptual models
Healthy Land and Water conceptual models
Water resource planning areas
Aquatic ecosystem monitoring programs
Point source monitoring
Wetland soil indicator case studies
Wetland management case studies
Wetland projects
Area specific conceptual model case studies
Paddock to Reef (P2R) report cards
Water Quality Improvement Plan catchments
EPP (Water) scheduled environmental values and water quality objectives
Shorebird zones
Biopassage structures
Related legislation/policies
External links/description
Wildlife

HIDE THIS SECTION
Catchment stories info

none

HIDE THIS SECTION
Wetland observations

HIDE THIS SECTION
Wetland extents info metadata

Based on wetland mapping version 6.0

Display areas in

Gulf drainage division wetland area by system 2019
System Area (ha) % wetlands area % total area
Total 2,119,408 100.0% 4.7%
Total excluding riverine and artificial/highly modified riverine 1,216,279 57.4% 2.7%
Artificial and highly modified 18,561 0.9% 0.0%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (natural) 635,099 30.0% 1.4%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (slightly modified) 0 0.0% 0.0%
Lacustrine (natural) 4,508 0.2% 0.0%
Lacustrine (slightly modified) 8,412 0.4% 0.0%
Palustrine (natural) 547,106 25.8% 1.2%
Palustrine (slightly modified) 2,596 0.1% 0.0%
Riverine 903,126 42.6% 2.0%

View wetland system extents for all drainage divisions

Gulf drainage division wetland area by habitat 2019
Habitat Area (ha) % wetlands area % total area
Total 1,179,387 100.0% 2.6%
Mangroves - Casuarina 0 0.0% 0.0%
Mangroves - other 179,049 15.2% 0.4%
Salt marsh and salt flats 454,525 38.5% 1.0%
Arid and semi-arid saline lake 714 0.1% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain lake 38 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain clay plan lake 179 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid permanently inundated lake 1,234 0.1% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain rock lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (window) lake 14 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (perched) lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain soil lake 1,007 0.1% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid saline swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain tree swamp 38,478 3.3% 0.1%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain shrub swamp 1,362 0.1% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 14,392 1.2% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain tree swamp 102,511 8.7% 0.2%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain shrub swamp 4,175 0.4% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 9,869 0.8% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid Great Artesian Basin fed spring swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 193,010 16.4% 0.4%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp 261 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 87,340 7.4% 0.2%
Coastal and sub-coastal other non-floodplain swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 16,219 1.4% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 74,002 6.3% 0.2%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp 432 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal other floodplain swamp 10 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal tree (palm) swamp 12 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Swamp - Arid and semi-arid 391 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Swamp - Coastal and sub-coastal 160 0.0% 0.0%

View wetland habitat area for all drainage divisions

Disclaimer

Areas do not include marine or estuarine waters but do include estuarine wetland vegetation
(e.g. mangroves and tidal flats).

All statistics are approximate and generated based on data transformed to a customised Albers equal-area projection, thus allowing wetland extent change for different regions of Queensland to be comparable.

Areas may change over time as mapping approaches improve.

Totals may not match the sum of individually displayed figures due to the rounding of displayed figures.

HIDE THIS SECTION
Wetland extent changes

Gulf drainage division wetland extent change by system
System 2019 area
(ha)		 2017 area
(ha)		 2013 area
(ha)		 2009 area
(ha)		 2005 area
(ha)		 2001 area
(ha)		 pre-clear area
(ha)		 2019/pre-clear
percentage
Total 2,119,408 2,119,112 2,122,755 2,122,063 2,120,746 2,119,556 2,102,847 * 99.9%
Artificial and highly modified 18,561 18,160 17,438 16,754 15,393 14,022 0 n/a
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (natural) 635,099 635,103 635,106 635,106 635,106 635,106 635,851 99.9%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (slightly modified) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 n/a
Lacustrine (natural) 4,508 4,508 4,508 4,508 4,508 4,508 4,889 92.2%
Lacustrine (slightly modified) 8,412 8,410 8,412 8,398 8,451 8,448 0 n/a
Palustrine (natural) 547,106 547,113 547,385 547,465 547,501 547,635 551,131 99.3%
Palustrine (slightly modified) 2,596 2,595 2,574 2,563 2,551 2,538 0 n/a
Riverine 903,126 903,223 907,332 907,269 907,236 907,299 910,976 99.1%

* Total 2019/pre-clear percentage excludes artificial and highly modified

metadata View 2019 wetland system extents for all drainage divisions

metadata View 2017 wetland system extents for all drainage divisions

metadata View 2013 wetland system extents for all drainage divisions

metadata View 2009 wetland system extents for all drainage divisions

metadata View 2005 wetland system extents for all drainage divisions

metadata View 2001 wetland system extents for all drainage divisions

metadata View pre-clear wetland system extents for all drainage divisions

metadata View 2019/pre-clear wetland system extent percentages for all drainage divisions

Gulf drainage division wetland extent change by habitat
Habitat 2019 area
(ha)		 2017 area
(ha)		 2013 area
(ha)		 2009 area
(ha)		 2005 area
(ha)		 2001 area
(ha)
Total 1,179,387 1,178,163 1,178,417 1,178,486 1,178,509 1,178,642
Mangroves - Casuarina 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mangroves - other 179,049 179,049 179,049 179,045 179,045 179,041
Salt marsh and salt flats 454,525 454,529 454,532 454,536 454,536 454,540
Arid and semi-arid saline lake 714 714 714 714 714 714
Arid and semi-arid floodplain lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain lake 38 38 38 38 38 38
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain clay plan lake 179 179 179 179 179 179
Arid and semi-arid permanently inundated lake 1,234 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain rock lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (window) lake 14 14 14 14 14 14
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (perched) lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain soil lake 1,007 1,007 1,007 1,007 1,007 1,007
Arid and semi-arid saline swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain tree swamp 38,478 38,478 38,478 38,481 38,484 38,484
Arid and semi-arid floodplain shrub swamp 1,362 1,362 1,362 1,362 1,362 1,362
Arid and semi-arid floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 14,392 14,393 14,393 14,393 14,393 14,431
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain tree swamp 102,511 102,517 102,520 102,524 102,530 102,598
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain shrub swamp 4,175 4,175 4,175 4,175 4,175 4,175
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 9,869 9,869 9,869 9,869 9,869 9,883
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid Great Artesian Basin fed spring swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 193,010 193,011 193,011 193,065 193,075 193,076
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp 261 261 261 261 261 261
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 87,340 87,340 87,343 87,343 87,344 87,348
Coastal and sub-coastal other non-floodplain swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 16,219 16,220 16,402 16,411 16,413 16,420
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 74,002 74,002 74,065 74,064 74,064 74,064
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp 432 432 432 432 432 432
Coastal and sub-coastal other floodplain swamp 10 10 10 10 10 10
Coastal and sub-coastal tree (palm) swamp 12 12 12 12 12 12
Unknown - Swamp - Arid and semi-arid 391 391 391 391 391 391
Unknown - Swamp - Coastal and sub-coastal 160 160 160 160 161 161

metadata View 2019 wetland habitat area for all drainage divisions

metadata View 2017 wetland habitat area for all drainage divisions

metadata View 2013 wetland habitat area for all drainage divisions

metadata View 2009 wetland habitat area for all drainage divisions

metadata View 2005 wetland habitat area for all drainage divisions

metadata View 2001 wetland habitat area for all drainage divisions

Disclaimer

Areas do not include marine or estuarine waters but do include estuarine wetland vegetation
(e.g. mangroves and tidal flats).

All statistics are approximate and generated based on data transformed to a customised Albers equal-area projection, thus allowing wetland extent change for different regions of Queensland to be comparable.

Areas may change over time as mapping approaches improve.

Totals may not match the sum of individually displayed figures due to the rounding of displayed figures.

HIDE THIS SECTION
Australian Land Use and Management Classification (ALUMC) metadata

Gulf drainage division land use
ALUMC code and description
Area (ha)
% total area
Total 45,296,166 100.0%
2.1 Grazing native vegetation 35,873,870 79.2%
1.2 Managed resource protection 4,216,495 9.3%
1.1 Nature conservation 2,543,550 5.6%
6.5 Marsh/wetland 1,997,047 4.4%
1.3 Other minimal use 207,979 0.5%
6.1 Lake 181,193 0.4%
6.3 River 145,650 0.3%
5.8 Mining 30,783 0.1%
4.3 Irrigated cropping 19,719 0.0%
6.2 Reservoir/dam 16,697 0.0%
5.4 Residential and farm infrastructure 12,792 0.0%
6.6 Estuary/coastal waters 9,403 0.0%
5.5 Services 7,955 0.0%
2.2 Production native forests 7,763 0.0%
5.7 Transport and communication 6,559 0.0%
4.4 Irrigated perennial horticulture 5,915 0.0%
3.3 Cropping 4,914 0.0%
3.6 Land in transition 4,716 0.0%
5.3 Manufacturing and industrial 848 0.0%
5.2 Intensive animal production 647 0.0%
4.2 Grazing irrigated modified pastures 595 0.0%
4.5 Irrigated seasonal horticulture 462 0.0%
5.9 Waste treatment and disposal 349 0.0%
3.1 Plantation forests 110 0.0%
5.6 Utilities 100 0.0%
5.1 Intensive horticulture 17 0.0%
3.2 Grazing modified pastures 16 0.0%
6.4 Channel/aqueduct 12 0.0%
4.1 Irrigated plantation forests 7 0.0%
3.4 Perennial horticulture 3 0.0%

HIDE THIS SECTION
Drainage basins info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Drainage sub-basins info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Regional natural resource management (NRM) bodies info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Local government areas info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
100K map tiles info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Climate zones info metadata

  • map Desert
  • map Equatorial
  • map Grassland
  • map Subtropical
  • map Tropical

HIDE THIS SECTION
Bioregions info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Biogeographic subregions info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
IBRA bioregions info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
IBRA subregions info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Bioregional assessment areas info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Marine meso-scale bioregions metadata

  • map East Cape York (ECY)
  • map Karumba-Nassau (KAN)
  • map Torres Strait (TS)
  • map Wellesley (WLY)
  • map West Cape York (WCY)

HIDE THIS SECTION
Marine provincial bioregions metadata

  • map Northeast Shelf Transition
  • map Northern Shelf Province

HIDE THIS SECTION
Regional plans info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
World Heritage areas info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Ramsar internationally important wetlands info metadata

none

HIDE THIS SECTION
DIWA nationally important wetlands info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
National parks info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Marine parks (Queensland) info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Study areas metadata

none

HIDE THIS SECTION
Report cards metadata

none

HIDE THIS SECTION
Conservation parks info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
State forests info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Forest reserves info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Resources reserves info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Timber reserves info metadata

  • map Royton Timber Reserve

HIDE THIS SECTION
Fish habitat areas info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Coastal management district info metadata

  • map Available (all have been combined since February 2012)

HIDE THIS SECTION
Nature refuges info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Freshwater biogeographic provinces info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Aquatic Conservation Assessments (AquaBAMM) and others info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—conceptual models info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—management profiles info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Groundwater dependent ecosystem type—conceptual models info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Healthy Land and Water conceptual models info metadata

none

HIDE THIS SECTION
Water resource planning areas info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Aquatic ecosystem monitoring programs info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Point source monitoring info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Wetland soil indicator case studies info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Wetland management case studies info metadata

none

HIDE THIS SECTION
Wetland projects info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Area specific conceptual model case studies info metadata

none

HIDE THIS SECTION
Paddock to Reef (P2R) report cards info metadata

none

HIDE THIS SECTION
Water Quality Improvement Plan catchments info metadata

none

HIDE THIS SECTION
EPP (Water) scheduled environmental values and water quality objectives info metadata

none

HIDE THIS SECTION
Shorebird zones info metadata

HIDE THIS SECTION
Biopassage structures info metadata

Name Construction year Structure types Stream name
map Arraw Dam 2019 Rock Ramp Norman Creek
map Augustus Downs 2012 Culvert Leichhardt River
map Bynoe River 2010 Cone Bynoe River
map Charlston Dam 2019 Bypass Finnegan Creek
map Cloncurry Weir 2015 Rock Ramp Cloncurry River
map Doomadgee Road 2009 Rock Ramp Gregory River
map Escott 2009 Cone Nicholson River
map Gin Arm 2009 Rock Ramp Gin Arm Creek
map Glenore Weir 2016 Cone Norman River
map Little Bynoe 2014 Cone Little Bynoe River
map Magowra Creek 2011 Culvert Magowra Creek
map Pear Tree Creek 2011 Culvert Pear Tree Creek
map Wernadinga Road 2009 Cone Flinders River

HIDE THIS SECTION
Wildlife

Kingdom
Class
 Native Introduced Wetland
indicator
species		 Rare or
threatened
species		 All
TOTAL 8,081 598 718 414 8,679
Animals 1,404 35 304 121 1,439
Mammals 172 18 7 28 190
Birds 542 10 98 46 552
Reptiles 359 2 35 29 361
Amphibians 87 1 28 16 88
Ray-finned fishes 93 3 95 0 96
Cartilaginous fishes 3 0 3 1 3
Insects 141 1 38 0 142
Malacostracans 6 0 0 1 6
Arachnids 1 0 0 0 1
Bacteria 19 0 0 0 19
Chromists 16 0 0 0 16
Fungi 604 1 0 0 605
Plants 6,037 562 414 293 6,599
Protozoans 1 0 0 0 1

Note: Wildlife statistics are based on information that has been submitted to the DETSI WildNet database and converted to a 10km² grid. The grid information has been intersected with the mapping polygons to determine the species lists. Click here to view the species grid metadata.

Information from WildNet can also be accessed via Wildlife Online and WetlandMaps.

Rare or threatened includes species listed as extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable or conservation dependent under either the Nature Conservation Act or Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act

Disclaimer: While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this product, the Queensland Government and Australian Government make no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaim all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which might be incurred as a consequence of reliance on the product, or as a result of the product being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason.

AreaType-drainage-division

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2016) Gulf drainage division — facts and maps, WetlandInfo website, accessed 13 April 2025. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/facts-maps/drainage-division-gulf/

BESbswy