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

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Water resource planning areas

Gold Coast water resource planning area

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Name: Gold Coast
Area type: Water resource planning area
Total area: 130,370 ha
% total Qld: 0.1%
Towns: Beechmont, Canungra, Coomera, Mudgeeraba, Nerang, North Tamborine, Southport, Springbrook, Tallebudgera

Get more detailed information about Gold Coast water resource planning area

Page table of contents
Catchment stories
Wetland observations
Wetland extents
Wetland extent changes
Australian Land Use and Management Classification (ALUMC)
Drainage divisions
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
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

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Catchment stories info

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Wetland observations

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Wetland extents info metadata

Based on wetland mapping version 6.0

Display areas in

Gold Coast water resource planning area wetland area by system 2019
System Area (ha) % wetlands area % total area
Total 9,582 100.0% 7.3%
Artificial and highly modified 2,318 24.2% 1.8%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (natural) 3,297 34.4% 2.5%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (slightly modified) 0 0.0% 0.0%
Lacustrine (natural) 0 0.0% 0.0%
Lacustrine (slightly modified) 408 4.3% 0.3%
Palustrine (natural) 1,722 18.0% 1.3%
Palustrine (slightly modified) 524 5.5% 0.4%
Riverine 1,313 13.7% 1.0%

View wetland system extents for all water resource planning areas

Gold Coast water resource planning area wetland area by habitat 2019
Habitat Area (ha) % wetlands area % total area
Total 5,531 100.0% 4.2%
Mangroves - Casuarina 519 9.4% 0.4%
Mangroves - other 2,174 39.3% 1.7%
Salt marsh and salt flats 595 10.8% 0.5%
Arid and semi-arid saline lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain clay plan lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid permanently inundated lake 0 0.0% 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 0 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 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid saline swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain tree swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain shrub swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain tree swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain shrub swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0.0% 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 82 1.5% 0.1%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp 27 0.5% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 16 0.3% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal other non-floodplain swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 1,836 33.2% 1.4%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 281 5.1% 0.2%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp < 1 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal other floodplain swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal tree (palm) swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Swamp - Arid and semi-arid 0 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Swamp - Coastal and sub-coastal 0 0.0% 0.0%

View wetland habitat area for all water resource planning areas

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.

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Wetland extent changes

Gold Coast water resource planning area 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 9,582 9,589 9,537 9,533 9,508 9,564 20,849 * 34.8%
Artificial and highly modified 2,318 2,317 2,282 2,273 2,223 2,200 0 n/a
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (natural) 3,297 3,297 3,296 3,294 3,301 3,316 4,748 69.4%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (slightly modified) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 n/a
Lacustrine (natural) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 n/a
Lacustrine (slightly modified) 408 407 407 407 417 394 0 n/a
Palustrine (natural) 1,722 1,729 1,727 1,735 1,739 1,818 12,820 13.4%
Palustrine (slightly modified) 524 524 513 513 515 515 0 n/a
Riverine 1,313 1,315 1,312 1,311 1,314 1,321 3,281 40.0%

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

metadata View 2019 wetland system extents for all water resource planning areas

metadata View 2017 wetland system extents for all water resource planning areas

metadata View 2013 wetland system extents for all water resource planning areas

metadata View 2009 wetland system extents for all water resource planning areas

metadata View 2005 wetland system extents for all water resource planning areas

metadata View 2001 wetland system extents for all water resource planning areas

metadata View pre-clear wetland system extents for all water resource planning areas

metadata View 2019/pre-clear wetland system extent percentages for all water resource planning areas

Gold Coast water resource planning area 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 5,531 5,538 5,524 5,529 5,543 5,637
Mangroves - Casuarina 519 519 521 519 526 525
Mangroves - other 2,174 2,174 2,172 2,172 2,172 2,176
Salt marsh and salt flats 595 595 594 594 595 606
Arid and semi-arid saline lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain clay plan lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid permanently inundated lake 0 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 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (perched) lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain soil lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid saline swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain tree swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain shrub swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain tree swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain shrub swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
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 82 83 74 74 74 85
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp 27 27 27 27 27 28
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 16 16 20 20 20 20
Coastal and sub-coastal other non-floodplain swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 1,836 1,841 1,833 1,840 1,844 1,907
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 281 281 282 282 284 285
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp < 1 < 1 < 1 < 1 1 5
Coastal and sub-coastal other floodplain swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal tree (palm) swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unknown - Swamp - Arid and semi-arid 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unknown - Swamp - Coastal and sub-coastal 0 0 0 0 0 0

metadata View 2019 wetland habitat area for all water resource planning areas

metadata View 2017 wetland habitat area for all water resource planning areas

metadata View 2013 wetland habitat area for all water resource planning areas

metadata View 2009 wetland habitat area for all water resource planning areas

metadata View 2005 wetland habitat area for all water resource planning areas

metadata View 2001 wetland habitat area for all water resource planning areas

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.

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Australian Land Use and Management Classification (ALUMC) metadata

Gold Coast water resource planning area land use
ALUMC code and description
Area (ha)
% total area
Total 130,260 99.9%
5.4 Residential and farm infrastructure 36,410 27.9%
1.3 Other minimal use 26,173 20.1%
1.1 Nature conservation 21,877 16.8%
2.1 Grazing native vegetation 15,649 12.0%
5.5 Services 9,533 7.3%
1.2 Managed resource protection 5,683 4.4%
3.3 Cropping 3,348 2.6%
6.3 River 2,429 1.9%
6.5 Marsh/wetland 1,856 1.4%
6.2 Reservoir/dam 1,550 1.2%
5.7 Transport and communication 1,297 1.0%
3.6 Land in transition 964 0.7%
6.1 Lake 595 0.5%
5.3 Manufacturing and industrial 509 0.4%
2.2 Production native forests 371 0.3%
5.8 Mining 359 0.3%
4.2 Grazing irrigated modified pastures 355 0.3%
5.9 Waste treatment and disposal 286 0.2%
3.4 Perennial horticulture 195 0.1%
5.6 Utilities 189 0.1%
5.2 Intensive animal production 153 0.1%
5.1 Intensive horticulture 138 0.1%
4.4 Irrigated perennial horticulture 126 0.1%
3.1 Plantation forests 68 0.1%
3.2 Grazing modified pastures 67 0.1%
4.5 Irrigated seasonal horticulture 34 0.0%
6.6 Estuary/coastal waters 28 0.0%
6.4 Channel/aqueduct 13 0.0%
3.5 Seasonal horticulture 6 0.0%

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Drainage divisions info metadata

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Drainage basins info metadata

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Drainage sub-basins info metadata

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Regional natural resource management (NRM) bodies info metadata

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Local government areas info metadata

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100K map tiles info metadata

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Climate zones info metadata

  • map Subtropical
  • map Temperate

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Bioregions info metadata

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Biogeographic subregions info metadata

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IBRA bioregions info metadata

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IBRA subregions info metadata

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Bioregional assessment areas info metadata

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Marine meso-scale bioregions metadata

  • map Tweed-Moreton (TM)

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Marine provincial bioregions metadata

  • map Central Eastern Shelf Transition

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Regional plans info metadata

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World Heritage areas info metadata

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Ramsar internationally important wetlands info metadata

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DIWA nationally important wetlands info metadata

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National parks info metadata

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Marine parks (Queensland) info metadata

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Study areas metadata

none

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Report cards metadata

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Conservation parks info metadata

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State forests info metadata

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Forest reserves info metadata

none

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Resources reserves info metadata

none

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Timber reserves info metadata

none

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Fish habitat areas info metadata

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Coastal management district info metadata

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

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Nature refuges info metadata

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Freshwater biogeographic provinces info metadata

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Aquatic Conservation Assessments (AquaBAMM) and others info metadata

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Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—conceptual models info metadata

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Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—management profiles info metadata

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Groundwater dependent ecosystem type—conceptual models info metadata

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Healthy Land and Water conceptual models info metadata

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Aquatic ecosystem monitoring programs info metadata

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Point source monitoring info metadata

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Wetland soil indicator case studies info metadata

none

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Wetland management case studies info metadata

none

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Wetland projects info metadata

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Area specific conceptual model case studies info metadata

none

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Paddock to Reef (P2R) report cards info metadata

none

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Water Quality Improvement Plan catchments info metadata

none

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

none

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Shorebird zones info metadata

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Biopassage structures info metadata

Name Construction year Structure types Stream name
map Coomera Weir 1970 Rock ramp Coomera River
map Hinze Dam 2010 Mechanical Nerang River

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Wildlife

Kingdom
Class
 Native Introduced Wetland
indicator
species		 Rare or
threatened
species		 All
TOTAL 4,028 539 452 205 4,567
Animals 922 38 246 86 960
Mammals 108 17 9 16 125
Birds 443 10 91 46 453
Reptiles 103 1 9 7 104
Amphibians 43 1 18 7 44
Lobe-finned fishes 1 0 1 1 1
Ray-finned fishes 47 7 54 1 54
Cartilaginous fishes 5 0 5 3 5
Insects 166 2 59 4 168
Malacostracans 6 0 0 1 6
Bacteria 20 0 0 0 20
Chromists 37 0 0 0 37
Fungi 582 2 0 0 584
Plants 2,466 499 206 119 2,965
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-water-resource-planning-area

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2013) Gold Coast water resource planning area — facts and maps, WetlandInfo website, accessed 14 April 2025. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/facts-maps/water-resource-planning-area-gold-coast/

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