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

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Water resource planning areas

Whitsunday water resource planning area

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Name: Whitsunday
Area type: Water resource planning area
Total area: 205,658 ha
% total Qld: 0.1%
Towns: Bloomsbury, Bonavista, Caping, Dittmer, Elaroo, Gunyarra, Proserpine, Thoopara, Wilson

Get more detailed information about Whitsunday 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
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

Whitsunday water resource planning area wetland area by system 2019
System Area (ha) % wetlands area % total area
Total 22,437 100.0% 10.9%
Total excluding riverine and artificial/highly modified riverine 19,363 86.3% 9.4%
Artificial and highly modified 4,852 21.6% 2.4%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (natural) 6,186 27.6% 3.0%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (slightly modified) 0 0.0% 0.0%
Lacustrine (natural) 0 0.0% 0.0%
Lacustrine (slightly modified) 17 0.1% 0.0%
Palustrine (natural) 6,747 30.1% 3.3%
Palustrine (slightly modified) 1,562 7.0% 0.8%
Riverine 3,074 13.7% 1.5%

View wetland system extents for all water resource planning areas

Whitsunday water resource planning area wetland area by habitat 2019
Habitat Area (ha) % wetlands area % total area
Total 14,495 100.0% 7.0%
Mangroves - Casuarina 0 0.0% 0.0%
Mangroves - other 4,904 33.8% 2.4%
Salt marsh and salt flats 1,281 8.8% 0.6%
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 1,240 8.6% 0.6%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 2,614 18.0% 1.3%
Coastal and sub-coastal other non-floodplain swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 1,236 8.5% 0.6%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 3,220 22.2% 1.6%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp 0 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

Whitsunday 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 22,437 22,438 22,404 22,427 22,425 22,371 22,393 * 78.5%
Artificial and highly modified 4,852 4,852 4,806 4,799 4,757 4,636 0 n/a
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (natural) 6,186 6,185 6,179 6,181 6,171 6,168 6,475 95.5%
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) 17 16 16 16 15 9 0 n/a
Palustrine (natural) 6,747 6,729 6,731 6,750 6,747 6,774 12,532 53.8%
Palustrine (slightly modified) 1,562 1,583 1,583 1,583 1,583 1,583 0 n/a
Riverine 3,074 3,074 3,089 3,097 3,153 3,201 3,387 90.8%

* 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

Whitsunday 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 14,495 14,475 14,472 14,493 14,479 14,503
Mangroves - Casuarina 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mangroves - other 4,904 4,904 4,899 4,901 4,881 4,882
Salt marsh and salt flats 1,281 1,280 1,280 1,280 1,289 1,285
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 1,240 1,240 1,242 1,273 1,264 1,287
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 2,614 2,595 2,595 2,595 2,595 2,596
Coastal and sub-coastal other non-floodplain swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 1,236 1,236 1,236 1,236 1,242 1,243
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 3,220 3,220 3,220 3,207 3,208 3,210
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
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

Whitsunday water resource planning area land use
ALUMC code and description
Area (ha)
% total area
Total 205,629 100.0%
2.1 Grazing native vegetation 98,379 47.8%
1.3 Other minimal use 28,295 13.8%
4.3 Irrigated cropping 28,232 13.7%
2.2 Production native forests 22,563 11.0%
6.5 Marsh/wetland 7,763 3.8%
1.1 Nature conservation 5,211 2.5%
6.2 Reservoir/dam 4,698 2.3%
5.4 Residential and farm infrastructure 4,514 2.2%
1.2 Managed resource protection 2,652 1.3%
6.3 River 1,251 0.6%
5.7 Transport and communication 998 0.5%
4.2 Grazing irrigated modified pastures 237 0.1%
5.5 Services 226 0.1%
3.6 Land in transition 174 0.1%
3.4 Perennial horticulture 109 0.1%
5.3 Manufacturing and industrial 78 0.0%
4.4 Irrigated perennial horticulture 71 0.0%
5.8 Mining 54 0.0%
4.5 Irrigated seasonal horticulture 52 0.0%
5.9 Waste treatment and disposal 38 0.0%
5.2 Intensive animal production 20 0.0%
5.6 Utilities 8 0.0%
3.1 Plantation forests 5 0.0%
5.1 Intensive horticulture 1 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

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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

none

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Marine meso-scale bioregions metadata

  • map Lucinda-Mackay Coast (LMC)

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Marine provincial bioregions metadata

  • map Northeast Shelf Province

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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

none

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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

  • map Andromache State Forest
  • map Cathu State Forest
  • map Macartney State Forest
  • map Proserpine State Forest

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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

none

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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

none

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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

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Wetland management case studies info metadata

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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

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Water Quality Improvement Plan catchments info metadata

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

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Shorebird zones info metadata

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Biopassage structures info metadata

Name Construction year Structure types Stream name
map Biggs Road 2010 Rock Ramp Proserpine River
map Dougherty's Road 2020 Culvert Boundary Creek
map Ellis Road 2008 Culvert O'Connell River
map Forbes Rd 2013 Rock Ramp O'Connell River
map Lethe Brook 2007 Rock Ramp Lethebrrook Creek
map Old Bowen Road 2016 Rock Ramp Black Rock Creek
map Porters Road 2008 Rock Ramp O'Connell River
map Staffords Road 2008 Culvert O'Connell River

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Wildlife

Kingdom
Class
 Native Introduced Wetland
indicator
species		 Rare or
threatened
species		 All
TOTAL 1,911 248 262 69 2,159
Animals 564 24 149 42 588
Mammals 78 10 8 10 88
Birds 314 5 76 23 319
Reptiles 84 1 8 4 85
Amphibians 29 1 15 4 30
Ray-finned fishes 36 4 40 0 40
Cartilaginous fishes 2 0 2 1 2
Insects 20 3 0 0 23
Malacostracans 1 0 0 0 1
Chromists 4 0 0 0 4
Fungi 28 0 0 0 28
Plants 1,315 224 113 27 1,539

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) Whitsunday water resource planning area — facts and maps, WetlandInfo website, accessed 16 April 2025. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/facts-maps/water-resource-planning-area-whitsunday/

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