Vital Bellarine bird habitats secure approval for Ramsar listing

Key points

• Wetlands that support migratory shorebirds have gained international recognition, with an expansion of the Bellarine Ramsar boundary now approved. About 1,400 hectares has been added to the existing Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar site.
• The new areas include Point Henry, Edwards Point, Reedy Lake and Hospital Swamp. The revised boundary will now go to the Convention on Wetlands Secretariat for formal adoption.
• Officials say the wetlands are part of a network that links habitats across continents.