Where are our wetlands?
Hobsons Bay is home to many different wetland areas.  Wetlands adjacent to the Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre include those at the mouth of the Laverton Creek, the Truganina Wetlands and the Ramsar listed Cheetham Wetlands.  Located in the neighbourhood of Altona Meadows in the municipality of Hobsons Bay, Victoria, Australia they are connected to other local, regional and international wetlands, forming part of the East Asian Australasian flyway. The wetlands are a stone’s throw from the Melbourne CBD and accessible by foot, car, bike and public transport. 

The beautiful Hobsons Bay Coastal Trail runs through the area with its shared path for cyclists and pedestrians.

Why are our wetlands important? 
“Wetlands are a critical part of our natural environment.  They protect our shores from wave action, reduce the impacts of floods, absorb pollutants and improve water quality.  They provide habitat for animals and plants and many contain a wide diversity of life, supporting plants and animals that are found nowhere else.”

(Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Australian Government)

Importantly, wetlands:

‣ Provide health benefits – studies have shown that spending time in or near nature helps ill people to recuperate faster, and reduces stress levels

‣ Combat carbon emissions – coastal wetlands are significant and efficient carbon sinks that help offset carbon dioxide emissions and fight climate change. They trap carbon 30-50 times faster than terrestrial forests

‣ Benefit biodiversity – around the world, 40% of all species live or breed in wetlands, however wetland wildlife is in rapid decline around the world, with 87% of wetlands lost in the last 300 years

‣ Provide flood protection and water cleaning, by storing rainfall and buffering us from the sea