Lake Hawdon System (24823)
Australia, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Lake Hawdon System
Central coordinates: Latitude: -37.2762, Longitude: 139.9263
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 25
Area of KBA (km2): 371.29847
Protected area coverage (%): 13.53
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This IBA consists of the larger south-east coastal lakes of South Australia, namely Lakes Hawdon, Robe, Eliza, St Clair and George. The IBA extends for 1 km inland of each lake as these fields and grasslands are sometimes used by Orange-bellied Parrots. These are the most important of a system of lakes in the inter-dunal corridors between current and historical sand dunes, from Paranki Lagoon close to the southern Coorong to Lake Bonney (SE), northwest of Port MacDonnell. Lake Hawdon is a shallow semi-permanent brackish lake divided by a road on a bank into northern and southern basins. At their maximum extents, the northern basin is 6 km by 6 km and the southern basin is 9 km by 4.5 km but the maximum water depth is usually 1 m and both are often dry. Lake Hawdon regularly supports threshold numbers of Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Lake Robe is much smaller. Lake Eliza is a hypersaline coastal lake with a maximum depth of 1.4 m; it has local water inflows and loses water through evaporation. Lake Eliza regularly supports threshold numbers of Banded Stilt. Lake St Clair is similar to Eliza but even more saline. Lake George is about 13 km by 8 km, has a maximum depth of 3.5 m, and was naturally hypersaline but now functions as an estuary with water inflows, from Drain M and an outlet to the sea. Lake Hawdon South is unallotted crown land with a proposal to designate it as a Conservation Park and possibly a Ramsar site. Further surveys may indicate that Two Lakes and Lake Wooley, pristine wetlands close to Lake George, should also be included in the IBA, as might the sand dune system grasslands between the lakes and the sea, which have occasionally supported Orange-bellied Parrots, and adjacent beaches and small offshore islands from Baudin Rocks to Cowrtie Island, which irregularly support breeding Fairy Terns.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: One significant count of 190 Blue-billed Duck at Lake George in 2001 (Atlas of Australian Birds database).
Other site values: Lakes are State or local government but surrounding land includes private land. Lake George has many access points but most of the other lakes require access across private land, and land-owner permission is needed to visit.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 90 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 | |
| Grassland | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Investigate the impacts of water abstraction and diversion.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Abstraction of surface water (unknown use) | Only in the future |
Additional information
References: Christie, M. (2006) Wader sites in the lower south east, South Australia. Stilt 50: 259-262. Gosbell, K., Collins, P. and Christie, M. (2002) Wader surveys in the Coorong & S.E. Coastal Lakes. February 2002. Melbourne: Australasian Waders Studies Group unpublished report. Gosbell, K., Collins, P. and Christie, M. (2003) Wader surveys in the Coorong & s.e. coastal lakes. February 2003. Melbourne: Australasian Waders Studies Group unpublished report. Gosbell, K. and Christie, M. (2004) Wader surveys in the Coorong & s.e. coastal lakes. January-February 2004. Melbourne: Australasian Waders Studies Group unpublished report. Gosbell, K. and Christie, M. (2005) Wader surveys in the Coorong & s.e. coastal lakes. February 2005. Melbourne: Australasian Waders Studies Group unpublished report. Gosbell, K. and Christie, M. (2006) Wader surveys in the Coorong & s.e. coastal lakes. January-February 2006. Melbourne: Australasian Waders Studies Group unpublished report. Gosbell, K. and Christie, M. (2007) Report on wader surveys in the Coorong & s.e. coastal lakes. February 2007. Melbourne: Australasian Waders Studies Group unpublished report. Christie, M. (2006) Wader sites in the lower south east, South Australia. Stilt 50: 259-262. Taylor, B (2006) Wetland inventory for the lower south east, South Australia. Mount Gambier, South Australia: Department for Environment and Heritage. Wainwright, P. and Christie, M. (2008) Wader surveys at the Coorong and S.E. Coastal Lakes, South Australia. Stilt 54: 31-47.
Contributors: Ken Gosbell wrote the nomination. Maureen Christie provided comments. AWSG, Maureen Christie, Ken Gosbell and DEH south-east have organised and undertaken the annual shorebird counts.