| Shorebirds travel each year during the northern hemisphere winter, from their Arctic breeding grounds and back again to feed and nest, along particular routes known as flyways. Flyways consist of stopovers, generally at wetlands abundant in food, to build fat reserves for the next section of the journey. The East Asian-Australasian Flyway extends from the Arctic Circle through Eastern and South East Asia to Australia and New Zealand and encompasses 22 countries. The East Asian-Australasian Shorebird Site Network was launched in 1996. It is now known as the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Site Network. |  |
The aim of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Site Network is to promote the conservation and wise use of sites which are of international importance to migratory shorebirds. Listing sites as part of the Network provides international recognition for important sites, a focus for public awareness and education activities and a framework for training and research activities. Managers are also encouraged to prepare a management plan for lsited sites.
There is an international 'Partnership for the Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and Sustainable Use of their Habitats in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway' (the EAAF Partnership). Wetlands international provides more information about the EAAF Partnership and a list of shorebird sites in the Flyway. The Department of the Environment and Water Resources has prepared a national Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory Shorebirds to address obligation under the EAAF Partnership.
Victoria's Shorebird Sites
Corner Inlet was listed as a shorebird site at the launch of the East Asian-Australasian Shorebird Site Network in 1996. In 2000, two other Victorian sites joined the network: Western Port, Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula. In 2006, Shallow Inlet Marine and Coastal Park and Discovery Bay Coastal Park were added. Adding these sites to the network provides recognition for Victoria's most important shorebird sites. Further information can be found in the site information sheets. For the Corner Inlet Shorebird Site see the Ramsar Information Sheet.
Site Information Sheets
Western Port Site Information Sheet (PDF - 1.2 Mb) Port Phillip Bay Western Shoreline and Bellarine Peninsula Site Information Sheet (PDF - 628 Kb) Shallow Inlet Marine and Coastal Park Site Information Sheet (PDF - 125 Kb) Discovery Bay Coastal Park Site Information Sheet (PDF - 320 Kb)Please note: Document(s) on this page are presented in PDF format. If you do not have the Adobe Reader, you can download a copy free from the Adobe web site.