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Shoal Bay Coastal Reserve
Shoal Bay Coastal Reserve is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is situated approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) east of Darwin and protects a large area of eucalypt woodland and saline wetlands.[3] The area is bounded by the Howard River to the west and Gunn Point to the east with all of Shoal Bay being found within the reserve, it also shares a common boundary with the Howard Springs Hunting Reserve and the Tree Point Conservation Area.[4] It consists of extensive sand and mud-flats with much of the bay exposed at low tide. Numerous swamps surround the bay with remnants of a monsoon vine forest. Patches of rainforest are also found around the margins of the tidal area. The tidal flats are a known feeding and roosting area for migratory shorebirds in their non-breeding season. Aggregations of up to 5,000 waterbirds can be found in freshwater areas when the larger areas further south are dry.[5] The area is home to three threatened species of plant: Cycas armstrongii, Ptychosperma macarthurii and Utricularia dunstaniae. The area is also home to eleven threatened species of animal including Australian bustard, red goshawk, northern quoll, flatback turtle and dwarf sawfish.[5] The traditional owners of the area are the Larrakia people. Several large shell middens left by these people can be found in the upland intrusions into the swamp areas.[6] The coastal reserve is categorised as an IUCN Category VI protected area.[1] See alsoProtected areas of the Northern Territory References
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