Where to Find Mangroves in Australia

Distribution

Australia has ~11,500 km² of mangroves (7% of global total), concentrated in the tropics and subtropics.

Key Regions

• Kimberley (WA): Pristine, extensive stands in rias (drowned river valleys) like Prince Regent River.
• Northern Territory: Darwin Harbour, Kakadu (South Alligator River), Arnhem Land coast—high species diversity.
• Gulf of Carpentaria (NT/QLD): Vast, continuous forests; major nursery for banana prawns.
• Queensland East Coast: Hinchinbrook Channel, Missionary Bay, Moreton Bay (southern limit), Cairns Trinity Inlet, Daintree.
• Torres Strait: Fringing reefs and islands.

Species & Ecology

39 species (e.g., Avicennia marina grey mangrove, Rhizophora stylosa red mangrove). Critical for:

• Coastal protection (cyclone buffers)
• Fish/crustacean nurseries (75% of commercial catch)
• Carbon sequestration ("blue carbon")
• Indigenous cultural values

Threats

Coastal development, aquaculture, pollution, climate change (sea-level rise, dieback in Gulf 2015–16). Protected under state laws and EPBC Act.