| Type: | protected |
| Shoal Bay Coastal Reserve | |
| State: | nt |
| Iucn Category: | VI |
| Iucn Ref: | [1] |
| Coordinates: | -12.3711°N 131.0975°W |
| Relief: | yes |
| Nearest Town Or City: | Darwin |
| Area: | 123.0 |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Established: | 2000 |
| Managing Authorities: | Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory |
| Url: | https://nt.gov.au/leisure/parks-reserves/find-a-park-to-visit/shoal-bay-coastal-reserve |
Shoal Bay Coastal Reserve is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia.
It is situated approximately 35km (22miles) 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]
Protected areas of the Northern Territory