What is a swamp or wetland?

Ducks and dusky moorhens
hide in the reeds.

Wetlands are areas of land covered by water. They can be permanent or ephemeral, freshwater, brackish or saline, and range from seagrass beds to the channel country of inland Australia. With such a wide range of habitats, wetlands are ecologically and biologically fascinating.

• It's nature's halfway house between water and dry land

• It's an area that is wet enough to allow aquatic plants to grow

• Sometimes it's very wet and deep and other times it completely dries up.

• Swamps are also known as wetlands, bogs, billabongs and lagoons.  

Reeds grow all
around this water hole.

Why are swamps important?

• Swamps fill up quickly during heavy rain, helping to reduce flooding.

• Swamps dry out slowly, becoming places of refuge for plants and animals during drought.

• Bacteria and fungi live in mud on the bottom, breaking down dead plants and animals, recycling organic matter

• Swamps are nature's kidneys - they help purify water

Swamps dry out slowly.

Why do some swamps smell?

Swamps are nature's recyclers. Fungi and bacteria break down dead plants and animals for other plants and animals to use. During this process a smelly gas called hydrogen sulphide (otherwise known as rotten egg gass) and methane are produced.

This swamp was not smelly
on the day we were there.

There's more to swamps than meets the eye!

• Swamps are home to frogs, dragonflies, fish, snakes, mosquitoes, water birds and many other plants and animals which all need water to stay alive.

• Many Australian swamp animals (e.g. Freckled ducks) are found nowhere else in the world.

• Many migratory bird species (e.g. Japanese Snipe) drop into swamps for a rest on their way around the world.

Dusky Moorhen


Japanese Snipe