Ginini Flats Wetlands Ramsar Site facts for kids

The Ginini Flats Wetlands Ramsar Site is a very special wetland area in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). It's also known as the Ginini Flats Subalpine Bog Complex. This place is so important that it's recognized around the world! It became a "Ramsar Site" on March 11, 1996. It's the only one of its kind in the ACT. You can find it in the Australian Alps, near the border of the ACT and New South Wales.

A Look Back: History of Ginini Flats

For a long time, Aboriginal people used the high mountains, including the Ginini Flats area. In early summer, they would gather bogong moths. They also held important ceremonies and traded goods here.

Later, settlers used the land for livestock grazing and digging up peat. Today, this special area is protected inside Namadgi National Park. Most people who visit now enjoy bushwalking and ski touring.

What is Ginini Flats Like?

This site is a group of subalpine wetlands. They are fed by springs. You'll find Sphagnum bogs, wet grassland, and heath plants. There are also temporary pools and permanent streams. All these are part of a bigger area called the Ginini Flats and Cheyenne Flats.

The bogs here are some of the largest and best-preserved in southeastern Australia. Ginini Flats sits high up, between 1,500 and 1,600 meters above sea level. It's located in the Brindabella Ranges, close to Mount Ginini. The total wetland area is about 50 hectares.

The weather here changes a lot. It gets about 1,250 mm of rain each year. Snow falls from June to September. Temperatures can drop to -20 °C in winter! Summer days are usually mild and warm. But sometimes it can get very hot, over 35 °C. Dry periods can cause the Flats to dry out. Lightning strikes can also start fires.

Plants and Animals of Ginini Flats

The bogs at Ginini Flats are the most northern place where Sphagnum moss grows in the Australian Alps. The wetlands are surrounded by snowgum woodland. This woodland has a mix of grasses, herbs, and shrubs.

Areas that are always wet have Sphagnum bog. You'll also see wet herbfields and wet heath plants. These are mostly swamp heath. Carex sedges grow along the edges of open water. Drier areas near the woodlands have dry heath. Here you might find leafy bossiaea and alpine shaggy-pea. In wetter spots, tall wet heath grows, with lots of woolly tea-tree.

Amazing Animals of Ginini Flats

Ginini Flats is home to many rare and unique animals. Many species here are at the northern edge of where they live. This site is super important for the northern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne pengilleyi). This endangered endemic frog is found only in a few places. It lives only at altitudes over 1000 meters above sea level.

The wetlands also provide food and shelter for Latham’s snipe. These birds visit during dry times. Broad-toothed rats live in the grassy areas, wet heath, and bogs. You might also see larger mammals. These include the eastern grey kangaroo, swamp wallaby, red-necked wallaby, and short-beaked echidna. Other animals are the mountain brushtail possum, common ringtail possum, and common wombat.