Seventeen Seventy–Round Hill declared Fish Habitat Area

Location and plan number

  • Round Hill Creek, near the town of Seventeen Seventy
  • Plan number: FHA-018
  • Gladstone Regional Council

Size and management level

Total size: 1,480 ha:

  • 1,021 ha – Management A
  • 459 ha – Management B.

Declaration history

  • 19 November 1983: Original declaration.
  • 13 August 1999: Redeclaration:
    • to cadastral boundaries
    • to combine the Seventeen Seventy and the Round Hill Fish Habitat Areas.

Management features

  • Important recruitment area for mud crab, whiting, mullet and bream fishery.
  • Conservation, protection and management of essential fish habitat.
  • Mud crab and commercial fish species.
  • Designated mooring area.

Habitat values

  • Extensive mangrove stands along the estuary (Avicennia, Aegiceras, Excoecaria and Rhizophora)
  • Seagrass beds (Zostera) and patches of saltmarsh around the mouth of Round Hill Creek
  • Saltmarsh (Samphire) and claypan
  • Deltaic areas
  • Bar
  • Island-banks.

Fisheries values

  • Commercial, recreational and Indigenous fisheries significance.
  • Species:
    • Barramundi
    • Bream
    • Estuary cod
    • Flathead
    • Garfish
    • Mangrove jack
    • Sea mullet
    • Tailor
    • Whiting
    • Blue salmon
    • Grey mackerel
    • Grunter
    • Jewfish
    • King salmon
    • Queenfish
    • School mackerel
    • Mud crabs
    • Banana prawns
    • Tiger prawns.

Unique features

  • Round Hill Creek is the only creek in the region from Tannum Sands to Round Hill Head where golden mangrove fern (Acrostichum speciosum) occurs.
  • One of 2 creeks supporting the white-flowered black mangrove (Lumnitzera racemosa).
  • Lies adjacent and within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

Other values

  • Popular area for recreation.