Remapping of SEPP 14 wetlands in the Shoalhaven district

Abstract

A photogrammetric survey of SEPP 14 coastal wetlands within the Shoalhaven City Council area from aerial photographs dating 1981 and 1997 revealed significant changes in wetland extent. Differences were frequently related to temporal changes in wetland extent due to environmental factors and development. A number of wetlands were not identified as coastal wetland in the original SEPP 14 mapping were identified. The most significant of these is within the Currambene Creek estuary and was later gazetted following an amendment to SEPP 14. Given the changes in wetland extent since SEPP 14 was gazetted and the omission of several wetlands from SEPP 14 ligislation, it may now be appropriate to review SEPP 14 boundaries using current image processing and GIS based technologies. Furthermore, wetland boundary delineation would be enhanced as current technology has a higher order of accuracy and can incorporate buffer zones into mapping if appropriate.