Hunter Wetlands Centre

Hunter Wetlands Centre Australia (HWCA) is:

• a not-for-profit conservation organisation
• the owner and manager of a 43-hectare wetland restoration site
• member-based and self-funding
• currently run entirely by volunteers

In 1984, after decades of draining and filling and different urban uses of the site, government, community and industry groups collaborated to restore this degraded site into aplace to see, enjoy and learn about wetlands.
The centre opened to the public in 1986 as Australia’s first dedicated wetland education centre.
HWCA manages the property to provide healthy habitat for wildlife and an authentic wetland experience for visitors. Hundreds of volunteers invest their time each year to ensure the Centre continues to provide a unique nature experience for visitors.
The site has evolved as a well-regarded education and tourism destination. In partnership with the NSW Education Department the site welcomes 10K school students annually.
HWCA provides a suite of wetland ecosystem types that are represented on a much larger scale across the Hunter Estuary. One of HWCA’s management priorities is assuring accessibility for visitors across the property. In this way our site provides a safe introduction to the 5000 hectares of largely inaccessible wetlands across the Hunter River Estuary.
Our wetlands and surrounding woodlands and swamp forests were designated as a Ramsar site in 2002, as an extension to the Hunter Estuary Ramsar Site.