A variety of unique communities of plants and animals live in the Derwent estuary, specially adapted for life between land and sea. Little penguins, sea dragons, black swans, platypus and dolphins are just some of the many species that call the Derwent estuary home. Explore and learn about these organisms, their role in food webs, and the threats they face.
Flathead are easily recognisable by their wide flattened heads and long narrow bodies. The Sand flathead, or common flathead spawn within the Derwent estuary at about three years of age, and young fish are found in shallow muddy and sandy areas, such as the tidal flats of Ralphs Bay. Flathead increasingly feed on seagrass in deeper waters as they get older.
Much of the text within the species area of our website was written by Veronica Thorpe, as part of the Derwent River Wildlife Guide (2000).
The DEP has developed a variety of classroom and outdoor activities focused around the key estuary habitats of tidal wetlands, salt marshes and rocky reefs. These include classroom materials, online resources, interpretive walks, games and sensory experiences.
