Dear Sir/Madam

BirdLife Australia is a highly respected science-based conservation organisation with more than 11,000 members and more than 65,000 supporters. We have an extensive ongoing program of conservation research, including the ‘Australian Painted Snipe Recovery Project ’ developed to halt the rapid decline the species has undergone over the last 50 years. Shorebird and wetland experts from across Australia and internationally have contributed to the program and its database includes all known records of the species dating back to 1836. The project aims to improve our understanding of the population trends and ecology of the species to provide best practice management advice to landholders in an attempt to reverse the declines observed. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Project. BirdLife Australia has serious concerns about the potential for the Project to have a significant, negative impact on the Caley Valley Wetlands and in particular, on the Endangered Australian Painted Snipe Rostratula australis. We have also provided a submission on the related Abbot Point Dredging an