Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA or the Area) is an important asset for Defence as a suitable venue for effectively integrating blue water naval forces with comparable air and land assets. Currently, it is the only economically viable location that allows large-scale joint and combined exercises where most weapon systems can be employed and integrated with live ammunition.  Many activities necessary for the development of alliances and multi-lateral Defence agreements, commonly involving Defence forces of the United States, New Zealand and the Republic of Singapore, are conducted in SWBTA. 

Much of the conservation and training value of SWBTA lies with its very large areas of essentially intact, continuous vegetation and coastal waters. SWBTA stretches from spectacular eastern coastal landscapes, over coastal ranges and forests to the more open western plains of the Brigalow Belt. The deeply indented coastline contains vast areas of seagrass and mangrove, and numerous beaches and rocky shorelines. SWBTA is also recognised for its ‘vicarious use’ – the value of knowing it exists - in much the same way as we might value the existence of Antarctica although we are unlikely to see ever actually experience it. One of the enduring observations about the environment of SWBTA is that its attributes, and the conditions of those attributes, are highly significant and inextricably linked. Some attributes only exist because of the condition of the supporting environment.

For over forty years, Defence investment in the management of SWBTA has been aimed at striking a sustainable balance between supporting military training and conserving the natural environment. Defence made a decision to publish a State of the Environment Report (SoE Report) for SWBTA in 2007. The purpose of this publication is to provide an easily understood, comprehensive scientific compendium of current knowledge and understanding of SWBTA, and to provide a reference document for Defence, environmental regulators and the general public.

This SoE Report draws on information from many sources, both internal and external to Defence. Much of the recent information comes from results of the SWBTA Landscape Monitoring Program. The format chosen for the publication of this information is consistent with the concept developed by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Australia, along with many OECD countries, provides a range of SoE Reports tailored to address reporting requirements under UNEP. SoE Reports generally pivot upon condition–pressure–response statements (also referred to as pressure–state–response).