The Piccaninnie Ponds Karst Wetlands in South Australia have been added to the Ramsar list as a wetland of international importance.

The wetlands near Mt Gambier in the state's South East had become the 65th site in Australia to be listed under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (the Ramsar Convention).

This marks Australia's first addition to the Ramsar List in almost six years, following the addition of the Paroo River Wetlands in New South Wales in 2007.

The karst wetland system falls within a national biodiversity hotspot, and supports at least seven nationally threatened species, including the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot and the endangered Australasian bittern.

The karst springs are fed by groundwater discharge and contain unique aquatic vegetation, with aquatic plants able to live up to 15 metres below the surface due to the unusual clarity of the water.

The 862 hectare Piccaninnie Ponds Karst Wetlands site is an outstanding example of rare fen and karst wetland types and has a range of conservation and cultural values.

These wetlands are a drought refuge for many animals and support native fish species that rely on freshwater to complete their lifecycle, such as the dwarf galaxias, Southern pygmy perch and Yarra pygmy perch.

The South Australian Government nominated the site for listing and extensive supporting documentation has been provided to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat.