[2] During the wet season between November and April, the river floods, replenishing over a million hectares of wetlands.

The river remains in a natural state with very little development and just one small dam that supplies water for the town of Coen.

[4] The declaration means the river's fragile ecosystems will be protected by allowing only sustainable activities within its catchment.

[5] Much of the river is bordered by fig-dominated gallery rainforests, which provide habitat for animals such as the white-tailed rat, spotted cuscus and palm cockatoo.

A total of 45 species of fish have been found in the river, including the glassfish, barred grunter, silver cobbler, fly-specked hardyhead, mouth almighty, goby, barramundi, oxeye herring, eastern rainbowfish, bony bream, gulf saratoga, giant gudgeon, freshwater longtom and seven-spot archerfish.