Coastal swamp oak (Casuarina glauca) forests are native to the east coast of Australia and facilitate a range of ecological functions and ecosystem services, but are listed as an endangered ecological community (EEC) due to rapidly expanding anthropogenic pressures. We surveyed the composition and coverage of groundcover plants, the abundance and size of Casuarina trees, and the composition of animal communities (using camera traps) at 18 swamp oak forest sites across three estuaries on the Sunshine Coast, Australia. We then tested for the effects of environmental variables from three spatial scales (i.e. landscape, habitat, and site attributes) on plant and animal assemblages in swamp oak forests using general additive models (GAMs). Plant communities were typically more diverse and with taller and more abundant trees at sites that were more connected to protected areas, mangroves, high tide line and the estuary mouth. Animal assemblages were more abundant at sites that had greater landscape connectivity with other coastal habitats. Understanding the key drivers of the distribution and condition of these ecosystems assists in setting goals to improve and prioritise restoration and management of wetland habitats.