Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has urged the international community to move swiftly to impose its no-fly zone over Libya but says Australia will not contribute to it.
The United Nations Security Council on Friday approved a resolution permitting "all necessary measures" to impose a no-fly zone and protect civilian areas.
The vote passed 10-0 in the 15 member council.
Five countries - including permanent members Russia and China - abstained. Mr Rudd, who has been a vocal advocate of the no-fly zone for almost three weeks, welcomed the decision.
"Let us all hope and pray that this final resolve of the international community is not too late for the people of Libya," he told reporters in Canberra soon after the vote.
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"The diplomatic effort has been torturous. The military effort is now critical." But Mr Rudd reaffirmed that Australia would not be providing military support.
"If the no-fly zone was imposed in this part of the world Australian assets would be considered as a possible inclusion in any such UN operation," he said.
"This is in north Africa, it is adjacent to the NATO zone. "It is across the Mediterranean from the NATO zone - this is primarily the responsibility for adjoining states."
Mr Rudd declined to take any credit for the resolution but his predecessor Gareth Evans said it was a win for Australian diplomacy.
Professor Evans - a former Labor foreign minister turned academic - said the resolution was hugely significant for the people of Libya and for the international community. "And it's a very significant achievement for Australia diplomacy," he told AAP.
"Although we can't pretend to have been absolutely central players, since we're not on the security council itself, we were extremely active through Kevin Rudd in promoting - around the region and to all the relevant players - the message that something just had to be done.
"We couldn't just stand by and let this situation further deteriorate." Prime Minister Julia Gillard also welcomed the UN's decision.
"This is particularly timely given our fears for the people of Benghazi, who are facing attack from Gaddafi's forces," she said in a joint statement with Mr Rudd.
US President Barack Obama has called on the leaders of France and Britain to coordinate their strategy following the UN vote. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the UN resolution a "historic decision" and said he expected immediate action to enforce it.
