Key facts
- Kakadu covers almost 20,000 sq km – the same size as many small countries such as Israel.
- The Opera House, designed by Jorn Utzon and officially opened in October 1973, is the youngest building to be included on the World Heritage List and only the second by a living architect.
- The Great Barrier Reef is the largest marine park in the world. A maze of 2,900 reefs and islands it stretches from Cape York (Cooktown) south to Bundaberg along the north-east coast of Australia.
- Few places in the world meet all four World Heritage natural criteria, but we have four that do – Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics, Tasmania’s Wilderness, and Western Australia’s Shark Bay.
- Two of our World Heritage sites are buildings – the Royal Exhibition Building and associated gardens in Melbourne, Victoria and the Sydney Opera House in NSW. The rest are natural, not man-made.
Full story
We have more than our fair share of World Heritage sites, but only two of them weren’t made by the hand of Mother Nature. You’re not going to find many of them in cities, towns, or even in the form of ancient building ruins. Australia’s World Heritage sites have been sitting around for eons – literally – and you’ll have to strap on your walking boots to find many of them.
The world’s largest island continent, Australia has a disproportionately large number of the world’s natural wonders – treasures such as the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kakadu National Park. Others, such as the Australian Fossil Mammal sites and Purnululu National Park are lesser known but also available to visit. When our island continent split apart from the mainland it launched a time capsule that was preserved for generations by its Aboriginal inhabitants but is only now being rediscovered and recorded by white man.
We are custodians of 17 unique World Heritage areas1, some of the oldest rainforests on Earth and a massive one-third of the world’s protected marine areas. You can visit all of these except two – McDonald and Heard Islands. However, many of our National Parks are open to the public to visit and we’ll even provide you educational and interpretative material and assistance at each site.
Though many are in remote areas by international standards, they are well served and easily accessible by road, plane or on foot. So, get out of your comfort zone and adventure out and about into our unique nature and wilderness areas.
Some of our World Heritage areas can only be accessed by 4WD or air but most can be reached by self-drive. Generally, you’ll find a wide range of accommodation on the fringe of these areas – everything from camping grounds, and tented accommodation to luxury stays in spa, nature and wilderness retreats.
Immerse yourself in our national wonders; they’re there to be enjoyed – whether it’s walking with Aboriginal elders around the monolith of Uluru, snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef or trekking through the Tasmanian Wilderness. Australia’s natural wonders, its protected rainforests, glorious reefs, spectacular ranges and wilderness are waiting for you.
World Heritage areas listed by UNESCO:
Heard and McDonald Islands, Macquarie and Lord Howe Islands, located off our coastline; The Tasmanian Wilderness; Fossil mammal sites at Naracoorte (South Australia) and Riversleigh (Queensland); Central Eastern Rainforests (NSW and Queensland), Willandra Lakes and the Greater Blue Mountains Area (NSW); Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and Kakadu National Park (Northern Territory); Fraser Island, the Wet Tropics and The Great Barrier Reef (Queensland); Shark Bay and Purnululu National Park (Western Australia); Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens (Victoria); and the Sydney Opera House (NSW).
Uniquely Australian
- Trek through the magnificent gorges of the Bungle Bungles, then return to the luxury of a hot shower in a tented camp.
- See the mighty Kakadu from the water as you get away from the mainstream on a Katherine River safari. Canoe by day, spotting birds and crocodiles, and camp at night; this is the best way to see the area as the rivers of the Katherine region continue to run even through the long dry season.
- Watch a sunset across the vast wetlands from the natural lookout of Ubirr. Take a helicopter ride over Arnhem Land and Jim Jim Falls or stand on what feels like the edge of the world at Gumlon Falls.
- Camp in relative luxury on the Aboriginal lands of Hawk Dreaming , the Djabulukgu Association’s permanent camp in Kakadu.
- Instead of a day trip or cruise to the Great Barrier Reef, why not actually stay on it? Heron Island, a five-star resort with an eco focus, is located right on the reef so you can wade out to swim amongst fish or baby turtles. Alternatively, much simpler cabin-style accommodation is available on Lady Elliot Island. Dive, snorkel, fish or learn about the reef from a marine biologist. Lose yourself in a timewarp in the cool crisp air of the rainforest reserves of Queensland and NSW. Graded tracks lead through ancient damp rainforests with crystal clear waterfalls and glass rivers, to pristine white beaches.
- Wilpena Pound, an impressive natural amphitheatre in the Flinders Ranges National Park is a beautiful place to discover Australian flora and fauna, and is perfect for hiking.
- At Naracoorte Cave World Heritage Fossil Site, plunge underground to tour stunning limestone caves and watch flights of bats come out of their caves at dusk.