What is the world heritage in australia. Unesco World Heritage: Australia's Exotic Islands

Australia and Oceania are considered by us as a potential tourist macro-region, which is divided into three tourist meso-regions: Australia, and Oceania (including Papua New Guinea). Australia is characterized by both the exotic nature and culture of the indigenous population, and rich recreational resources. New Zealand is distinguished, first of all, by the diversity and uniqueness of its nature. Oceania is popular for its recreational resources and cultural exoticism.

The cultural specificity of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania is determined by the Protestant religion of various directions (to a lesser extent - catholic religion), however, in the areas uninhabited by European settlers, the traditional beliefs of the natives were preserved. Aboriginal people, who are the indigenous people of Australia, form an independent Australian language family. The indigenous peoples of Oceania (Melanesians, Micronesians and Polynesians) and New Zealand (Maori) speak languages ​​of the East Austronesian group of the Austronesian family. The peoples of the Papuan family (Enga, Hagen, Chimbu, Kamano, etc.) live in Papua New Guinea. The descendants of European settlers - Anglo-Australians and Anglo-New Zealanders - speak English language belonging to the Germanic group of the Indo-European family.

Australian Union covers an area of ​​7 million 692 thousand square meters. km, the population in 2008 was 21.0 million people. The name of the mainland Australia is due to the fact that in ancient times geographers were convinced that there was a hypothetical land in the Southern Hemisphere, which was signed on the maps as Terra Incognita("unknown land") or Terra Australis Incognita ("unknown southern land"). In search of this mainland, Dutch sailors discovered the territory modern Australia called New. At the beginning of the XIX century. The British proposed to use the name of the never found mainland Terra-Australis or Australia instead of the name New Holland.

New Zealand occupies an area of ​​270.5 thousand square meters. km, the population in 2008 was 4.2 million people. The name New Zealand has been used for the islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean since the middle of the 17th century. Since the islands were discovered in 1642 by the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, they were named New Zealand in honor of the Dutch province of Zeeland (translated as “land of the sea”). Maori, the indigenous inhabitants of the islands, call them Aotearoa - "long white cloud".

State Papua New Guinea occupies the eastern part of the island of New Guinea and nearby islands in the western part of Oceania. The state has an area of ​​462.8 thousand square meters. km, the population in 2008 was 5.9 million people. The name of the state, whose independence was proclaimed in 1975, includes the names of two constituent parts its territory: former colony Australia Papua (southeastern part of New Guinea) and New Guinea, a former United Nations Trust Territory administered by Australia (northeastern part of the same island). The name Papua comes from the Indonesian name for the indigenous inhabitants of the island, Papua or Papua ("curly-haired"). The island got its name New Guinea from Portuguese sailors to whom the local dark-skinned aborigines seemed similar to the inhabitants of African Guinea. This island is called Irian.

In total, in Australia and Oceania, 23 sites are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, among which natural attractions clearly predominate, and only 4 World Heritage sites are cultural monuments (and another 5 are monuments of nature and culture).

exotic islands with unique plants and animals, the largest in the world coral reef, preserved monuments of colonial architecture and incredibly interesting cultural centers - Australia is rich in amazing sights, many of which have long been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Australia is ideal for outdoor activities, tourists here will have the opportunity to visit incredible interesting nature reserves, get acquainted with the rich historical heritage of the continent, as well as see with your own eyes the tribes of the aborigines, whose way of life has not changed for thousands of years. Which sights to choose for research is a matter of taste, but guests of Australia will definitely not be limited in their choice.

One of the main attractions of Australia and a natural site of world importance is the Great barrier reef, the length of which is 2,500 km. It has a little less than 2,900 individual coral reefs and 900 islands, the area of ​​​​the Great Barrier Reef is 344,400 square meters. km. The reef is so huge that it can be easily distinguished even from space, in 1981 it was included in the World Heritage Lists.

Scientists were able to establish that the reef began to form as early as 8,000 years ago, its transformations continue uninterruptedly. The rapid growth of corals is facilitated by certain climatic conditions, in particular, the water temperature in this area does not fall below 17.5 degrees Celsius. The colony of coral polyps has formed a unique ecosystem, it has become home to thousands of species of marine life, including exotic fish, seahorses and stars, as well as larger underwater inhabitants such as dolphins and killer whales.

It's no surprise that the Great Barrier Reef attracts scuba divers from all over the world, but you don't have to go underwater to enjoy this unique natural attraction. For travelers in these places spend interesting excursions on boats with a transparent bottom, only some areas of the huge reef are available for tourist excursions. Near the reef there are several islands equipped for recreation. Their guests are offered accommodation in luxury hotels, a lot of interesting entertainment, as well as the opportunity to fully enjoy the beauties of Australia's main natural attraction.

Australia accounts for just under 2 per cent of the world's heritage and is largely natural objects, priceless treasures of such outstanding value that their value goes far beyond national borders.

– Formations of the great Chinese wall(The Walls of China) in the National Park Mungo (Mungo Natonal Park), New South Wales(New South Wales), Australia (Australia)

Top 10 Australia

world heritage

Among the countries of Oceania, Australia leads in the number of places that have become a World Heritage Site. She has 19 of them, and of them, 2 objects are recognized as masterpieces of human genius (we will not talk about them here) and 2 objects are included in the list according to cultural criteria (we will also omit them). Australia attracts with its nature, so this list will include natural objects. In addition, not so long ago, Australia topped the list of the most luxurious holiday destinations, so the proposed list can help when choosing holiday destinations and planning a trip.

I’ll make an amendment right away, in the last post - 5 natural objects from the World Heritage have already been listed:

– Blue Mountains
- Ayers Rock (Uluru)
– Great Barrier Reef
– Tasmanian Wilderness
- Kakadu National Park national park)

Therefore, we will not repeat ourselves and announce the list of the following natural objects included in the World Heritage.

– 1 – Willandra Lakes

– The Walls of China formations in Mungo Natonal Park, New South Wales

Willandra Lakes Region covers an area of ​​2,400 square kilometers, in the southwestern part of New South Wales in Australia. Part of the region (about 10%) is occupied Mungo National Park.

All lakes (5 large ones - 1) Lake Mulurulu, 2) Willandra, 3) Lake Garnpung, 4) Lake Lehur, 5) Lake Mango and 14 small ones) are dry, formed more than 2 million years ago, covered with solonchak vegetation. The area also features unique lunar semi-desert landscapes. There are eucalyptus sparse forests.

The area is unique in its paleontological finds from the Pleistocene period, as well as finds of evidence of human civilization 40,000-60,000 years old. In 1968 in the dunes of the lake Mango the remains of a cremated woman were found. In 1974, a male burial was found not far from the find. are considered ancient remains human activity found in Australia.

– 2 – Lord Howe Island Group

– Lord Howe Island as seen from Cameron’s Lookout

A wonderful example of isolated oceanic islands volcanic origin. It is located in the Tasman Sea, 770 km northeast of the city of Sydney. They are one of the oldest volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean (about 20 million years old). The depth of the seabed in the area of ​​the islands is more than 2,000 m. The islands are known for their unusual topography, they are home to many endemic bird species. form itself big island resembles a boomerang, stretched from north to south for 10 km and having a width of about 2 km.

Despite the fact that the group of islands belongs to Australia, they have internal self-government. Age Lord Howe Islands (Lord Howe Island Group)- about 20 million years, area - 14.6 km². Up to 350 people permanently live on the island. Moreover, no more than 400 tourists can be at Lord Howe at the same time.

The Lord Howe Islands were discovered on February 17, 1788 by a British ship under the command of Lieutenant Lidgberda (Henry Lidgbird Ball), sailing with prisoners on board from Australia to Norfolk Island. The first settlers arrived on the island from New Zealand in 1834. At that time, the whole life of people on Lord Howe (Lord Howe Island) was associated with whaling. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first tourists appeared.

The main island is quite popular. The west coast is bordered by a magnificent garland of coral reefs, which form a small coastal bay of Prince William Henry. At the northern tip of the island lies a beautiful lagoon with several tiny islands on its water surface, wide golden sandy beach, tall slender palm trees and picturesque Norfolk pine all along its coast. When the rays of the morning sun illuminate the island, it seems that green forests Lord Howe sparkle like an emerald, framed by contrasting blue and turquoise waves.

The reef of the island is home to 460 varieties of tropical fish and 90 species of corals. It is considered one of the best places for snorkeling or scuba diving directly from the shore. Fantastic marine life and crystal clear clear waters attract scuba divers from all over the world to the island.

Only small planes fly to the island, so luggage is allowed to take no more than 14 kilograms. The overweight must be left at Sydney Airport.

- 3 - Rainforests of the east coast of Australia (Gondwana Rainforests of Australia)

– Elabana Falls, Lamington National Park, Queensland

Australia's east coast rainforests are listed world heritage in 1986 (expanded in 1994) under the name Australian East Coast Temperate and Subtropical Rainforest Parks. Then they included 16 patches of tropical forests in New South Wales (an area of ​​about 203,500 hectares). In 1994, the site was expanded to include 40 more sites, most of which were located in Queensland. Currently, about 50 separate reserves are located on its territory, which are located between the Australian cities of Newcastle and Brisbane.

A unique region, practically unparalleled in the world. It covers an area of ​​about 370 thousand hectares. This colossal area makes the Australian East Coast Rainforests the largest collection of subtropical rainforests on the planet. The uniqueness of these forests lies in the fact that a huge number of ancient plants grow on their territory, which were formed at a time when Australia was still part of the Gondwana supercontinent.

Another unique feature of the Australian East Coast Rainforests is that, despite the fact that they occupy only 0.3% of the total area of ​​​​Australia, more than half of all representatives of Australian flora and fauna grow and live on their territory!

All parks included in this World Heritage site are located along the Great Dividing Range - the largest mountain range in Australia. A characteristic feature of these reserves is their accessibility from largest cities countries on scheduled buses, tourists can reach any of the National Parks of the east coast.

– 4 – Wet Tropics of Queensland

– Wallaman Falls, Queensland

Wet Tropics of Queensland located on northeast coast Australia, in the state of Queensland. The tropics are a pristine area covered with tropical rainforests and characterized by a variety of relief changes. The forests are located in the Daintree River Valley. The total forest area is 8940 km². Australia's largest waterfall Wallaman (305 meters high) is located on the territory of the forests. The rainforest region contains several national parks. In 1988, the Wet Tropics of Queensland was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In May 2007, the Wet Tropics of Queensland was listed as a National cultural heritage Australia.

The rainforest region is divided into three geographically defined parts: the coastal plains, the Great Dividing Range Plateau, and the Great Cliffs region to the east. The plateau region has a highly eroded topography, formed as a result of volcanic activity and later erosion. There are crater lakes in the plateau area. The area of ​​the Great Cliffs was even more affected by erosion, which formed numerous cliffs, gorges and waterfalls. There are extensive coral reefs in the coastal areas.

The flora of the Queensland rainforest is extremely rich and is the largest concentration of primitive flowering plants in the world. In the forests, there are about 390 plant species, 74 of which are endangered, 85 plant species are endemic (that is, growing only in this area). There are 29 types of mangroves growing in the area, covering an area of ​​136 km². Also, about 90 species of orchids have been recorded in the forests. The forest area has a unique scientific significance as the largest cluster of woody plants that formed during the existence of the Gondwana supercontinent.

– 5 – Shark Bay – Shark Bay

– Stromatolites at sunset, Shark Bay, Western Australia

Among all the natural wonders of nature Shark Bay or "Shark Bay" perhaps the most eye-catching. This bay in northwestern Australia is famous for its marine stromatolites, which formed some of the earliest life forms on Earth. These organisms have existed for over 3,500 million years, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. These prehistoric forms are located in the southernmost part of the bay, in the ultra-salty shallow bay of Hamelin Pool. This is the largest locality of stromatolites in the world.

The bay is a bay medium depth 10 meters, which is cut by two peninsulas protruding into the Indian Ocean. The area of ​​the bay is about 10 thousand square kilometers, and the coastline has a length of more than 1500 kilometers. Along the entire coast there are quite a few places where beautiful 100-200 meter steep cliffs go into the ocean.

In 1629, the Dutch traveler Francois Pelsart described the coast of the bay as a lifeless and desolate place. Its first name is "Shark Bay"- The bay was received at the end of the 17th century, when an English ship under the command of Captain William Dampier reached the shores of Western Australia and stopped in the bay. Around this time, Dampier mapped the outline of the coast of the bay. According to one version, Shark Bay got its name due to the fact that the sailors of the ship under the command of Dampier caught a giant shark, which was used as food for the starving crew. According to another, the most common version, the bay got its name because more than ten species of sharks live in its waters, including the tiger shark.

In 1991, the bay was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a unique ecosystem. The basis of the ecosystem is algae, covering more than 4000 km² of the bottom of the bay. Plankton, consisting of shrimps and small fish, finds shelter in them. Algae is also the main food for dugongs, of which there are about 10,000 here. Shark Bay is one of the world's largest catch-up habitats.

– 6 – Fraser Island

– Wild dingo on the beach at sunset, Fraser Island, Queensland

The modern name of the island is associated with the name of the legendary captain James Fraser, whose ship "Stirling Castle" in 1836 was wrecked off the coast of the island and the surviving sailors landed on the shore.

Fraser Island arose as a result of centuries of erosion. It is currently the largest island in the world that is made entirely of sand. The island is stretched along the coast and its length is about 120 km, width - from 7 to 23 km, area - 1840 km².

The dunes that make up the island were formed about 400 thousand years ago and have a height of up to 240 m. There are more than 40 fresh "hanging" lakes here, which is one of the geographical features of the island. This is unusual for a sandy island, which is washed by the waters of the ocean on all sides. The largest lake covers an area of ​​​​about 200 hectares, its name is Lake Boemingen. The western coast of Fraser is occupied by mangrove forests and swamps, the eastern (facing the ocean) is a beach from white sand about 100 km long.

Most of the island, which has preserved intact tropical rainforests (about 1645 km² in area), is part of Great Sandy National Park. Freshwater turtles are found in well-heated lakes, and the wild dog Dingo is found on land.

Before European colonization, several thousand natives lived on the island, who called it K'gari, which in Butchulla means "paradise" or "paradise".

– 7 – Heard and McDonald Islands

– Heard Island, Australia (Australia)

Heard and McDonald Islands- a small uninhabited archipelago in the southern Indian Ocean with a total area of ​​412 km². The islands are located in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica. The archipelago consists of two main islands - Heard and McDonald, as well as many small outlying islets, rocks and reefs. Heard Island- is the peak underwater volcano Kerguelen Plateau and is 43 kilometers long and 21 kilometers wide. It is 80% ice-covered, mountainous and devoid of vegetation, dominated by a mountain range (Big Ben) and an active Mawson volcano, which is the highest point of the island (2745 m).

Heard Island was discovered by the American captain, sealer John Heard on November 25, 1853, when his ship Oriental was heading from Boston to Melbourne. Shortly after Hurd's discovery, on January 4, 1854, the captain of the Samarang, William Macdonald, discovered the island named after him. After that, for more than 20 years, the islands were regularly visited by hunting expeditions, a small settlement of hunters arose (up to 200 people). However, by 1880 most of the seal population was destroyed and the hunters left the island. The archipelago belonged to Great Britain since 1910, when the flag of this country was raised on Herd.

These uninhabited islands were transferred by Great Britain to Australia in 1947. Habitat for many species of birds and representatives of marine fauna, the islands are declared a natural reserve. After the signing of the Antarctic Convention by Australia, the islands became a separate external territory. In 1983 the islands were listed national treasure Australia, and in 1997 included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The islands are one of the most remote landmasses on Earth: they are located approximately 4099 km southwest of Perth (Western Australia), 3845 km southwest of Cape Louvin (the extreme southwestern point of Australia) and 1630 km north of Antarctica.

– 8 – Macquarie Island

– Sandy Bay, Macquarie Island, Tasmania

Macquarie Island- an oceanic island in subantarctic waters, lying 1500 km southeast of Tasmania, approximately midway between Australia and Antarctica. The island is the peak of the underwater Macquarie Ridge, which rises above the sea, rising at the point of collision of the Indo-Australian and Pacific lithospheric plates. The island is of great geological importance as the only place on Earth formed by rocks of the earth's mantle (located at a depth of 6 km) that have come to the surface. There are unique samples of pillow basalts and other volcanic rocks. The highest point rises to 433 meters, but for such a small area, this is not at all small. The area of ​​the island is small - 128 km². It is 34 km long and 5 km wide.

Flora Macquarie It is represented exclusively by herbaceous plants: sedges and tussock. Macquarie cabbage (Stilbocarpa polaris), endemic to the subantarctic islands, grows in some places.

The mammal world includes elephant seals (Mirounga), whales; penguins are common among birds - king (Aptenodytes patagonicus), donkey (Spheniscus demersus), gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) and endemic Schlegel penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli), albatrosses and Macquarie's jumping parrot, extinct in the late 1880s due to the introduction of cats and rabbits to the island (Cyanoramphus erythrotis).

Cats and rabbits were brought to the island by man. They have a negative impact on the nature of the island: cats prey on birds, and rabbits trample and eat vegetation. They managed to get rid of cats by 2000, but this turned into a new problem: now there was no one to control the number of rabbits, and their number increased to 70-150 thousand by 2007. Rabbits destroyed the vegetation on 20% of the island.

The island is practically uninhabited. The only residents here are a few dozen explorers who live in a base in the north of the island in Half Moon Bay.

– 9 – Purnululu National Park

– Bungle Bungle Range, Purnululu National Park

Purnululu National Park Spread over an area of ​​239,723 hectares, in the northeastern part of Western Australia, on the Kimberley Plateau. It is one of the most geologically interesting parks in Western Australia, a real open-air museum. In 1987, the park, which occupies 240 thousand hectares on the Kimberley Plateau, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The nature of these places is truly virgin and untouched - the nearest settlement is located 250 km from the park.

Purnululu means "sandstone" in the Kiya Aboriginal language. Sometimes the park is called Bungle Bungle by the name of the mountain range of the same name, which is entirely part of the park.

The relief of the park is very diverse - this is already mentioned above. Mountain chain Bungle-Bangle an area of ​​45 thousand hectares, vast sandy plains, grassy lowlands in the valley of the Ord River and limestone cliffs in the west and east of the park.

Main attraction Purnululu National Park- these are mountain formations of the ridge Bungle-Bangle, which took the form of beehives as a result of erosion processes that lasted 20 million years. These "hives" have an interesting structure - bright orange sandstone alternates with dark stripes several meters wide. The bright orange color is due to the oxides of iron and manganese.

The territory of the park had a huge economic and cultural significance among aboriginal tribes - about 200 rock paintings of ancient people and burials were found here. But the Europeans, due to the arid climate and inhospitable natural conditions avoided these places. The first pastoralists appeared here only at the end of the 19th century, and the amazing mountain formations of the ridge Bungle-Bangle first opened to the world only in 1982!

– 10 – Ningaloo Coast

– Ningaloo Coast

Ningaloo Coast, in Western Australia, and also located here Ningaloo Reef coral reef are the latest object in Australia included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2011.

Mysterious Plot Ningaloo in the west of Australia - one of the longest coastal reefs. On land there is a vast karst area, in the underground waters of the coast there are many underwater caves and streams. The coastal waters of Ningaloo have sheltered a huge number of marine animals, including sea ​​turtles. The reef area is also known as a seasonal concentration of whale sharks and a migratory route for dolphins, manta rays, and humpback whales. Several hundred species of fish, corals and mollusks live near the reef. More recently, deep-sea fields of sea sponges, previously unknown to science, were discovered here.

Ningaloo is a 161 km long fringing reef that runs along the outer edge of the remote Northwest Cape about 1930 km north of Perth in Western Australia. The tiny, sparsely populated town of Exmouth and the airstrip near Learmont are the only islands of civilization on the scrubby coastal plain.

The reef is so close to the shore that there are beaches where you just need to put on a mask and go into the water to see the corals. However, you can be the only bather there.

Information in the post may be added and changed!
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The Willandra Lake District covers an area of ​​2,400 km2 in southwestern New South Wales, 582 km west of Sydney. There are five large and fourteen small lakes, formed more than two million years ago.


All lakes (5 large and 14 small) are dry, formed more than 2 million years ago, and are covered with solonchak vegetation. The area also features unique lunar semi-desert landscapes. There are eucalyptus sparse forests.
The area is unique in terms of paleontological finds from the Pleistocene period, as well as finds of evidence of human civilization dating back to 45,000-60,000 BC. e. In 1968, the remains of a cremated woman were found in the dunes of Lake Mungo. In 1974, a male burial was found not far from the find. They are considered the oldest remnants of human activity on the planet.
Nature in these places, unlike other regions of Australia, is not rich - a semi-desert landscape, a lot sand dunes, fields with sparse shrubs and grass, in places small islands of woodland with eucalyptus and coniferous (such as white pine and Australian blue cypress) trees. About 20 species of mammals have been recorded in the region, including kangaroos and echidnas, as well as emu ostriches, several varieties of bats and many reptiles.


Mungo National Park, located in the Willandra Lake District and named after the large ancient Lake Mungo, is world famous for paleontological discoveries that prove the habitation of this region about 60 thousand years ago. In the vicinity of Lake Mungo in 1968 and 1974, archaeologists discovered the remains of cremated ancient people - this is a unique, oldest cremation in the world.

In total, there are 19 lakes in the Willandra Lake District, and the fact that they were all formed more than 2 million years ago makes them unique! In the photo you can distinguish the largest of the Willandra lakes: 1 - Mulurulu, 2 - Willandra, 3 - Garnpung, 4 - Lehur, 5 - Mungo, 6 - Arumpo, 7 - Chibnalwood


In addition to the ancient dry lakes, Willandra can "boast" of interesting semi-desert landscapes, somewhat reminiscent of the moon, among which small eucalyptus groves are occasionally found.

The territory of the lake district turned out to be a treasure trove of traces of human life, dated back to 45-60 millennia BC, and the human remains found here in 1968 and 1974 are the oldest burial places of our ancestors today!


Wildlife of Western Tasmania


In a once brutally glaciated region, steep gorge parks and reserves cover over 1 million hectares, making Western Tasmania's forests one of the last in the world to be located in a temperate climate. The remains that are found in limestone caves indicate that people appeared here more than 20 thousand years ago.

The island of Tasmania, discovered in 1642 by the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, is located off the southeast coast of Australia. It is cut off from the mainland by the Bass Strait, the Indian Ocean on its western side, and the Tasman Sea on the eastern side.

The nature of Tasmania impresses with its pristine fabulous beauty, splendor and originality of landscapes - these are mountain peaks and centuries-old, in some places impenetrable tropical forests, quiet green valleys and fast rivers with crystal clear waters. clean water and icy waterfalls, picturesque gorges and volcanoes, variegated meadows with marvelous flowers and the mirror-like surface of lakes, sea shores with a great many narrow bays and snow-white beaches. Surprisingly, the nature of Tasmania still keeps vast expanses where no human foot has yet set foot.

Orange-bellied parrot, southwestern Tasmania. There are about 150 of them left in the wild. A huge number of plants, eucalyptus forests, tree ferns - the wildlife of western Tasmania is in many ways very similar to that of Australia. The local mild humid climate has both evergreen and deciduous trees.


Many of them reach incredible sizes. The spherical eucalyptus, for example, can be up to one hundred and twenty meters in height. There are also southern beeches and Franklin pines with very valuable red wood, spinous arotaxis (some representatives of the species have lived for more than two centuries), cypress anthrotaxis, rare species of mosses, lichens.

The wildlife of western Tasmania abounds with exotic animals. This paradise is home to the Tasmanian devil, red wallaby, Tasmanian bettong, marsupial wolf, dingo, platypus, koala, kangaroo, echidna, opossum, and about 150 species of birds.


Of great interest is the cultural heritage of this region, which was the southernmost human habitat on our planet. There are more than 40 sacred places local aborigines, which are still of exceptional importance for the modern aboriginal population. Archaeological finds from this region have made invaluable art collections.
It is known, however, that modern cultural history Tasmania is full of drama and even tragic. During the colonization of the island by Europeans local population The islands were almost completely destroyed. According to the 1961 census, there was one (!) Aborigine in Tasmania. Now there are officially many more of them, but does this mean that the connection of times has been restored? The noted specificity of the region can be traced in its toponymy.

Here are the names of the rivers of the World Heritage region: Gordon, Franklin, Andrew, Denison, Maxwell, etc. and so on. Needless to say, historically, quite recently, all these rivers had completely different names, reflecting, as elsewhere in the world, their characteristic features in the languages ​​of those people who lived on their banks. Fortunately, many mainland areas of Australia still retained their natural toponymy, which is also part of the heritage - natural and cultural.

Tasmania is a World Wildlife Heritage Site covering 1.38 million hectares. It is a stronghold of rainforest, alpine nature and untouched habitats for animals (rare and endangered) and plants.

Tasmania is interesting for its extraordinary nature- this is the only place in the region where a temperate type of climate prevails, in the Southern Hemisphere this is found only in the south of Chile and Argentina, Tasmania is the smallest state of Australia.


Almost the entire territory of the island is big nature reserve. Almost a quarter of its territory has not yet experienced human influence. Impenetrable forests and jungles, mysterious and strange forest animals, a huge number of rare bird species, a large number of fish in mountain lakes and rivers have been preserved here. One of the legendary inhabitants of the forests of Tasmania is the Tasmanian devil, however, in recent years, the number of this unusual wild animal has declined significantly.


The nature of Tasmania is exceptional and has no analogues in the world. The heart of Tasmanian wildlife is the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. Here you can see amazing mountain peaks, tropical forests, deep river valleys, picturesque gorges. And among all this splendor, protected rivers meander.


You can not ignore the National Park-Mountain Cradle-Lake St. Clair. This national park- one of famous monuments nature, it is included in the lists of monuments of the cultural heritage of mankind.


Local lakes are a popular place for trout fishing and bushwalking, and in the local restaurants you can try real Tasmanian cuisine and taste wonderful Tasmanian wine. From jagged peaks, icy rivers cascade down and flow into transparent lakes. It offers stunning views of centuries-old rainforests and alpine moorlands.
. East coast rainforests
The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the east coast of the Australian mainland, on the border between the states of Queensland and New South Wales.





Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1986 (expanded in 1994) under the name Australian East Coast Temperate and Subtropical Rainforest Parks. Then it included 16 rainforest sites in New South Wales (an area of ​​about 203,500 hectares). In 1994, the property was expanded to include 40 more properties, most of which were located within the state of Queensland. Between 1994 and 2007 it was called the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves.






Currently, about 50 separate reserves are located on its territory, located between the Australian cities of Newcastle and Brisbane. All of them stretch for 500 km along the Great Dividing Range in eastern New South Wales and southern Queensland, and the site itself is a cluster of numerous patches of rainforest, which are surrounded by eucalyptus forests and agricultural land. The rainforests of the east coast of Australia are the most extensive subtropical rainforests in the world. The total area of ​​the facility is about 370 thousand hectares.




From a scientific point of view, they are important, as they represent a huge accumulation of the ancient vegetation of Australia, formed at a time when the modern mainland was still part of the Gondwana supercontinent. The relief of the area on which the forests are located is diverse. It includes numerous gorges, prehistoric volcanoes, waterfalls, rivers.




The world of flora and fauna is extremely rich: about half of all Australian plant families and about a third of Australian mammal and bird species are recorded in forests (despite the fact that forests occupy only 0.3% of the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe Australian mainland).
Wet Tropics of Queensland

The Wet Tropics of Queensland is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the northeast coast of the Australian mainland, in the state of Queensland. The object represents a wilderness area covered with tropical rainforests and characterized by a wide variety of topography (rivers, gorges, waterfalls, mountains). Located in the valley of the Daintree River, covering an area of ​​8940 km². Included in the World Heritage List in 1988.




Great Dividing Range
There are three main geographic regions within the site: the Great Dividing Range Plateau, the Great Cliffs region to the east, and the coastal plains. The plateau has a highly eroded topography, resulting from both erosion and past volcanic activity.

Separate lava cones and crater lakes. The Great Cliffs region is a highly rugged terrain that has undergone catastrophic erosion. There are numerous gorges and waterfalls. The northern part of the World Heritage Site contains extensive areas of coral reefs.

Coral reefs
The climate varies from humid to very humid. There are two seasons per year: a relatively dry winter and a rainy summer. The average annual rainfall ranges from 4000 mm near the coast to 1200 mm in the western part. The average maximum temperature in summer near the coast is 31°C, in the winter months it is 5°C lower. On the plateau and in the area of ​​the cliffs, the temperature in summer ranges from 28 to 17 °C, in winter - from 22 to 9 °C.

The world of flora and fauna is extremely rich: about 380 plant species and 102 animal species are registered in the forests, which are endangered or considered rare. Forests are home to 30% of all recorded marsupial species in Australia, 58% of bat species, 29% of frogs, 20% of reptiles, 58% of butterflies and 40% of bird species. From a scientific point of view, local rainforests are important, as are a huge accumulation of ancient vegetation of Australia, formed at a time when the modern mainland was still part of the Gondwana supercontinent. There are extensive mangrove forests with an area of ​​about 136 km².

Local forests are a traditional place of settlement Australian aborigines that inhabited the region more than 50,000 years ago.
Shark Bay, Western Australia


Shot from space
Shark Bay is a bay in the northwestern part of the Australian state of Western Australia, located about 650 km north of the city of Perth.





On old English and Dutch maps it was called "Shark Bay". The bay is a bay with an average depth of 10 meters, which is cut by two peninsulas protruding into the Indian Ocean. Today, Shark Bay attracts about 120,000 tourists annually. In 1991 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.




In 1629, the Dutch traveler Francois Pelsart described the coast of the bay as a lifeless and desolate place. Its first name is Shark Bay, the bay received at the end of the 17th century, when an English ship under the command of Captain William Dampier reached the shores of Western Australia and stopped in the bay.






Around this time, Dampier mapped the outline of the coast of the bay. According to one version, Shark Bay got its name due to the fact that the sailors of the ship under the command of Dampier caught a giant shark, which was used as food for the starving crew. According to another, the most common version, the bay got its name because more than ten species of sharks live in its waters, including the tiger shark.


Stromatolites in Hamelin Pool


In 1991, the bay was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a unique ecosystem. The basis of the ecosystem is algae, covering more than 4000 km² of the bottom of the bay. Plankton, consisting of shrimps and small fish, finds shelter in them. Algae is also the main food for dugongs, of which there are about 10,000 here.


Shark Bay is one of the largest dugong habitats in the world. Bottlenose dolphins are found in the bay, attracting biologists from all over the world to the bay. In the southernmost part of the bay is a shallow bay called Hamelin Pool, the world's largest formation of stromatolites that are almost 3 billion years old.
Fossils of Australian mammals (Riversleigh and Narakort)

Having global importance The most important fossil sites in Australia are Riversleigh (in the northeast of the mainland) and Narakort (in the southeast). In Riversleigh, Queensland, the fossilized bones are very well preserved, thanks to the ideal environment (the limestone plain is rich in surface water), which, unfortunately, is not so favorable for plant remains.

Paleontologists have discovered animal fossils that date back to the Cenozoic era (65 million years). These are fossils of bison, frogs, kangaroos. In 2001, the remains of a marsupial lion, a distant relative of koalas, were found here.

Scientists have found that in the Miocene, in the forests of Riversleigh, herbivorous marsupial mammals lived - wallaby kangaroos and rat kangaroos, huge diprotodonts and “strange-toothed” yalcaparidonts. And the last representative of the carnivorous striped marsupial wolf (thylacine, "marsupial tiger", "Tasmanian wolf") died relatively recently - in 1933, in captivity.

Of the discovered fossil birds, the “thunder birds” are remarkable, resembling ostriches in appearance and being the ancestors of modern flightless species.

In a distant country where kangaroos live, there are a lot of bright natural attractions included in the World Heritage List. Among them it is worth noting humid tropics Queensland, which stretched in the northeast of the country. They grow along the coast, and are considered the habitat of the rarest animals and plants.

In the east, there is such a UNESCO heritage in Australia as rainforests. They consist of several parks and reserves. Here are natural formations of volcanic origin, where geologists come from all over the world. In addition, on the territory of rain forests grow rare plants and trees.

The Willandra area is also a UNESCO World Heritage site in Australia. It was on this territory that archaeologists discovered traces of people who lived here until the Pleistocene. Another interesting attraction is the Lord Howe Island area. Here you can see beautiful rocks and learn about rare endemic organisms.

On the sandstone plateau of the Blue Mountains near Sydney, there are gorges where Australian eucalyptus forests formed in ancient times. In addition, Heard Island and McDonald Island are under the protection of the world organization. There are active volcanoes of great interest to geologists. Located in Western Tasmania unique territory where nature has been preserved in its original form. And in the Uluru-Katayuta park there are the rarest formations. During the day, they change color, which makes them incredibly popular with tourists.

The building of the Royal Exhibition is also included in the World Heritage List. It is a unique example of an international exhibition movement. IN national park Kakadu archaeologists have discovered rare examples of rock art, after which it became a world heritage.

It's safe to say that Australia is unique country. A large number of nature reserves, parks and unique archaeological finds make it the center of the rarest sights of world importance.