The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, formerly known as the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves, are a World Heritage Site, encompassing 41 rainforest reserves with a total area of approximately in north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland. The site was added to the World Heritage List in 1986 and was expanded in 1994. The Gondwana Rainforests are also listed on the Australian National Heritage List and the New South Wales Heritage Register.
The Gondwana Rainforests are home to a number of plant and animal species whose lineages trace back to before the separation of the landmass Gondwana, some of which are only found in the region. These include early examples of ferns, conifers, and flowering plants. The reserves that make up the site are among the last remaining examples of the rainforests that covered most of Australia at the time of its separation from Gondwana. The Gondwana Rainforests are the world's most significant subtropical rainforests and include almost all of the world's Antarctic beech cool temperate rainforests.
History Australia separated from the landmass Gondwana about 40 million years ago, at which point most of the continent was covered in rainforests. These rainforests receded as the continent travelled north, and by 1788, just 1% of Australia was covered by rainforests. These rainforests were used by Aboriginal Australians for varied purposes, including as a site for ceremonial activities, as a source of food and shelter, and as a refuge from European settlement. Australia's remaining rainforests were heavily affected by logging following European colonisation, which led to the destruction of a further 75% of the rainforests that had been present in 1788.
In 1986, the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves (Australia) were inscribed onto the World Heritage List at the tenth session of the World Heritage Committee. The site was deemed to meet criteria 8 (displaying significant ongoing geological processes), criteria 9 (displaying significant ongoing ecological and biological processes), and criteria 10 (containing significant natural habitats of conservation significance) of the selection criteria for natural sites. The borders of the World Heritage Site were expanded in 1994, increasing its total area by 35%. In 2007, the site's name was changed to the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. Australia added a further expansion of the site to its Tentative List in 2010.
The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia were added to the Australian National Heritage List on 15 May 2007 and to the New South Wales Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The site receives around 2 million visitors each year, and many of the rainforest reserves contain visitor facilities and walking trails. The Gondwana Rainforests are primarily managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Features and conservation
The reserves that make up the Gondwana Rainforests are home to more than 200 rare and threatened species and are a habitat for large populations of marsupials, birds, snakes, and frogs. About 45 species of frog, 110 species of reptile, and 270 species of bird have been recorded in the area. Plant species of conservation significance in the Gondwana Rainforests include species of Cryptocarya, Tasmannia, and Endiandra. The site also contains the remains of two extinct volcanoes: the Tweed Shield Volcano—described as among the world's best preserved erosion calderas—and the Ebor Volcano.
The Gondwana Rainforests were severely damaged by the 2019–2020 Australian bushfire season, which affected about 53% of the site's land area. The parma wallaby, Hastings River mouse, rufous scrubbird, and nightcap oak were among the species most heavily impacted by the fires. Ongoing threats to the Gondwana Rainforests include weeds and invasive species, including myrtle rust and bitou bush, pathogens, and climate change.
Sites
+ Name UNESCO ID State Coordinates Area Border Ranges National Park368-001New South Wales Limpinwood Nature Reserve368-002 Numinbah Nature Reserve368-003 Mount Nothofagus Flora Reserve368-004 Mount Warning National Park368-005 Nightcap National Park368-006 Washpool National Park368-007 Gibraltar Range National Park368-008 Iluka Nature Reserve368-009 New England National Park368-010 Dorrigo National Park (part)368-011 Mount Hyland Nature Reserve368-012 Werrikimbe National Park368-013 Mount Seaview Nature Reserve368-014 Willi Willi National Park368-015 Barrington Tops National Park368-016 Springbrook National Park (part)368-017Queensland Lamington National Park368-018 Mount Chinghee National Park368-019 Mount Barney National Park (part)368-020 Main Range National Park368-021 Mount Mistake National Park (part)368-022 Turtle Rock Environmental Park368-023 Telemon Environmental Park368-024 Goomburra State Forest368-025 Spicers Gap State Forest368-026 Gilbert State Forest368-027 Emu Vale State Forest368-028 Gambubal State Forest368-029 Teviot State Forest368-030 Killarney State Forest368-031New South Wales Burnett Creek State Forest368-032Queensland Cronan Creek State Forest368-033 Palen Creek State Forest368-034 Rabbitt Board Paddock Reserves368-035 Prison Purposes Land368-036a Wilsons Peak Flora Reserve368-037New South Wales Mount Clunie Flora Reserve368-038 Amaroo Flora Reserve368-039 Fenwicks Scrub Flora Reserve368-040 Kerripit Beech Flora Reserve368-041
Maps
See also
Forests of Australia List of World Heritage Sites in Australia
References