ABOUT WORLD HERITAGE
The globally-recognised UNESCO World Heritage List contains some of the most important examples of natural and cultural heritage in the world. Protected by international convention, they are part of a group of more than 800 treasures that include the Great Barrier Reef, Mount Everest, the pyramids of Egypt and the Great Wall of China.
Because of its exceptional cultural and natural significance, the Greater Blue Mountains Area received UNESCO World Heritage listing on 29 November 2000.
“Sites which are inscribed onto the World Heritage List are deemed to possess Outstanding Universal Value, defined as “… cultural and/or natural significance which is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and to be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity”. ”
The Greater Blue Mountains Area covers the largest intact forest landscape on the Australian mainland, with one million hectares of vast, ancient and spectacular national park and wilderness.
More than 400 animal species inhabit the region, including rare species such as the spotted-tailed quoll and the long-nosed potoroo.
The Greater Blue Mountains Area provides an exceptional illustration of the taxonomic, physiognomic and ecological diversity that eucalypts have developed. A number of rare and endemic plants, including relict flora such as the Wollemi pine, also occur here. Ongoing research continues to reveal the rich scientific value of the area as more species are discovered.
The geology and geomorphology of the Greater Blue Mountains Area includes 300-metre cliffs, slot canyons and waterfalls. These attributes provide the physical conditions and visual backdrop to support the area's outstanding biological values.
Read more about the outstanding natural values for which the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area was inscribed in the World Heritage List.