Gondwana Rainforests of Australia - Office of … series of ancient volcanoes in the region have added further spectacular landforms along with the nutrient-rich soils needed by subtropical

Pro

test

or

Falls

, Nig

htca

p N

atio

nal P

ark

© L

und

/Co

urte

sy T

our

ism

NS

W

Gondwana Rainforests

of AustraliaWorld Heritage Area

The break-up of the Gondwana super-continent resulted in the uplift of much of Australia’s eastern coast and subsequent erosion created the Great Escarpment whose rugged topograpghy and high rainfall allowed rainforests to persist.

A series of ancient volcanoes in the region have added further spectacular landforms along with the nutrient-rich soils needed by subtropical rainforests.

The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area (WHA) protects the most extensive areas of subtropical rainforest in the world, large areas of warm temperate rainforest, and nearly all of Australia’s remaining Antarctic Beech cool temperate rainforest. These rainforests play a critical role in preserving rare and threatened species and sustaining vital resources.

three reasons for World heritage status

1. a record of the pastThe Gondwana Rainforests of Australia WHA contains outstanding examples representing major stages of Earth’s history.

Rainforests once covered the southern supercontinent Gondwana and remain the most ancient type of vegetation in Australia. Few places on Earth contain so many plants and animals that are relatively unchanged from their ancestors in the fossil record. Spectacular landforms within the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia WHA provide fascinating insights into a prehistoric world of dramatic volcanic eruptions and massive continental uplift.

The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia WHA is a series of rainforest national parks and reserves in central eastern Australia. They form part of the World’s Heritage, inscribed on the World Heritage List in recognition of their outstanding universal natural significance.

conserving the World’s heritageWorld Heritage Areas are irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration—places of such value that the international community has agreed they must be conserved for all time. We inherit the World’s Heritage from the past, look after it today and pass it on to future generations.

gondWana historyAbout 80 million years ago, the ancestral continent of Gondwana started breaking up, eventually forming the distinct continents of Australia, India, South America, Antarctica and Africa. After Australia separated from Antarctica some 45 million years ago, climatic changes and declining soil fertility had a dramatic impact on the vegetation, with the loss of much of the original rainforests and replacement by eucalypt forests, woodlands and grasslands.

2. a WindoW to the futureThe Gondwana Rainforests of Australia WHA contains outstanding examples representing significant ongoing geological processes and biological evolution.

Rainforest occurs in New South Wales and south-east Queensland as a series of ‘islands’ separated by eucalypt forest and agricultural lands. Many plants and animals occur in widely separated populations and this separation leads to genetic divergence and the evolution of new species.

As an example, there are five different, but closely related, species of mountain mist frogs in elevated, isolated habitats across the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia WHA. These include Loveridge’s Frog found only in the Tweed Caldera group of national parks and reserves.

3. hot spots of biodiversityThe Gondwana Rainforests of Australia WHA contains some of the most important and significant habitats for threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science and conservation.

Of the thousands of different native plant species in Australia, half occur in rainforests. More than 200 of the plant species found in the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia WHA are rare or threatened with extinction.

The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia WHA also conserves a rich diversity of wildlife, including more than 80 rare or threatened animal species, such as the Red-legged Pademelon, Albert’s Lyrebird and the Spotted-tailed Quoll.

Blu

e Q

uand

ong

pla

nk b

uttr

esse

s ©

NP

WS

N

G

wydi r Highway

Mt L

indes

ay Highway

Bruxner High way

Cunningham Highwa y

Sum

mer

land

Way

New

Eng

land

Hw

y

Waterfall Way

Paci

fic

Hwy

Thunderbolts Way

Pacific

Hw

y

Oxley Highway

New E

ngla

nd H

wy

Pacific H

wy

Ebor

Yamba

Scone

Iluka

Guyra

Boonah

Casino

Kyogle

Urunga

Uralla

Dungog

Walcha

Wingham

Maclean

Dorrigo

Bonalbo

Wauchope

Aberdeen

Hat Head

Killarney

Byron Bay

Bellingen

Rathdowney

Beaudesert

Woolgoolga

Macksville

Evans Head

Gloucester

Bulahdelah

Woodenbong

Wallangarra

Alstonville

Crescent Head

Nambucca Heads

South West Rocks

ToowoombaIpswich

Gold Coast

Tweed Heads

Murwillumbah

BallinaLismore

Stanthorpe

Tenterfield

Warwick

GraftoGlen Innes

n

Coffs Harbour

Armidale

Port Macquarie

KempseyTamworth

Taree

ForsterMuswellbrook

MAIN RANGE NPKOREELAH NP

MOUNTBARNEY NP LAMINGTON NP

SPRINGBROOK NP

MOUNTWARNING NPNIGHTCAP NP

TOOLOOM NP

BORDER RANGES NP

TOONUMBAR NP

RICHMONDRANGE NP

MALLANGANEE NP

WASHPOOL NP

GIBRALTARRANGE NP

MOUNTHYLAND NR

DORRIGO NP

NEW ENGLAND NP

OXLEY WILD RIVERS NP

WILLI WILLI NP

WERRIKIMBE NP

BARRINGTON TOPS NP

MOUNT ROYAL NP

LegendTown

State border

Highway

Road

National Park

0 50 Km

Major

Town

Gondwana Rainforests of Australia WHA

1 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

focal peakFrom the rugged volcanic peaks of Mount Barney National Park, which attract experienced, self-reliant bushwalkers, to the lush subtropical rainforest of the Murray Scrub in Toonumbar National Park, there are many landscapes to discover in this group. Facilities and walking tracks are also provided in Tooloom National Park and Richmond Range National Park.

ilukaIluka Nature Reserve contains the largest remaining stand of littoral rainforest in NSW. A self-guided walk explains the importance and fragile nature of this rainforest by the sea.

gibraltar rangeGibraltar Range National Park is renowned for spring-time wildflower displays and granite tors. A wild region of tall trees and clear waters, neighbouring Washpool National Park is the largest rainforest wilderness in NSW. Visitor facilities and a network of marked walking tracks on the wilderness edge have been established in both parks.

dorrigo/neW englandDorrigo Rainforest Centre is a major interpretation centre for the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. Explore the exhibits and the adjoining majestic subtropical rainforest of Dorrigo National Park. For unforgettable panoramas over forested wilderness, visit Point Lookout in New England National Park.

hastings-MacleayThe spectacular gorges of Oxley Wild Rivers National Park can be viewed from many lookouts located on the edge of the New England Tablelands. Werrikimbe National Park provides opportunities to explore ancient Antarctic Beech cool temperate rainforest.

barrington topsBarrington Tops National Park contains a mosaic of eucalypt forests and rainforest types, sub-alpine woodlands, swamps and grasslands. Easy short walks are provided in the Gloucester Tops, Williams River and Barrington Plateau sections of the park.

tWeed calderaSituated close to the highly populated areas of south-east Queensland, this group contains mountain views and lush rainforests. Wollumbin National Park protects the rugged mountain peak in the centre of the caldera. Springbrook National Park features panoramic views over the Gold Coast and Tweed Valley. Walks and dramatic lookouts are also provided at points along the Tweed Range Scenic Drive in Border Ranges National Park. Extensive walking tracks in Lamington National Park allow visitors to explore the forest, creeks and waterholes.

Lam

ing

ton

Nat

iona

l Par

k. P

hoto

: R A

shd

own

/ D

ER

Mthings to see and do

Explore the amazing Gondwana Rainforests of Australia WHA within north-east NSW and south-east Queensland. It’s a true pilgrimage to see these magnificent rainforests now preserved in national parks – places of towering ancient trees, plunging waterfalls, craggy gorges and splendid rainbows.

These rich and beautiful forests form some of the most extensive areas of diverse rainforest found anywhere in the world and their importance is recognised with World Heritage Listing. These are natural treasures, yours to visit, explore and appreciate.

There are many spectacular national parks and reserves to be explored offering breathtaking views of the Great Escarpment, shield volcanoes, waterfalls, scenic drives, bushwalking, picnic facilities and camping.

explore the groups

Main rangeMain Range National Park contains unusual forms of subtropical rainforest that provide habitat for rare ground-dwelling birds such as Albert’s Lyrebird and the Eastern Bristlebird. Facilities and walking tracks are provided at Cunningham’s Gap, Spicer’s Gap, Queen Mary Falls and at the head of the Goomburra Valley.

1

2 3

4

5

6

7

8

Ant

arct

ic B

eech

Fo

rest

. Pho

to: M

Van

Ew

ijk /

NP

WS

Bar

ring

ton

Top

s N

atio

nal P

ark

© N

PW

S

Do

rrig

o N

atio

nal P

ark

© H

Lun

d /

To

uris

m N

SW

MiniMal iMpact visitorsTake only memories - leave only footprints. Help us to preserve these rainforests for future generations to enjoy and discover.

for More inforMation:

nsW national parks & Wildlife serviceTEL: 1300 361 967 www.environment.nsw.gov.au

Queensland parks & Wildlife serviceTEL: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)www.derm.qld.gov.au

dept of sustainability, environMent, Water, population and coMMunitiesTEL: 1800 803 772www.environment.gov.au/heritage

it’s your World too!

Take the opportunity to explore our World Heritage national parks and reserves. Most have visitor facilities and are easily accessible by sealed or graded gravel roads from major towns.

gondWana parks in nsW:

tWeed officePhone: 6670 8600Numinbah Nature Reserve

kyogle officePhone: 6632 0000Koreelah, Border Ranges, Mount Clunie, Mount Nothofagus, Toonumbar, Tooloom and Richmond Range National Parks and Mallanganee Nature Reserve.

MurWilluMbah officePhone: 6670 8600Mebbin and Wollumbin National Parks and Limpinwood Nature Reserve.

lisMore /alstonville officePhone: 6627 0200 Nightcap National Park

grafton officePhone: 6641 1500Iluka Nature Reserve

arMidale officePhone: 6738 9100Oxley Wild Rivers National Park

glen innes officePhone: 6739 0700Washpool and Gibraltar Range National Parks

dorrigo rainforest centrePhone: 6657 2309Cunnawarra, New England and Dorrigo National Parks and Mount Hyland Nature Reserve

sea acres rainforest centrePhone: 6582 3355Werrikimbe and Willi Willi National Parks, The Castles and Mount Seaview Nature Reserves

gloucester officePhone: 6538 5300Barrington Tops National Parks

bulga officePhone: 6574 5555Mt Royal National Park Albert’s Lyrebird © D King

Love

rid

ge’

s Fr

og

© H

B H

ines

Red

-leg

ged

Pad

emel

on

© D

& D

Arm

bru

st

Epiphytes © NPWS