Case study 1: Successful nomination of the Ningaloo Coast for World Heritage listing

The Ningaloo Coast is a stunning part of Australia, incorporating one of the world’s largest near shore coral reefs and a rugged limestone peninsula. The annual coral spawning at Ningaloo Reef attracts more of the world’s largest fish—the whale shark—than anywhere else in the world. It is for these reasons the

Australian Government committed to nominating the Ningaloo Coast for World Heritage listing.

After fully assessing the potential World Heritage values of the property and thoroughly consulting stakeholders, the Commonwealth, with the support and cooperation of the Western Australian Government, submitted the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage nomination to the World Heritage Centre in January 2010. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and the World Heritage Committee then assessed the merits of the nomination during the following 18 months.

On 24 June 2011 the World Heritage Committee inscribed the Ningaloo Coast in the World Heritage List, recognising the property’s outstanding universal value. The inscribed world heritage values of the property include species biodiversity, the intact nature of the reef, the beautiful and stark contrast between arid coastline and colourful underwater scenery, and the seasonal aggregations of the whale shark. The world heritage values of the Ningaloo Coast are now protected as a matter of national environmental significance under the EPBC Act. The Australian Government will continue to work cooperatively with the Western Australian Government and local stakeholders to protect the outstanding universal values of the Ningaloo Coast.

Nomination of the Ningaloo Coast for world heritage listing. (Tony Howard)