World heritage places

Environment Australia, 2001

Our heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today and what we keep for future generations.

All around the world people have special heritage places that are important to them. They can be magnificent buildings like the Taj Mahal in India, spectacular natural areas like the Grand Canyon in the United States, the remains of ancient civilisations, like the pyramids of Egypt. These are just some of about 690 sites from more than 160 countries around the globe which have been entered on the World Heritage List. Australia now has 14 places on this list.

They are key parts of the planet's natural and cultural heritage and have been listed because of their outstanding universal value. Conserving them is important for people all over the globe.

Places on the World Heritage List may be included for various reasons, such as their beauty, their cultural, scientific or historic significance or for being a unique part of the natural environment.

They help to tell the story of natural processes and how the earth has changed over millions of years and they also show us how humans have developed and created civilisations. They remind us that regardless of the countries we live in, we are all part of one family with a common history and a common home.

World Heritage sites do not have to be very old or even beautiful. Places like the Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland remind us of events that we should never forget. Other places, like the banks of the river Seine in Paris, reveal the charm and beauty of human creation. Yet others, like Yosemite National Park in the United States and Kluane National Park in Canada, are outstanding examples of the world's natural environment.

All of Australia's World Heritage places are listed for their natural heritage significance and are home to rare birds, animals and plants. Four of them, Kakadu National Park, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, the Willandra Lakes Region and the Tasmanian Wilderness are among the very few places throughout the globe selected for the World Heritage List for both their natural and cultural heritage importance.

The World Heritage List is overseen by the 21 member World Heritage Committee. The committee aims to protect and conserve the world's special heritage places, in cooperation with the countries where World Heritage places are found.