FAME
Australia’s World Heritage hotspots
WORDS KATE ROBERTSON
FAME
Australia’s World Heritage hotspots
WORDS KATE ROBERTSON
Immerse yourself in the spectacular Top End.
Being home to the world’s oldest continuous cultures is helping Australia punch above its weight in the World Heritage List stakes.
UNESCO has recognised 21 places in Australia as having Outstanding Universal Value, with Aboriginal cultural sites/locations playing a key role in many of the listings, including rock art that pre-dates the Ice Age.
Here are some of our top picks for ways to explore and learn more about the incredible diversity of Australia's natural and cultural heritage.
Immerse yourself in the spectacular Top End.
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu’s expansive forests, grassland and tidal estuaries sit against a backdrop of dramatic 330-metre-high rocky escarpments that extend in a jagged and unbroken line for hundreds of kilometres, making it one of the world’s largest tropical national parks. However, the vast and unique landscape is only part of the reason it has been included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Kakadu is one of only a few dozen sites globally to receive a dual listing for both its natural and cultural attributes; the Bininj/Mungguy peoples have continuously inhabited Kakadu since before the last Ice Age, as documented by rock art depictions of animals long since extinct, and carvings and archaeological sites that provide a remarkable record of human civilisation dating back to prehistoric hunter-gatherers.
‘Kakadu National Park is a living cultural landscape with exceptional natural and cultural values.’ —UNESCO
You can explore this significant cultural and natural site on a dawn cruise along the Yellow Water/Ngurrungurrudjba Billabong, which is part of the South Alligator River system. Watch the wetlands come alive with more than 60 species of birds, including majestic eagles and brolgas. Watch saltwater crocodiles, some longer than six metres, slide into the water or float, loglike, near the surface. Your local Bininj guides will be able to provide fascinating insights into the flora, fauna and culture of Kakadu, sharing their knowledge, stories and the traditional ways of life that have been practiced there for generations.
You’ll also have the opportunity to visit ancient rock art sites that provide a glimpse into the history not just of the area, but of the world.
Kakadu Tourism YELLOW WATER CRUISE | From AU$108
Dive into the waters of the Kuku Yalanji peoples.
The Great Barrier Reef (GBR)
The Great Barrier Reef’s complex string of 2,500 individual reefs and more than 900 cays and islands dotted along Australia's northeast coast is so immense that it is one of the few living structures visible from space.
Apart from being the world’s longest coral reef system, the GBR supports more than 1,500 species of fish, 600 coral species and numerous endangered creatures, including dugongs and the green turtle. As if that wasn’t enough to guarantee it a UNESCO World Heritage listing for Outstanding Universal Value, the reef also has incredible cultural and ecological significance.
‘The GBR is of superlative natural beauty above and below the water, and provides some of the most spectacular scenery on earth.’ —UNESCO
Enjoy a Welcome to Saltwater Country by Indigenous Sea Rangers.
Explore the premium outer reef sites.
This Saltwater Country plays a key role in the lives of Indigenous communities along the coastline, and you can experience the adventure of a lifetime whilst learning about the rich Indigenous culture and history of the area during a Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel tour of two premium outer reef sites.
Get ready to make unforgettable memories and gain a newfound appreciation for the beauty and importance of the Great Barrier Reef during this full-day experience, led by Indigenous Sea Rangers.
Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel DREAMTIME CRUISE | From AU$229
Taste bush tucker that is hiding in plain sight.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
At 348 meters tall and spanning an area of over 3.3 square kilometres, Uluru in Australia’s Red Centre is one of the largest monoliths in the world. Watching the colours of the sandstone change from a deep red to a fiery orange or soft pink as the sun rises or sets over Uluru is truly a bucket list experience.
‘Far from coastal cities, the rich red tones of Uluru and Kata Tjuta epitomise the isolation, starkness and beauty of Australia’s desert environment.’ —UNESCO
Discover the skills required to craft and use Aboriginal artefacts.
However, it's not just the size or beauty of Uluru that makes it so special; it is also a sacred site for its Traditional Owners. The Anangu have a deep spiritual and cultural connection to Uluru, which they refer to as ‘Tjukurpa’, earning a dual listing for its Outstanding Natural Values and Outstanding Cultural Values.
A Voyages Bush Yarns tour will give you the unique opportunity to be immersed in the stories and traditions of the Anangu. Learn how men hunt and see the tools and techniques used by women to gather bush tucker in the Central Desert.
Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia — Ayers Rock Resort BUSH YARNS | FREE
Explore the Daintree Rainforest with an Aboriginal guide.
Wet Tropics of Queensland
At 135-million years old and counting, the Daintree is the world’s oldest rainforest. It forms part of Queensland’s stunning and biodiverse wet tropical region and is home to an abundant array of plant and animal species found nowhere else. It provides a critical habitat for numerous endangered species, such as the southern cassowary. With its towering trees, cascading waterfalls, and crystal-clear streams, the region plays an important role in regulating the Earth's climate by absorbing carbon dioxide and providing clean air and water, as well as being a nature lover's paradise.
The Daintree is also an important cultural site. Aboriginal peoples have lived there for thousands of years, and they have a deep spiritual and cultural connection to the land that has provided them with food, medicine, and shelter.
Try your hand at hunting crab.
‘The Wet Tropics exhibit exceptional natural beauty, with superlative scenic features highlighted by extensive sweeping forest vistas, wild rivers, waterfalls, rugged gorges and coastal scenery.’ —UNESCO
Visit Mossman Gorge where you’ll be welcomed to the land with a traditional Smoking Ceremony before heading further into the rainforest with an experienced Aboriginal guide who will explain the local Kuku Yalanji people’s special relationship to the area and provide insights into this unique environment.
After lunch, you’ll explore the mangroves and mudflats off Cooya/Kuyu Kuyu Beach, and join a traditional Aboriginal fishing expedition with a Kubirri Warra clan member.
SEIT Outback Australia DAINTREE DREAMING — TRADITIONAL ABORIGINAL FISHING | From AU$388
Keen to check out other Aboriginal tours in World Heritage areas?
Take a look at Shark Bay/Gutharraguda, the Tasmanian Wilderness and Purnululu National Park.
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