Blue Quandong plank buttresses © NPWS
Gondwana
Rainforests
of Australia
World Heritage Area
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.
Protestor Falls, Nightcap National Park
© Lund/Courtesy Tourism NSW
conserving the World’s heritage
World 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.
The break-up of the Gondwana supercontinent 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 past
The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia
WHA contains outstanding examples
representing major stages of Earth’s history.
gondWana history
About 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.
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.
2. a WindoW to the future
The 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 biodiversity
The 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.
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Warwick
Gold Coast
MAIN RANGE NP
SPRINGBROOK NP
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Tweed
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BARNEY NP
BORDER RANGES NP
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TOOLOOM NP
TOONUMBAR NP
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MALLANGANEE NP
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OXLEY WILD RIVERS NP
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MOUNT ROYAL NP
Road
Gondwana Rainforests
of Australia WHA
National Park
Forster
Muswellbrook
Dungog
Bulahdelah
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50 Km
Lamington National Park. Photo: R Ashdown / DERM
THINGS 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
1
Main Range
Main 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.
2
Tweed Caldera
Situated 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.
3
Focal Peak
From 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.
4 Iluka
Iluka 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.
5
Antarctic Beech Forest. Photo: M Van Ewijk / NPWS
Gibraltar Range
Gibraltar 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.
6 Dorrigo/New England
Dorrigo 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.
7 Hastings-Macleay
The 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.
8 Barrington Tops
Barrington 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.
Gondwana parks in nsw:
tweed office
Phone: 6670 8600
Numinbah Nature Reserve
Dorrigo National Park © H Lund / Tourism NSW
kyogle office
Phone: 6632 0000
Koreelah, Border Ranges, Mount Clunie,
Mount Nothofagus, Toonumbar, Tooloom
and Richmond Range National Parks and
Mallanganee Nature Reserve.
murwillumbah office
Phone: 6670 8600
Mebbin and Wollumbin National Parks and
Limpinwood Nature Reserve.
lismore /alstonville office
Phone: 6627 0200
Nightcap National Park
grafton office
Phone: 6641 1500
Iluka Nature Reserve
For more information:
armidale office
Phone: 6738 9100
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
NSW National Parks & wildlife
service
TEL: 1300 361 967
www.environment.nsw.gov.au
glen innes office
Phone: 6739 0700
Washpool and Gibraltar Range National
Parks
DORRIGO rainforest centre
Phone: 6657 2309
Cunnawarra, New England and Dorrigo
National Parks and Mount Hyland Nature
Reserve
Queensland Parks & Wildlife
service
Tel: 13 Qgov (13 74 68)
www.derm.qld.gov.au
Epiphytes © NPWS
sea acres rainforest centre
Phone: 6582 3355
Werrikimbe and Willi Willi National Parks,
The Castles and Mount Seaview Nature
Reserves
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.
Gloucester office
Phone: 6538 5300
Barrington Tops National Parks
Albert’s Lyrebird © D King
Loveridge’s Frog
© H B Hines
Barrington Tops National Park © NPWS
Red-legged Pademelon
© D & D Armbrust
bulga office
Phone: 6574 5555
Mt Royal National Park
Dept of Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population
and Communities
TEL: 1800 803 772
www.environment.gov.au/heritage
minimal impact visitoRs
Take only memories - leave only
footprints. Help us to preserve these
rainforests for future generations to
enjoy and discover.