Gondwana Rainforests of Australia

About

The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, formerly known as the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves, are a World Heritage Site, encompassing 41 rainforest reserves with a total area of approximately 370,000 ha (910,000 acres) in north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland. The site was added to the World Heritage List in 1986 and was expanded in 1994. The Gondwana Rainforests are also listed on the Australian National Heritage List and the New South Wales Heritage Register. The Gondwana Rainforests are home to a number of plant and animal species whose lineages trace back to before the separation of the landmass Gondwana, some of which are only found in the region. These include early examples of ferns, conifers, and flowering plants. The reserves that make up the site are among the last remaining examples of the rainforests that covered most of Australia at the time of its separation from Gondwana. The Gondwana Rainforests are the world's most significant subtropical rainforests and include almost all of the world's Antarctic beech cool temperate rainforests.

Australia separated from the landmass Gondwana about 40 million years ago, at which point most of the continent was covered in rainforests. These rainforests receded as the continent travelled north, and by 1788, just 1% of Australia was covered by rainforests. These rainforests were used by Aboriginal Australians for varied purposes, including as a site for ceremonial activities, as a source of food and shelter, and as a refuge from European settlement. Australia's remaining rainforests were heavily affected by logging following European colonisation, which led to the destruction of a further 75% of the rainforests that had been present in 1788.

In 1986, the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves (Australia) were inscribed onto the World Heritage List at the tenth session of the World Heritage Committee. The site was deemed to meet criteria 8 (displaying significant ongoing geological processes), criteria 9 (displaying significant ongoing ecological and biological processes), and criteria 10 (containing significant natural habitats of conservation significance) of the selection criteria for natural sites. The borders of the World Heritage Site were expanded in 1994, increasing its total area by 35%. In 2007, the site's name was changed to the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. Australia added a further expansion of the site to its Tentative List in 2010.

The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia were added to the Australian National Heritage List on 15 May 2007 and to the New South Wales Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The site receives around 2 million visitors each year, and many of the rainforest reserves contain visitor facilities and walking trails. The Gondwana Rainforests are primarily managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service.

The reserves that make up the Gondwana Rainforests are home to more than 200 rare and threatened species and are a habitat for large populations of marsupials, birds, snakes, and frogs. About 45 species of frog, 110 species of reptile, and 270 species of bird have been recorded in the area. Plant species of conservation significance in the Gondwana Rainforests include species of Cryptocarya, Tasmannia, and Endiandra. The site also contains the remains of two extinct volcanoes: the Tweed Shield Volcano —described as among the world's best preserved erosion calderas —and the Ebor Volcano.

The Gondwana Rainforests were severely damaged by the 2019–2020 Australian bushfire season, which affected about 53% of the site's land area. The parma wallaby, Hastings River mouse, rufous scrubbird, and nightcap oak were among the species most heavily impacted by the fires. Ongoing threats to the Gondwana Rainforests include weeds and invasive species, including myrtle rust and bitou bush, pathogens, and climate change.