Gondwana Rainforests facts for kids
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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![]() Box Log Falls, Lamington National Park in Queensland
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Location | New South Wales and Queensland, Australia |
Criteria | Natural: (viii), (ix), (x) |
Inscription | 1986 (10th Session) |
Extensions | 1994 |
Area | 370,000 ha (1,400 sq mi) |
Official name | Gondwana Rainforests of Australia |
Type | National heritage (landscape) |
Designated | 17 December 1994 |
Reference no. | 105135 |
Class | Natural |
Legal Status | Declared property |
Official name | Gondwana Rainforests of Australia; Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves; Gondwana Rainforests of Australia (new name from 2007); North East Rainforests World Heritage Area |
Type | State heritage (landscape) |
Designated | 2 April 1999 |
Reference no. | 1002 |
Type | Wilderness |
Category | Landscape – Natural |
The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia are a huge area of amazing rainforests. They are found in New South Wales and Queensland. These forests are so special that they are a World Heritage Site, which means they are protected by UNESCO for everyone to enjoy. They are made up of about 50 different protected areas, covering a massive 366,500 hectares (about 905,600 acres). This makes them the largest subtropical rainforest area on Earth!
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Discovering the Ancient Gondwana Rainforests
These rainforests are named "Gondwana" because they are very old. Fossils show that when the supercontinent Gondwana existed, it had rainforests with plants and animals similar to those living today. This means these forests are like a living museum of Earth's past!
The Gondwana Rainforests in Australia are mostly in New South Wales and Queensland. However, the largest Gondwana rainforest in Australia is actually in Tasmania's Tarkine wilderness. About 2 million people visit the Gondwana rainforests in New South Wales and Queensland every year.
Why Are These Rainforests Protected?
The Gondwana Rainforests became a World Heritage Site in 1986. This protection was expanded in 1994. Being a World Heritage Site means these rainforests are super important globally.
They show us major steps in Earth's history and how nature keeps changing. They also have an incredible variety of plants and animals. Many of these species have ancient roots from Gondwana. Some of them can only be found here! The rainforests also provide a home for many plants and animals that are now rare or endangered.
In total, the protected area covers about 370,000 hectares. This includes more than 200 types of rare or threatened plants and animals. The height of these protected areas ranges from sea level all the way up to almost 1,600 meters (5,200 feet) high.
Exploring the National Parks
The Gondwana Rainforests are made up of many different national parks and reserves.
Parks in Queensland
In Queensland, you can find parks like:
- Main Range National Park (the most northern part)
- Lamington National Park
- Mount Chinghee National Park
- Springbrook National Park
- Mount Barney National Park
Parks in New South Wales
In New South Wales, some of the parks include:
- Barrington Tops National Park (the most southern part)
- Dorrigo National Park
- Mount Warning National Park
- New England National Park
- Mebbin National Park
- Nightcap National Park
- Border Ranges National Park
- Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
- Washpool National Park
- Willi Willi National Park
- Werrikimbe National Park
The most popular spots for visitors are Dorrigo National Park and the Natural Bridge section of Springbrook National Park.
Challenges for the Rainforests
In the past, a lot of the Gondwana rainforests were cut down for wood. Because of this, only about 1% of the original rainforest area in Australia is left today. Many of the areas that were logged are now covered by eucalyptus trees.
During the 2019-2020 Australian bushfire season, some parts of the Gondwana rainforests were badly damaged by fires. This was unusual because these areas don't normally burn. Some reports suggested that over half of the forests might have been affected. These fires harmed special places where rare animals, like the giant barred frog, and plants, like the nightcap oak, live.
Some people think that the eucalyptus trees, which burn easily, have spread into the areas next to the rainforests. This might have made the fires worse. However, there are also records of fires in rainforest areas from a long time ago, like a large fire in Lamington National Park in 1951.
Images for kids
See also
- Environment of Australia
- Forests of Australia
- List of World Heritage Sites in Australia
- Mount Banda Banda
- Rainforest Way, a tourist drive featuring the Gondwana rainforests of south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales