List of World Heritage Sites in Oceania facts for kids
A World Heritage Site is a location that is listed by UNESCO as having outstanding cultural or natural value to the common heritage of humanity. The World Heritage Committee has designated 37 World Heritage Sites in Oceania. These are in 14 countries, with the majority of sites located in Australia. The first three inscriptions from the region, the Great Barrier Reef, Kakadu National Park and the Willandra Lakes, were in 1981—three years after the list's creation. The region contains the world's three largest sites: Phoenix Islands Protected Area, Papahānaumokuākea, and the Great Barrier Reef. In addition, the Tasmanian Wilderness is one of only two sites that meet seven out of the ten criteria for World Heritage listing (Mount Tai in China being the other).
Each year, the World Heritage Committee may inscribe new sites on the list, or delist sites that no longer meet the criteria. Selection is based on ten criteria: six for cultural heritage (i–vi) and four for natural heritage (vii–x). Some sites, designated mixed sites, represent both cultural and natural heritage. In Oceania there are 11 cultural, 19 natural and 7 mixed sites. UNESCO may also specify that a site is in danger, stating "conditions which threaten the very characteristics for which a property was inscribed on the World Heritage List." In 2013, the Committee added East Rennell to the List of World Heritage in Danger because of the threat of logging activities to the site's outstanding universal value.
Legend
The list below includes all sites located geographically within Oceania, and is constructed without reference to UNESCO's statistical divisions. The list comprises a number of sites for which the state party is outside the region, but the site itself is located in Oceania; this includes sites belonging to Chile (Rapa Nui National Park), France (Lagoons of New Caledonia and Taputapuātea), the United Kingdom (Henderson Island), and the United States (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Papahānaumokuākea).
icon at the top of the appropriate column; alphanumerically for the site, area, and year columns; by state party followed by the region for the Location column; and by criteria type followed by the country for the Criteria column.- Site – named after the World Heritage Committee's official designation.
- Location – sorted by country, followed by the region at the regional or provincial level. In the case of multinational or multi-regional sites, the names are sorted alphabetically.
- Criteria – as defined by the World Heritage Committee.
- Area – in hectares and acres, excluding any buffer zones. A value of zero implies that no data has been published by UNESCO.
- Year – during which the site was inscribed to the World Heritage List.
- Description – brief information about the site. None of the sites in this list have been classified as endangered.
In danger
Sites
| Site | Image | Location | Criteria | Area ha (acre) |
Year | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Convict Sites |  |
New South Wales, Norfolk Island, Tasmania and Western Australia,  Australia33°22′42″S 150°59′40″E / 33.378333°S 150.994444°E |
Cultural: (iv), (vi) |
1,503 (3,710) | 2010 | There are over 3000 convict sites remaining in Australia, which were established by the British Fleets in the early colonial period of Australia's history. Eleven of these sites were selected as the most outstanding examples in the country. |
| Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte) |  |
Queensland and South Australia, Australia19°05′00″S 138°43′00″E / 19.083333°S 138.716667°E |
Natural: (viii), (ix) |
10,300 (25,000) | 1992 | Riversleigh and Naracoorte were inscribed for their extensive fossil records, and are listed among the ten richest deposits in the world. Both are illustrative of separate, key stages in the evolution of mammals on the Australian continent. Riversleigh has provided some of the earliest mammalian records from the middle Cenozoic. The deposit at Naracoorte, Australia's largest, spans the much-more-recent Pleistocene epoch and the first migrations of humans to Australia. It contains some of the best-preserved examples of ice-age megafauna. |
| Bikini Atoll Nuclear Test Site |  |
Ralik Chain, Marshall Islands11°36′00″N 165°22′50″E / 11.6°N 165.380556°E |
Cultural: (iv), (vi) |
0.97 (2.4) | 2010 | A total of 67 nuclear weapons tests were conducted here by the United States between 1946 and 1958, including the detonation of the first hydrogen bomb in 1952. The tests had significant consequences on the health of the surrounding environment and its inhabitants. The fallout from the Castle Bravo explosion in 1954 led to the most significant radiological contamination in U.S. history. The site contains many visible remains of the effects of nuclear testing. |
| Budj Bim Cultural Landscape |  |
Victoria, Australia 38°04′52″S 141°53′07″E / 38.0811111°S 141.8852778°E |
Cultural: (iii), (v) |
9,935 (24,550) | 2019 | Located on the traditional lands of the Gunditjmara people, the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape consists of three components that make up one of the world's most extensive and oldest aquaculture systems in the world. Lava flows from the nearby Budj Bim helped to provide a complex landscape of channels, weirs and dams that became the base for Gunditjmara society for six millennia. The ongoing relationship is kept alive through knowledge systems retained by oral transmission and cultural practice. |
| Chief Roi Mata's Domain |  |
Shefa, Vanuatu17°37′41″S 168°10′40″E / 17.628069°S 168.177719°E |
Cultural: (iii), (v), (vi) |
886 (2,190) | 2008 | Consists of three sites on the islands of Efate, Lelepa and Artok associated with Roy Mata, a 13th-century paramount chief whose social reforms have remained relevant to contemporary local society. It includes his residence in the abandoned settlement of Mangaas, the site of his death on Lelepa, and his burial site on the island of Artok. |
| East Rennell |
 |
Rennell and Bellona, Solomon Islands11°41′00″S 160°20′00″E / 11.683330°S 160.333330°E |
Natural: (ix) |
37,000 (91,000) | 1998 | Rennell Island is the world's largest raised coral atoll. It is heavily forested and hosts high levels of endemism. The southern portion of the atoll surrounds its former lagoon, Te Nggano, which is now the largest lake in the Pacific Ocean. |
| Gondwana Rainforests of Australia |  |
Queensland and New South Wales, Australia28°15′S 150°03′E / 28.25°S 150.05°E |
Natural: (viii), (ix), (x) |
370,000 (910,000) | 1986 | This site was inscribed for its significance for geology and conservation. It covers a large number of protected areas in what is the most extensive area of subtropical rainforest in the world. It has an extremely high conservation value, with more than 200 rare or threatened plant and animal species. |
| Great Barrier Reef | .jpg) |
Queensland, Australia 18°17′10″S 147°42′00″E / 18.286111°S 147.7°E |
Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) |
34,870,000 (86,200,000) | 1981 | The world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs. It hosts an outstanding level of marine biodiversity and is considered likely to be the richest area in the world in terms of animal diversity. It is home to approximately 400 types of coral, and forms a critical habitat for many endangered species. |
| Greater Blue Mountains Area |  |
New South Wales, Australia 33°42′S 150°00′E / 33.7°S 150°E |
Natural: (ix), (x) |
1,032,649 (2,551,730) | 2000 | An area of sandstone tablelands and gorges. Covered by eucalypt forest, the area was inscribed as a representation of Australia's biodiversity, with particular regard to the diversity of eucalypt species. It is composed of eight protected areas providing crucial habitats for many endangered species. |
| Hawaii Volcanoes National Park |  |
Hawaiʻi, United States19°24′03″N 155°07′25″W / 19.400833°N 155.123611°W |
Natural: (viii) |
92,934 (229,640) | 1987 | Located on Hawaiʻi Island, it is home to two of the world's most active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa. As constant volcanic activity is easily observed, the area has provided scientific insight into the processes of volcanism, including the birth of the Hawaiʻian Islands. |
| Heard and McDonald Islands |  |
Heard and McDonald Islands, Australia 53°06′S 73°30′E / 53.1°S 73.5°E |
Natural: (viii), (ix) |
37,200 (92,000) | 1997 | These two islands are the only two active volcanoes in the subantarctic, and were inscribed for their value to research in glaciology and geomorphic processes. Over three-quarters of Heard Island is covered by glaciers. Because of their remoteness, the ecosystem is undisturbed, with no history of significant human impact or any introduced species. |
| Henderson Island |  |
Pitcairn Islands, United Kingdom24°22′00″S 128°20′00″W / 24.366667°S 128.333333°W |
Natural: (vii), (x) |
3,700 (9,100) | 1988 | One of the most remote islands in the world, Henderson is home to an ecosystem undisturbed by human activity and hosting multiple endemic species. It was inscribed as a tremendous value to natural science, providing the opportunity to study the dynamics of an isolated ecosystem. |
| Kakadu National Park |  |
Northern Territory, Australia 12°50′00″S 132°50′00″E / 12.8333°S 132.8333°E |
Mixed: (i), (vi), (vii), (ix), (x) |
1,979,766 (4,892,110) | 1981 | Kakadu's wetlands, covering over a third of the park, are considered internationally important. Several archaeological sites provide evidence of the area's habitation for more than 40,000 years. The pictographs at Ubirr, Burrunggui and Nanguluwu are internationally recognised as outstanding examples of ancient rock art, dating from over 18,000 years ago. |
| K’gari (Fraser Island) |  |
Queensland, Australia 25°13′00″S 153°08′00″E / 25.216667°S 153.133333°E |
Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix) |
184,000 (450,000) | 1992 | Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island, composed of sand accumulated over approximately 750,000 years. It contains over 100 freshwater lakes, and dunes reaching up to 260 m (850 ft) above sea level. Due to naturally occurring mycorrhizal fungi present in the sand, it is the only place in the world where tall rainforest grows on sand. |
| Kuk Early Agricultural Site |  |
Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea5°47′01″S 144°19′54″E / 5.783711°S 144.331722°E |
Cultural: (iii), (iv) |
116 (290) | 2008 | Archaeological surveys at Kuk Swamp have provided evidence of primitive irrigation and cultivation systems from about 9,000 years ago, making it one of the earliest sites for the development of agriculture in the world. |
| Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems |  |
New Caledonia, France20°24′43″S 164°33′59″E / 20.4119°S 164.5664°E |
Natural: (vii), (ix), (x) |
1,574,300 (3,890,000) | 2008 | One of the three largest reef systems in the world, enclosing a lagoon area of 24,000 km2 (9,300 sq mi). The density of reef structures here is the most diverse in the world. It host a great diversity of species with a high level of endemism, and is an important habitat for endangered dugongs and sea turtles. |
| Levuka Historical Port Town |  |
Eastern Division, Fiji17°41′00″S 178°50′04″E / 17.683378°S 178.834533°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iv) |
70 (170) | 2013 |
The town of Levuka, on the eastern beachfront of Ovalau, was the first site of European settlement in Fiji, becoming the British colonial capital of Fiji in 1874. The numerous and well-preserved buildings of the era, make it an excellent example of a colonial port developed during the late 19th century in the South Pacific. |
| Lord Howe Island Group |  |
New South Wales, Australia 31°33′56″S 159°05′18″E / 31.565556°S 159.088333°E |
Natural: (vii), (x) |
1,540 (3,800) | 1982 | This island is the eroded remains of a seven-million-year-old shield volcano, the product of eruptions that lasted for about a half-million years. It is home to numerous endemic species, significant breeding colonies of seabirds, and the world's southernmost coral reef. |
| Macquarie Island |  |
Tasmania, Australia 54°35′41″S 158°53′44″E / 54.594722°S 158.895556°E |
Natural: (vii), (viii) |
540,000 (1,300,000) | 1997 | Lying atop a segment of the Macquarie Ridge, the island is the only place on earth where the mantle is exposed above sea level. It contains evidence of seafloor spreading. It was inscribed for its unique geological value. |
| Nan Madol |
 |
Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia6°50′23″N 158°19′51″E / 6.83972222°N 158.33083333°E |
Cultural: (i), (iii), (iv), (vi) |
76.7 (190) | 2016 | Nan Madol is a series of more than 100 islets off the south-east coast of Pohnpei that were constructed with walls of basalt and coral boulders. These islets harbour the remains of stone palaces, temples, tombs and residential domains built between 1200 and 1500 CE. These ruins represent the ceremonial centre of the Saudeleur dynasty, a vibrant period in Pacific Island culture. The huge scale of the edifices, their technical sophistication and the concentration of megalithic structures bear testimony to complex social and religious practices of the island societies of the period. The site was also inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to threats, notably the siltation of waterways that is contributing to the unchecked growth of mangroves and undermining existing edifices. |
| New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands |  |
Outlying Islands, New Zealand50°45′00″S 166°06′16″E / 50.75°S 166.104444°E |
Natural: (ix), (x) |
76,458 (188,930) | 1998 | Comprising the Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Islands and The Snares. The islands are noted for the diversity and density of wildlife, with high levels of endemism. They are critical breeding ground for a range of species, and host huge breeding colonies of seabirds, penguins and sea lions. |
| Ningaloo Coast |  |
Western Australia, Australia 22°33′45″S 113°48′37″E / 22.562500°S 113.810278°E |
Natural: (vii), (x) |
705,015 (1,742,130) | 2011 | Noted for its exceptional marine biodiversity, including over 700 fish species and an abundance of endangered sea turtles. It hosts the largest known seasonal aggregations of whale sharks and is part of the annual migration routes of dolphins, dugongs, manta rays and humpback whales. |
| Papahānaumokuākea |  |
Hawaii, United States 25°21′N 170°9′W / 25.350°N 170.150°W |
Mixed: (iii), (vi) (viii), (ix), (x) |
36,207,499 (89,470,680) | 2010 | This chain of islands was formed as a result of hotspot volcanism. It supports almost 7,000 marine species, one quarter of which are endemic, and is critical to the survival of several endangered species. The islands are spiritually significant to many Native Hawaiians, being associated with the concept of kinship between man and nature. Two of the islands contain well-preserved heiau shrines. |
| Phoenix Islands Protected Area | .JPG) |
Phoenix Islands, Kiribati3°38′59″S 172°51′27″W / 3.649722°S 172.8575°W |
Natural: (vii), (ix) |
40,825,000 (100,880,000) | 2010 | Encompassing the sparsely inhabited, inhospitable Phoenix Islands, this reserve protects one of the world's largest oceanic wildernesses. It covers a variety of marine habitats, and forms a major breeding ground on the migration routes of several marine and seabird species. It is considered to be of vital significance in evaluating the consequences of climate change on sea levels and the health of coral reefs. |
| Purnululu National Park |  |
Western Australia, Australia 17°30′S 128°30′E / 17.5°S 128.5°E |
Natural: (vii), (viii) |
239,723 (592,370) | 2003 | The Bungle Bungle Range is a Devonian plateau that has been heavily eroded into a dramatic landscape of conical sandstone towers. It is one of the largest network of sandstone karst formations in the world, parts of which are sacred to the indigenous Kija people. |
| Rapa Nui National Park |  |
Isla de Pascua, Chile27°07′00″S 109°22′00″W / 27.116667°S 109.366667°W |
Cultural: (i), (iii), (v) |
7,130 (17,600) | 1995 | Covering almost half of Easter Island, this park showcases the unique cultural landscape produced by the isolated Rapanui civilisation. Its most recognisable features are the distinctive moai statues and ceremonial shrines (ahu). It was inscribed on the list as a "remarkable cultural phenomenon". |
| Rock Islands Southern Lagoon | .jpg) |
Koror, Palau7°14′49″N 134°21′09″E / 7.246925°N 134.3525°E |
Mixed: (iii), (v), (vii), (ix), (x) |
100,200 (248,000) | 2012 | Rock Islands Southern Lagoon covers 100,200-hectare and numbers 445 uninhabited limestone islands of volcanic origin. Many of them display unique mushroom-like shapes in turquoise lagoons surrounded by coral reefs. The site features over 385 coral species and different types of habitat. The site harbours the highest concentration of marine lakes anywhere, isolated bodies of seawater separated from the ocean by land barriers. |
| Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens |  |
Victoria, Australia 37°48′22″S 144°58′13″E / 37.806111°S 144.970278°E |
Cultural: (ii) |
26 (64) | 2004 | Made to host the world's fair in 1880, this is one of the world's last exhibition buildings from the 19th century, and combines several architectural styles. The adjacent gardens are an outstanding example of Victorian era landscape design. |
| Shark Bay, Western Australia |  |
Western Australia, Australia 25°29′10″S 113°26′10″E / 25.486111°S 113.436111°E |
Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) |
2,197,300 (5,430,000) | 1991 | With the largest and richest area of seagrass meadows in the world, this site is a critical habitat for endangered dugongs, hosting about 12% of the world's population. Hamelin Pool contains the world's most diverse and abundant colony of living stromatolites, providing some of the earliest records of life on earth. |
| Sydney Opera House |  |
New South Wales, Australia 33°51′24″S 151°12′55″E / 33.856667°S 151.215278°E |
Cultural: (i) |
5.80 (14.3) | 2007 | Opened in 1973, this performing arts complex is an iconic landmark of Sydney Harbour renowned for its innovative architecture. The design is an example of the expressionist style and has had a lasting influence on architecture. |
| Taputapuātea |  |
Raiatea, France 16°50′29.04″S 151°22′20.56″W / 16.8414000°S 151.3723778°W |
Cultural: (iii)(iv)(vi) |
2,124 (5,250) | 2017 | The property includes two forested valleys, a portion of lagoon and coral reef and a strip of open ocean. At the heart of the property is the Taputapuātea marae complex, a political, ceremonial and funerary centre. Taputapuātea is an exceptional testimony to 1,000 years of mā'ohi civilization. |
| Tasmanian Wilderness |  |
Tasmania, Australia 41°35′00″S 145°25′00″E / 41.583333°S 145.416667°E |
Mixed: (iii), (iv), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) |
1,407,513 (3,478,040) | 1982 | Covering almost 20% of Tasmania, this area constitutes one of the world's last stretches of temperate wilderness. It is dominated by the remote and inaccessible South West Wilderness area. Excavations in the area have uncovered evidence of aboriginal presence dating from at least 20,000 years ago. |
| Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand |  |
South Island, New Zealand 45°02′10″S 167°19′11″E / 45.036028°S 167.319611°E |
Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) |
2,600,000 (6,400,000) | 1990 | A mountainous landscape of ridges and fjords shaped by thousands of years of glacial excavation. The area incorporates several national parks and is the most pristine wilderness in New Zealand. It hosts the best surviving illustration of ancient Gondwanan wildlife, much of which is rare and unique to the area. |
| Tongariro National Park |  |
Ruapehu, New Zealand 39°17′27″S 175°33′44″E / 39.290833°S 175.562222°E |
Mixed: (vi), (vii), (viii) |
79,596 (196,690) | 1990 | Inscribed for its outstanding geological and cultural significance. It contains a diverse range of volcanic features. Many of its summits are sacred to Māori, as their traditional belief system associates the mountains with their ancient ancestors. |
| Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park |  |
Northern Territory, Australia 25°20′S 131°00′E / 25.33°S 131°E |
Mixed: (v), (vi), (vii), (viii) |
132,566 (327,580) | 1987 | Inscribed for its archaeological and cultural significance, being representative of Aboriginal spiritual connection to the land. The park's two massive sandstone formations, Uluṟu and Kata Tjuṯa, are spiritually significant to the Anangu people, and form part of the tjukurpa belief system. Cave paintings found at Uluru date back tens of thousands of years. |
| Wet Tropics of Queensland |  |
Queensland, Australia 15°39′S 144°58′E / 15.65°S 144.97°E |
Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) |
894,420 (2,210,200) | 1988 | An area of tropical rainforest spread along the Great Dividing Range. The area hosts an exceptional level of biodiversity, with at least 85 endemic species and the highest concentration of primitive taxa in the world. It is also an important area for unique and endangered marsupials. |
| Willandra Lakes Region |  |
New South Wales, Australia 34°S 143°E / 34°S 143°E |
Mixed: (iii), (viii) |
240,000 (590,000) | 1981 | A geological site containing fossilised remains of sand formations. It includes exceptional archaeological evidence of past human habitation from 45–60,000 years ago, including the world's oldest cremation site, the Lake Mungo remains. |
Tentative List
The Tentative List is an inventory of important heritage and natural sites that a country is considering for inscription on the World Heritage List. The Tentative List can be updated at any time, but inclusion on the list is a prerequisite to being considered for inscription.
| Site | Image | Location | Criteria | Area ha (acre) |
Year of submission | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Sandy World Heritage Area | Queensland, Australia 25°39′00″S 153°00′00″E / 25.65000°S 153.00000°E |
Natural: (vii)(viii)(ix) |
184,000 (450,000) | 2010 |
An extension to Fraser Island's area, this extension will include several component parts including the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park, Breaksea Spit, Platypus Bay, the Great Sandy Strait/Tin Can Bay Ramsar area and the Wide Bay Military Reserve. This expand will contribute to Fraser Island's value, sharing much of the same features also found. These additional sites will help to provide a bigger story to the formation of the world's oldest coastal dune formation. | |
| The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area (extension to existing property) | New South Wales/Queensland, Australia 30°04′15″S 152°18′08″E / 30.07083°S 152.30222°E |
Natural: (viii)(ix)(x) |
268,678 (663,920) | 2010 |
Another extension to existing area. | |
| Murujuga Cultural Landscape |  |
Western Australia, Australia
20°33′06″S 116°50′09″E / 20.551718°S 116.835825°E |
Cultural (i)(iii) | 30,000 (74,000) | 2020 | |
| Flinders Ranges | South Australia, Australia
20°33′06″S 116°50′09″E / 20.551718°S 116.835825°E |
Natural (viii) | 2021 |
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of World Heritage Sites in Oceania Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.