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Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

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  1. Home
  2. Parks and heritage
  3. Heritage
  4. About Australia's heritage
  5. Australia's World Heritage
  6. Implications of World Heritage Listing

Sidebar first - EN - Heritage

  • World heritage
    • Managing World Heritage in Australia
    • Understanding World Heritage Outstanding Universal Value
    • World Heritage listing process
    • World heritage criteria
    • Implications of World Heritage Listing
    • The World Heritage Convention
    • Management of Australia's world heritage listed places
      • Indigenous People & World Heritage
    • Notification of development proposals

Implications of World Heritage Listing

Australia's World Heritage properties are a clearly identifiable part of our heritage.

The benefits of being listed

Inscription of a property on the World Heritage List can produce many benefits for Australia, and in particular, for local communities.

In the case of properties such as the Tasmanian Wilderness, Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef, World Heritage listing has featured in promotions that have resulted in greatly increased tourist visitation from overseas and within Australia.

Local communities benefit from possible increases in employment opportunities and income, as well as improved planning and management of the region. The Australian Government has focused on assisting of World Heritage properties by providing resources for strengthening management and improving interpretation and visitor facilities.

World Heritage listing also promotes local and national pride in the property and develops feelings of national responsibility to protect the area.

Ownership and control of world heritage places

World Heritage listing does not affect ownership rights. Ownership remains as it was prior to nomination, and State and local laws still apply. World Heritage properties in Australia do not become Commonwealth property, nor do they become the property of any international body or foreign power.

Australia's World Heritage properties comprise a wide variety of land tenures including freehold, perpetual lease, pastoral lease, town reserve, State forest, national park, nature reserve, Aboriginal reserve and recreational reserve.

Land uses

The Australian Government has an international obligation to protect and conserve World Heritage properties, but there is no impediment to existing land uses unless they threaten any of the outstanding universal values of the property.

Experience shows that listing does not necessarily limit the range of activities that can be carried out on a property. For instance, grazing occurs in the Willandra Lakes Region, NSW, and Shark Bay, Western Australia, and there is recreational and commercial fishing in the Great Barrier Reef.

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Last updated: 10 October 2021

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.