Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Climate change
    Climate change Driving climate action, science and innovation so we are ready for the future.
    • Climate science and adaptation
    • Australia's climate change strategies
    • Emissions reduction
    • Emissions reporting
    • International commitments
    • Climate Active
    • Climate change publications and data
    • Australia’s National Greenhouse Accounts (Emissions Data)
    Stronger action on climate change

    Stronger action on climate change

    See how the Australian Government is committed to taking more ambitious action on climate change.

    Find out more

  • Energy
    Energy Building a secure and sustainable energy system for all Australians.
    • Energy policy in Australia
    • Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council
    • Renewable energy
    • Energy publications
    • energy.gov.au
    • Energy Rating
    • Commercial Building Disclosure Program
    • Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)
    • Your Home
    Decorative image

    Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme

    Guiding energy-efficient design and construction for a net-zero future

    Find out more about NatHERS

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • Biodiversity
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Invasive species
    • Land
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
    • Wildlife trade
    Decorative image

    Read our Nature Positive Plan

    Our plan sets out the Australian Government’s commitment to environmental law reform

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water supply for industry, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Office of the Science Convenor
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Our climate is changing

    Our climate is changing

    Find out more about how climate science helps Australians with the impacts of climate change.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We lead Australia’s response to climate change and sustainable energy use, and protect our environment, heritage and water.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • People and jobs
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Decorative image

    Juukan Gorge response

    Read the Australian Government's response to the destruction at Juukan Gorge and the recommendations

    Read the response

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Parks and heritage
  3. National Parks
  4. Welcome to Kakadu National Park
  5. World Heritage Listing and other International commitments

Sidebar first - EN - National parks

  • Kakadu National Park
    • For visitors
    • Culture and history
      • The traditional owners Bininj/Mungguy
      • Stories
      • Rock art
      • History of the park
    • World Heritage Listing
    • Natural environment
      • Geology
      • Landscapes
      • The six seasons
      • Plants and animals
    • Education
      • Junior Rangers
      • Tour guide training
    • Management and conservation
      • Threatened Species Strategy
      • Conserving Kakadu
      • Science
      • Park management
    • Permits, licences and leases
      • For media and artists
      • For tourism operators
      • For other activities
      • For researchers
      • Camping and bushwalking
      • Access to Jarrangbarnmi
      • For long-term use of a site to conduct an activity
    • Publications
    • Media Centre

World Heritage Listing and other International commitments

 

All things in the landscape were left by the Creation Ancestors.
They left ceremonies, rules to live by, laws, plants, animals and people, then they turned into djang (Dreaming places).
They taught Aboriginal people how to live with the land. From then on Aboriginal people became keepers of their country.
-Warradjan

 

World Heritage Listing and RAMSAR Convention on wetlands

Recognising its international significance, the park and its natural and cultural heritage are committed to numerous international agreements and conventions.

In 1981 Kakadu National Park was first inscribed on the World Heritage list—this extraordinarily beautiful land and its ancient cultural heritage was recognised internationally as a special place. Its enduring natural values stem from its exceptional beauty and unique biodiversity, and its variety of landforms, habitats and wildlife. The protection and conservation of the biodiversity in the park is an important part of the long-term management of this special place.

There are approximately 683 000 hectares of Kakadu listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The Kakadu wetlands have water in them all year round, making them a sanctuary for not only native-Australian birds but for migratory birds that travel from countries far away. As part of the Ramsar agreement, the East Asian-Australasian Flyaway was established to protect routes used by migratory shorebirds.

For general information about the Ramsar agreement go to The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

For detail about the Ramsar site at Kakadu go to Australian Ramsar Wetlands.

 

Other International agreements

In addition to the protection offered by World Heritage and Ramsar listing, many of the animals and habitat that occur in the park are protected under other international agreements including:

  • Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA) - Forty-six of the 76 birds listed under this agreement are found in Kakadu
  • China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) - Fifty of the 81 birds listed under this agreement are found in Kakadu
  • Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement  (ROKAMBA)
  • Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species and Wild Animals (Bonn Convention) - Twenty-one of the species listed under this convention are found in Kakadu
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - protecting and conserving Australian native wildlife by regulating international trade
  • Convention on Conservation of Nature in the South Pacific (Apia Convention)
  • South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) - MOU to facilitate cooperative marine conservation programs in the South Pacific
  • Tri National Wetlands Conservation Project - Kakadu is part of a project developed by the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia which encourages sharing of knowledge in managing wetlands between the local Indigenous people of Kakadu National Park, Wasur National Park (Irian Jaya) and Tonda Wildlife Management Area (Papua New Guinea).
Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 28 June 2022

© 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.