World Heritage sites are places that have Outstanding Universal Value that transcends the significance they hold for a particular nation.

These qualities are expressed in the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (the World Heritage Convention). The World Heritage Convention aims to promote cooperation among nations to protect heritage from around the world that is of such Outstanding Universal Value that its conservation is important for current and future generations.

The Queensland Government is committed to ensuring that all World Heritage Areas, regardless of their Outstanding Universal Value, acknowledge First Nations peoples’ ongoing connection to Country, within and surrounding, all listed sites.

The Department of Environment and Science is taking important steps to ensure that First Nations priorities and aspirations are incorporated into everyday business and decision making. Through these steps the department will create a deepened cultural understanding, strengthen our First Nations partnerships and deliver better outcomes for Queensland’s environment and communities.

The Great Barrier Reef became the first coral reef ecosystem to be listed on the World Heritage List in 1981. Its World Heritage listing recognises the reef’s importance to the global community and the need for its protection and preservation for future generations. It was listed for all 4 natural heritage criteria.

There are approximately 70 First Nation groups whose sea country includes the Great Barrier Reef. Evidence of First Nations people’s relationship to sea country demonstrates an ongoing connection to the Great Barrier Reef region for over 60,000 years.

The deterioration of the reef’s outstanding universal value has not diminished it’s cultural significance to the First Nations people who work in partnership with mangers to build resilience and enhance reef protection. The significance of the World Heritage Area still transcends national boundaries and remains a source of pride for the First Nations people and the wider Australian community.

The Wet Tropics of Queensland were World Heritage listed in 1988. They are a major centre of biological diversity and the only habitat for many endemic and threatened species.

Although small in area, the Wet Tropics of Queensland sustain an extraordinary proportion of Australia’s biodiversity. Many species have very restricted distributions which heightens their vulnerability to environmental pressures.

Climate change and invasive species are emerging as major threats to the Outstanding Universal Value of the Wet Tropics of Queensland, changing the distribution patterns and reducing the population densities of many species.

The Riversleigh section of the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites is one of the most significant fossil deposits in the world, and the richest known mammal deposit in Australia. The remains of unique Australian prehistoric animals from the last 25 million years have been superbly preserved here in the limestone outcrops.

In 1994 the area's Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) was recognised internationally when Riversleigh, along with Naracoorte in South Australia, was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Fraser Island — also known by its Aboriginal name of K’gari — covers 181,851ha including several small islands off its west coast. The world’s largest sand island, also boasting the world’s largest unconfined aquifer on a sand island, it gained World Heritage protection in 1992. Fraser Island is an outstanding example of ongoing biological, hydrological and geomorphological processes. A place of exceptional beauty, the development of rainforest vegetation on coastal dune systems at the scale found here is unique.

The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia comprises the major remaining areas of rainforest in South East Queensland extending into North East New South Wales.

The area covers of the traditional Country of many First Nations groups, including the Anaiwan, Banbai, Birpai, Bundjalung, Thunggutti, Geawegal, Githabul, Gumbaynggirr, Jukumbal, Kombumerri, Mununjali, Ngarrabul, Ugarapul, Wangerriburra, Widjabul Wia-bul, Wonaruah, Worimi, Yaegl and Yugambeh

The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia represents outstanding examples of major stages of Earth’s evolutionary history, ongoing geological and biological processes, and exceptional biological diversity. A wide range of plant and animal lineages and communities with ancient origins in Gondwana, many of which are restricted largely or entirely to the Gondwana Rainforests, survive in this collection of reserves. The Gondwana Rainforests also provides the principal habitat for many threatened species of plants and animals. These rainforests were entered on the World Heritage Register in 1994.