Fraser Island (K'gari) World Heritage integrity
Key Finding
Fraser Island (K’gari) World Heritage Area is sufficiently large, diverse and largely free from disturbance. It contains all the geological, geomorphological, hydrological and ecosystem components required for continued viability.
This property is the Country of the Butchulla Aboriginal people. The name of the island in Butchulla language is K’gari. The World Heritage property includes all of K’gari and several small adjacent islands off the west coast including Stewart and Dream Islands, covering an area of 181,851 hectares.
The boundary of the property extends 500 metres seaward from high water mark around K’gari and the smaller islands.
Most of this World Heritage Area is National Park, located within the Great Sandy National Park (K’gari section).
- All of the marine area is within the Great Sandy Marine Park.
- A small portion of the World Heritage Area occurs on other tenures, including freehold land. Management requirements ensure the World Heritage values are maintained across all tenures.
There is no significant immediate human threat to coastal processes such as longshore drift and other ongoing ecological processes that make this area outstanding.
- The property is sufficiently large, diverse and free from disturbance to contain all ecosystem components required for viable populations of all species and for continued maintenance of all natural phenomena. For example, the development of soil profiles and dune systems remains essentially undisturbed.
- Weeds, plant diseases and feral animals, while present, are in low numbers and subject to active management.
- Disjunct and relict populations of flora and fauna, including those associated with the lakes and creeks, have remained intact and will continue to be important for ongoing speciation.
High visitor numbers and pressures from recreational use and impacts related to climate change, sea level rise, biosecurity and surrounding land use activities will require enhanced and systematic monitoring and increased management focus on World Heritage values to ensure conservation of the property’s values in the long-term.
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