World Heritage Areas

World Heritage Areas in Western Australia

Western Australia has three world heritage sites:

• Shark Bay
• Purnululu National Park
• Ningaloo Coast.

What are World Heritage Areas?

World Heritage sites are natural and cultural sites of universal significance to mankind. Each has been chosen for their enormous value to the people of the world and represent our greatest natural and cultural treasures.

Where are the World Heritage Areas?

Sites include famous places known to all people, such as the Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon and our own Great Barrier Reef. World Heritage is about recognising these sites and their universal significance. It is also about ensuring that their enormous heritage value is passed on to future generations.

Map of sites on the World Heritage List

World Heritage Convention

Concern for the world’s significant natural and cultural treasures led the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to adopt the Convention for the Protection of the World's Cultural and Natural Heritage, or the World Heritage Convention, as it is more commonly known in 1972. Australia was the 7th country to sign the convention which is now ratified by over 180 countries worldwide. 

Potential World Heritage Sites are nominated by the national government of the member country. UNESCO assesses each proposed site against a list of ten criteria and to gain World Heritage status the site must meet at least one of the four natural criteria and/or one of the six cultural criteria for selection. Only sites which are deemed to be of outstanding universal significance are awarded World Heritage status.  

Having a property inscribed on the World Heritage list provides international recognition and can: promote local and national pride; generate feelings of responsibility to protect the area; and promote greater tourism opportunities with accompanying increases in employment and revenue generation.