What is the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area?
The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area covers about 1.58 million hectares of southwest and central Tasmania, almost a quarter of the state. It was listed in 1982.
The area meets seven of the ten World Heritage criteria, more than almost any other site in the world. It is recognised for both its natural values and its Aboriginal cultural heritage.
It includes rugged mountains, glacial lakes, wild rivers and some of the world's last great temperate rainforests. National parks such as Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair, Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers and Southwest are part of it.
Cultural heritage
Caves in the southwest hold evidence of Aboriginal occupation during the last ice age, more than 35,000 years ago.
Ancient trees such as Huon pine and King Billy pine grow here. Wildlife includes Tasmanian devils and wombats.
The area was extended in 2013.
Much of the area can only be reached on foot, by boat or by light aircraft, which keeps it wild. Walking tracks such as the Overland Track and the South Coast Track pass through it, and small planes land on a gravel airstrip at Melaleuca in the far southwest. The area is managed by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, with Aboriginal communities involved in caring for cultural sites.
Did You Know?
The Franklin Dam fight in 1982-83 helped protect this World Heritage Area.