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Riversleigh World Heritage Area Brochure

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Riversleigh World Heritage Area Brochure ecological and biological processes. processes. biological and ecological processes. biological and ecological examples representing significant ongoing ongoing significant representing examples ongoing significant representing examples in Queensland. in Queensland. in stages of earth’s history, and Outstanding Outstanding and history, earth’s of stages Outstanding and history, earth’s of stages , including Riversleigh, are are Riversleigh, including , 5 — List Heritage World are Riversleigh, including , 5 — List Heritage World Outstanding examples representing major major representing examples Outstanding major representing examples Outstanding There are 19 Australian properties on the the on properties Australian 19 are There the on properties Australian 19 are There experiencemountisa.com.au experiencemountisa.com.au two of the ten World Heritage criteria: criteria: Heritage World ten the of two criteria: Heritage World ten the of two Amazon Rainforest. Rainforest. Amazon Rainforest. Amazon of years ago. For more information visit visit information more For ago. years of visit information more For ago. years of the World Heritage List in 1994. Both areas meet meet areas Both 1994. in List Heritage World the meet areas Both 1994. in List Heritage World the Canyon, the Egyptian Pyramids and the the and Pyramids Egyptian the Canyon, the and Pyramids Egyptian the Canyon, within the Riversleigh landscape as it was millions millions was it as landscape Riversleigh the within millions was it as landscape Riversleigh the within Riversleigh and Naracoorte were inscribed on on inscribed were Naracoorte and Riversleigh on inscribed were Naracoorte and Riversleigh Other World Heritage Sites include the Grand Grand the include Sites Heritage World Other Grand the include Sites Heritage World Other fascinating reconstructions of prehistoric animals animals prehistoric of reconstructions fascinating animals prehistoric of reconstructions fascinating significance’ to all humanity. humanity. all to significance’ humanity. all to significance’ ‘Outback at Isa’ in Mount Isa, Queensland, has has Queensland, Isa, Mount in Isa’ at ‘Outback has Queensland, Isa, Mount in Isa’ at ‘Outback ancient and mysterious world. mysterious and ancient world. mysterious and ancient make them universally unique and ‘of ‘of and unique universally them make ‘of and unique universally them make The Riversleigh Fossil Centre located within within located Centre Fossil Riversleigh The within located Centre Fossil Riversleigh The have revealed a deeper understanding of an an of understanding deeper a revealed have an of understanding deeper a revealed have outstanding significance that their qualities qualities their that significance outstanding qualities their that significance outstanding animals and plant species, and such discoveries discoveries such and species, plant and animals discoveries such and species, plant and animals preserving them almost flawlessly. almost them preserving flawlessly. almost them preserving World Heritage areas are places of such such of places are areas Heritage World such of places are areas Heritage World during a period of Australia’s greatest diversity of of diversity greatest Australia’s of period a during of diversity greatest Australia’s of period a during were rapidly covered by the lime-rich mud, mud, lime-rich the by covered rapidly were mud, lime-rich the by covered rapidly were WORLD HERITAGE HERITAGE WORLD HERITAGE WORLD evolutionary stages of Australia’s wildlife. This was was This wildlife. Australia’s of stages evolutionary was This wildlife. Australia’s of stages evolutionary Riversleigh’s case ancient plants and animals animals and plants ancient case Riversleigh’s animals and plants ancient case Riversleigh’s uncovered exceptional examples of the key key the of examples exceptional uncovered key the of examples exceptional uncovered mineral components needs to occur—in occur—in to needs components mineral occur—in to needs components mineral of the evolution of Australia’s wildlife. Australia’s of evolution the of wildlife. Australia’s of evolution the of Palaeontological surveys at Riversleigh have have Riversleigh at surveys Palaeontological have Riversleigh at surveys Palaeontological deposits containing particular chemical and and chemical particular containing deposits and chemical particular containing deposits diverse mammal fossils, and tells a unique story story unique a tells and fossils, mammal diverse story unique a tells and fossils, mammal diverse animal or plant has died, burial by sedimentary sedimentary by burial died, has plant or animal sedimentary by burial died, has plant or animal A VIEW INTO AN ANCIENT WORLD ANCIENT AN INTO VIEW A WORLD ANCIENT AN INTO VIEW A Riversleigh represents some of the best and most most and best the of some represents Riversleigh most and best the of some represents Riversleigh fossilisation to occur at a given site. After an an After site. given a at occur to fossilisation an After site. given a at occur to fossilisation Heritage List for their Outstanding Universal Value. Value. Universal Outstanding their for List Heritage Value. Universal Outstanding their for List Heritage Very specific conditions are required for for required are conditions specific Very for required are conditions specific Very tree-climbing crocodiles and horned turtles. horned and crocodiles tree-climbing turtles. horned and crocodiles tree-climbing that they have been inscribed on the World World the on inscribed been have they that World the on inscribed been have they that other fossilised animals like giant flightless birds, birds, flightless giant like animals fossilised other history. globally-unique Australia’s of knowledge birds, flightless giant like animals fossilised other history. globally-unique Australia’s of knowledge world’s greatest fossil sites—there is little wonder wonder little is sites—there fossil greatest world’s wonder little is sites—there fossil greatest world’s carnivorous kangaroos, vast numbers of bats and and bats of numbers vast kangaroos, carnivorous our to vastly contribute and years) million 25 last and bats of numbers vast kangaroos, carnivorous our to vastly contribute and years) million 25 last Naracoorte in South Australia are among the the among are Australia South in Naracoorte the among are Australia South in Naracoorte mammals including wombat-like marsupials, marsupials, wombat-like including mammals (the times Quaternary to Oligocene Late the span marsupials, wombat-like including mammals (the times Quaternary to Oligocene Late the span Riversleigh in North West Queensland, and and Queensland, West North in Riversleigh and Queensland, West North in Riversleigh and have revealed a plethora of fossilised fossilised of plethora a revealed have and that fossils contains Riversleigh here. formed have fossilised of plethora a revealed have and that fossils contains Riversleigh here. formed have fossil sites in the world the in sites fossil world the in sites fossil Since this time scientific surveys have continued, continued, have surveys scientific time this Since fossils why reason the are Riversleigh at occur continued, have surveys scientific time this Since fossils why reason the are Riversleigh at occur the 1960s that the first exploration took place. place. took exploration first the that 1960s the still that processes geological limestone-forming place. took exploration first the that 1960s the still that processes geological limestone-forming of the most important important most the of important most the of discovered in the early 1900s but it wasn’t until until wasn’t it but 1900s early the in discovered pools—the freshwater mineral-rich lime with until wasn’t it but 1900s early the in discovered pools—the freshwater mineral-rich lime with Mammal fossils at Riversleigh were first first were Riversleigh at fossils Mammal scattered rainforest lush a once was Riversleigh first were Riversleigh at fossils Mammal scattered rainforest lush a once was Riversleigh Riversleigh is one one is Riversleigh one is Riversleigh EXPLORATION UNIQUE ARE FOSSILS RIVERSLEIGH’S EXPLORATION UNIQUE ARE FOSSILS RIVERSLEIGH’S leaf stem on extremely hot days, turning rock-hard when set. when rock-hard turning days, hot extremely on stem leaf set. when rock-hard turning days, hot extremely on stem leaf mounds and has a strong smelling resin that drips down its its down drips that resin smelling strong a has and mounds its down drips that resin smelling strong a has and mounds now dominates Riversleigh’s dry landscape. This grass forms forms grass This landscape. dry Riversleigh’s dominates now forms grass This landscape. dry Riversleigh’s dominates now , , pungens Triodia grass spear Black rainforest, lush a Once , pungens Triodia grass spear Black rainforest, lush a Once © Colin Totterdell, Queensland Government Queensland Totterdell, Colin © Government Queensland Totterdell, Colin © Riversleigh lies Protection and AUSTRALIAN FOSSIL MAMMAL SITES Riversleigh lies Protection and AUSTRALIAN FOSSIL MAMMAL SITES within the traditional management within the traditional management country of the Waanyi By road, the Riversleigh World Heritage area is RIVERSLEIGH country of the Waanyi By road, the Riversleigh World Heritage area is RIVERSLEIGH 260km north-west of Mount Isa and 60km south 260km north-west of Mount Isa and 60km south Aboriginal people of Lawn Hill Gorge in North West Queensland. WORLD HERITAGE AREA Aboriginal people of Lawn Hill Gorge in North West Queensland.
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