#32173 opportunities. such as increased tourist visitation, revenue and employment a range of potential economic and social benefits to the region for current and future generations. The recognition will also bring rich cultural heritage and continuous land and sea management Quandamooka Country examples of natural habitat and wildlife, significance of a place World Heritage listing is thehighest global recognition of the proposed for World Heritage listing? Why is Quandamooka being day. this thousands of years, acultural responsibility that continues to and have beencaretakers of theregion for many The Quandamooka People are thetraditional owners from Quandamooka People. Goenbal and Nyugi peoples, together known as the Quandamooka is theancestral homeland of theNunagal, Moreton Bay, theislands within it and theadjacent mainland. language meaning ‘land and sea country’ and used to describe ‘Quandamooka’ is aword from theJandai dialect of the Yagara Traditional Owners of Quandamooka Country and aspirations for it. living heritage of Quandamooka People, theirconnection to submission to ensure it adequately conveys theancient and QYAC represents theQuandamooka People and is leading the Heritage TentativeList. Quandamooka submission for inclusion onAustralia’s World Government and theAustralian Government to progress the (QYAC) is working inpartnership with theQueensland The Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation unique cultural and natural values. is beingproposed for a World Heritage listing inrecognition of its Quandamooka Country inMoreton Bay, southeast , Submission List Heritage Tentative Quandamooka World . It will promote and protect outstanding • • Quandamooka Country. This includes: The proposed area for listing covers native titleareas within Quandamooka World Heritage area? What is theproposed significant species. natural habitats for theprotection of many conservation The islands, marine and wetland environments are outstanding traditions, ideas and beliefs. landscapes remains strong, and is associated with living Contemporary cultural knowledge relating to these sites and cultural record, comprising more than 1,000known sites. of theMoreton Bay and islands is anextensive, rich and diverse the sandy bay islands for millennia. The archaeological heritage continuously occupied thelands and seas of Moreton Bay and The Quandamooka People, and theirancestors before them,have • • Heritage criteria, (v)and (x),inthe Tentative List Submission. The Quandamooka People have chosen to pursue two World Country? Heritage values of Quandamooka What are theproposed World •

Minjerribah (including Naree Budjong Djara National Park) Moreton Bay Marine Park conservation of biological diversity. most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ Criterion (x)Quandamooka Country contains someof the outstanding, and despite being vulnerable to irreversible change to bean representative of aculture interacting with theenvironment, example of atraditional human land and sea-use which is Criterion (v)Quandamooka Country is anoutstanding Mulgumpin (including National Park). An array of marine and terrestrial wildlife inhabits the area, which is also an important feeding area for migratory wader birds on How will a World Heritage listing the East Asia-Australasia Flyway. The marine areas, from shallow affect the use of Moreton Bay and lagoon to open sea on the east of the island, are important habitat for a rich diversity of fish, sharks, reptiles and marine mammals of the islands? international importance for conservation. The Australian Government has an international obligation to Quandamooka is particularly renowned for its significant and protect and conserve World Heritage properties, but there is stable population of , and for its three areas of the no impediment to existing land uses unless they threaten the critically endangered Eastern Australia sub-population of grey outstanding universal value of the property. The Environment nurse shark. Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is Australia’s main instrument for implementing its obligations under the World Heritage Convention. What are the benefits of being Once World Heritage Listed, the EPBC Act provides exemptions added to the World Heritage List? for certain activities or actions that have been ongoing prior to the commencement of the Act (s43B) or with prior authorisation World Heritage listing would further protect: (s43A). In general, routine maintenance of infrastructure • the unique cultural relationship between the Quandamooka (including access roads, transmission lines etc) falls into this People and their country over more than 20,000 years, category of exemption. a total area of 3,200 km² of open and sheltered marine environments • the southernmost populations of dugong and a number of Next steps coral species The Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation • the most stable freshwater lake in the world. (QYAC) and Queensland Government are jointly preparing a Tentative List Submission which will be considered at a meeting It would also provide an opportunity for integrated management of of Commonwealth, State and Territory Environment Ministers. areas that are already under conservation management, as well as Before a site can be nominated for World Heritage listing, it increased tourist visitation, revenue and employment opportunities. must be included on the Tentative List for at least 12 months.

Learn more For more information about the Quandamooka World Heritage nomination, visit www.qyac.net.au For more information about Queensland World Heritage sites, visit parks.des.qld.gov.au/world-heritage-areas