Science for Saving Species

Research findings factsheet Project 4.2.1

Australia’s World Heritage islands: Overview of natural values and threats

Our World Heritage islands

Australia has four island groups listed as World Heritage properties, each with different geology, climate and biological values: Lord Howe Island, K’gari-Fraser Island, Macquarie Island and the Heard and McDonald Island group. World Heritage properties are areas designated as having Outstanding Universal Value, including for future generations, and the advisory body for their natural heritage is the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The World Heritage list contains 1031 properties of Outstanding Universal Value, of which only 17 globally are islands or archipelagos. Several other Australian World Heritage properties, such as the Great Barrier Reef, include islands with significant Outstanding Universal Value. Fraser Island.Photo: Noam Levin

Island features K’gari-Fraser Island is 122km long Macquarie Island is one of the most and covers 181,851 ha. It has over isolated islands on Earth. It covers 250 km of clear sandy beaches 12,900 ha and is one of the few

with long sweeps of ocean beach, places on the planet where rocks The geographic location of Australia’s World Heritage strikingly coloured sand cliffs from the Earth’s mantle are exposed islands including remote sub-Antarctic Macquarie and and spectacular blow-outs. above sea-level. It has a dramatic Heard (and McDonald) Islands in the Southern Ocean. windswept landscape of steep The Lord Howe Island group is escarpments, lakes and dramatic flowing glaciers. They cover about comprised of 1540 ha of land, with vegetation changes. 37,000 ha, and include Australia’s spectacular landscapes, including highest peak (Big Ben) at 2745m. volcanic mountains and species The Heard-McDonald islands are diverse low-lying rainforests, some of the most remote dynamic Both Macquarie and Heard-McDonald palm forests and grasslands. islands on Earth. They are volcanically support high concentrations of active and support shallow fast- wildlife, including penguins and seals. Macquarie Island. Photo: Justine Shaw

Native species richness Long periods of isolation have led to consequently, its species are less degradation of the four World the evolution of endemic species (i.e., unique than the isolated open- Heritage island groups. species found nowhere else) on Lord ocean island groups. It does support The table below shows the richness Howe Island, Macquarie Island and unique ecosystems and landforms, in native species on the island groups, Heard-McDonald, with Lord Howe however, as a complete sand island. particularly in birds, invertebrates having the highest endemism. Its proximity to the mainland led to and plants. It is typical that remote, early competition for land use from K’gari-Fraser Island is a sand isolated islands have low species Europeans, particularly land clearing island comparatively close to the richness compared to islands that for pasture and the harvesting mainland of eastern Australia, with are close to other landmasses, of timber. Recent and increasing a history of around 5000 years of but that many of the species demand for recreation and tourism human habitation. Its shares many present may be endemic. has also exposed it to the greatest species with the nearby mainland;

Table 1: Native species in the Australian World Heritage island groups (excludes extinct species)

Mammals Birds Invertebrates Plants K’gari-Fraser 33 330 No data available 860 Lord Howe 1 15 1600 241 Macquarie 3 24 350 42 Heard-McDonald 2 19 166 11

Extinctions of native leonina) and subantarctic fur-seals limited area of private land with small species (Arctocephalus tropicalis). Macquarie settlements and a resort. All of the has several threatened plant species. marine area within the property lies Known extinctions of native and Lord Howe has nine species of in the Great Sandy Marine Park. endemic species have taken place threatened land birds and seabirds, It was inscribed on the World across each of the island groups, with including petrels, shearwaters, terns Heritage list in 1992, and added the exception of Heard-McDonald. and several endemic land birds. to the National Heritage List in 2007. Macquarie Island has lost two land Fraser Island supports a threatened Heard-McDonald is the only island bird species while Fraser Island has frog and reptile and four plant group of the four that is managed lost an endemic plant to extinction. species. Fraser is an important solely by the Australian Government Lord Howe Island has the highest site for migratory waders. (through the Australian Antarctic number of native and endemic Division). It is managed as a nature species of the four island groups, but Responsible agencies reserve. Heard-McDonald were has suffered the greatest number Macquarie Island is managed as a inscribed on the World Heritage list and proportion of extinctions. It has nature reserve by the Tasmanian in 1997 and listed on the National lost nine bird species, a mammal, Parks and Wildlife Service. Most Heritage List in 2007. There four invertebrates and two plants, of the waters out to 200 nautical are significant marine reserves predominantly due to invasive species. miles east are within the Macquarie surrounding the islands. Island Commonwealth Marine Threatened species Lord Howe Island is governed by a Reserve, managed by the Australian New South Wales statutory authority Macquarie Island and Heard- Government, in cooperation with the established under the Lord Howe McDonald support numerous Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. Island Act 1953. About 75% of the threatened seabird species (10 and Macquarie Island was inscribed in the terrestrial part of the property is 5 respectively), including albatrosses, World Heritage list in 1997. petrels, prions, terns and cormorants. managed as a permanent park K’gari-Fraser Island is managed by Both Macquarie Island and Heard- reserve. It was inscribed on the World the Queensland Government. Most of McDonald support threatened Heritage list in 1982 and added to the land is national park except for a southern elephant seals (Mirounga the National Heritage List in 2007. Current threats Each of these island groups has rodents and birds. Strict biosecurity plants. In recent years biosecurity unique natural and cultural values; measures ensure that risks of invasion measures have been implemented however, the key threats to each associated with the occasional small to reduce invasion risks; however, island group are similar: number of visiting researchers and it is challenging given the high level • climate change tourists are minimised. of visitation and cargo movement. Eradication of some feral pests has • introduced plants and animals Macquarie Island been successful, with cats and pigs • degradation due to human usage, Sealing gangs in the 1800s introduced eradicated in the 1980s, goats in such as habitation, tourism, numerous pests to Macquarie Island. 1999 and myrtle rust in 2018. scientific research, resource Rabbits, rats and cats have caused The eradication of African big- extraction the greatest impacts. Numerous headed ant and multiple weed • inappropriate fire regimes domestic animals were introduced species is ongoing. A rat eradication (Fraser Island). over the years (e.g., sheep, goats, program commenced in 2019. pigs, horses) but all were removed Climate change by the 1970s. The feral weka or Fraser Island Island managers have little control Maori hen (Gallirallus australis) was A total of 24 non-native vertebrates over climate change. The risks posed eradicated in the 1970s. In recent can be found on Fraser Island, along to these islands by climate change years, multimillion-dollar eradication with many non-native plants and are serious and include rising sea- programs have successfully removed several insects. Fraser Island is under levels, an increase in the number and rats, mice, rabbits and cats from particular ecological pressure due to severity of storm events, increasing Macquarie Island. Despite the a notable increase in the numbers land and sea temperatures, changes success of eradication programs, of visitors and vehicle traffic since in precipitation patterns and ocean Macquarie Island still has two non- the island was listed. Managers of acidification. The IUCN has assigned native bird species present – starlings the World Heritage property need the highest level threat to Fraser Island and redpolls. Three common non- to implement innovative, adaptive in particular, with some irreversible native plants, two small herbs and actions quickly or risk its World changes already apparent. On a grass, and numerous non-native Heritage status. invertebrates persist on the island. Macquarie Island, climatic change is Prevention is best associated with an endemic cushion Lord Howe Island Control or eradication of pests once plant becoming Critically Endangered. Due to the long history of human established is difficult and costly. On Heard Island, glaciers are rapidly habitation and movement of people Therefore authorities should focus retreating due to climatic warming. and cargo movement, Lord Howe on preventative measures, that is, Introduced plants Island supports 17 non-native rigorous biosecurity for each of and animals vertebrates and 271 non-native the island groups. Each of the island groups has been impacted by pest plants and animals, Heard Island indigenous megaherbs (Pringlea antiscorbutica). Photo: Kate Kiefer although to differing degrees. The history and level of human usage at each island group strongly influences the number of non-native species on each island group. Heard-McDonald Islands group On remote, rarely visited Heard Island, two non-native species have been detected: a grass and an insect (a thrip). So far, no direct on-ground management has been put in place for these species. Heard-McDonald group are the only islands of the four groups not invaded by cats, King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) on Macquarie Island.Photo: Justine Shaw

Protocols and controls must be populations, very high levels of Fraser Island is an example of the enforced at the point of embarking visitation, high boating activity and challenges to islands in balancing and upon arrival at the island. receipt of large volumes of cargo. World Heritage values with They must also target the most likely As visitor numbers rise to each of socioeconomic pressures, especially vectors and potential pest species, these outstanding places the task of the increase in eco-tourism. for example, plants entering as seeds protecting them is more urgent so This increase, which has been in clothing; pathogens and insects that future generations may continue significant since the island was listed, entering on goods and fresh food; to observe the outstanding natural has led to corresponding increases and ship-dwelling rodents, other values that are currently present. in pollution, siltation, wildlife vertebrates and insects. and habitat disturbance and the Biosecurity must also be accompanied introduction of new pest species. All cargo and visitors (tourists and by vigilant pest surveillance, so that expeditioners) pose biosecurity risks any incursions of new pest species Both Macquarie Island and Heard and to the sub-antarctic ecosystems that evade existing biosecurity McDonald Island groups are visited on Macquarie Island and Heard- measures can be eradicated by tourists and expeditioners from the McDonald group . As a result, before they establish or spread. Australian Antarctic program. Tourist strict quarantine measures are in visitation is heavily regulated, with an place; however, several non-native Degradation from human usage annual cap on visitor numbers, which plants and invertebrate have been The most effective actions centre is outlined in statutory management introduced to Macquarie Island in on mitigating the effects of plans. Tourist numbers to Heard- recent years. Annual cargo supplies human behaviour, and minimising McDonald is very low and sporadic. are searched pre- and post-departure impacts from non-native species. No visitors are permitted to land on by rodent detection dogs. Developments such as port and McDonald Island. The geographical isolation of these two sub-Antarctic Lord Howe has resident humans and shipping infrastructure, and urban islands limits the number of ship visits experiences high numbers of visitors settlements and their associated and visitor numbers. and levels of cargo, which presents infrastructure, such as, on Lord Howe challenges to biosecurity. However, in Island, the proposed expansion of Demand to visit all these World recent years there has been increased the airport runway, are threats to Heritage islands is likely to continue effort in improving island biosecurity. the natural values of the islands. to rise and result in increased It is much more difficult to achieve for Oil spills associated with shipping pressure from tourists, developers Fraser due to the size of its resident pose a further threat to all islands. and researchers on their unique and fragile ecosystems.

Further Reading Whinam, J., & Shaw, J. D. (2018). “Australia’s World Heritage islands”. In D. Moro, D. Ball, & S. Bryant (Eds.), Australian Island Arks: Conservation, Management and Opportunities. CSIRO Publishing. Further Information Dr Justine Shaw [email protected] Dr Jennie Whinam [email protected] Lord Howe Island. Photo: Leonie Valentine

This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program.