Queensland’s World Heritage areas

  • Limestone outcrop at Riversleigh. Australian Fossil Mammal Site – Riversleigh section

    Image detailsLimestone outcrop at Riversleigh.Mark Nemeth © Queensland Government

    Once a lush rainforest scattered with lime mineral-rich freshwater pools, Riversleigh is now home to some of the world’s most outstanding fossils from the Oligocene period to the Miocene period (30-10 million year ago).

  • Great Barrier Reef

    Image details© Tourism and Events Queensland

    The Great Barrier Reef became Queensland’s first World Heritage area in 1981 and is home to more than 1,500 species of fish, 4,000 species of molluscs, 400 species of sponge and 300 species of hard corals.

  • Lamington\'s lookouts have breathtaking views. Gondwana Rainforests of Australia

    Image detailsLamington's lookouts have breathtaking views.Lightcapturer © Queensland Government

  • Wander through the refreshing green rainforest on the Pile Valley circuit. K’gari (Fraser Island)

    Image detailsWander through the refreshing green rainforest on the Pile Valley circuit.© Lauren Bath

    K‘gari is the home of the Butchulla people and the world’s largest sand island. It is a place of exceptional and unique beauty, with long stretches of sandy beaches, rainbow-coloured sands, rare frogs, a striking diversity of birds, and more than half the world’s perched freshwater lakes, including Lake Boomanjin, the world's largest perched lake.

  • Image of Mossman Gorge, from the day-use area you can access walks along the scenic Mossman River. Wet Tropics

    Image detailsAt Mossman Gorge, from the day-use area you can access walks along the scenic Mossman River.Maxime Coquard © Queensland Government

    The Wet Tropics of Queensland is one of a handful of sites worldwide which met all four criteria for World Heritage listing, with no other rainforests in Australia as varied as those found in this area.