Environment Minister Donna Faragher said today the Ningaloo Coast’s nomination for World Heritage listing was recognition of the area’s outstanding natural beauty, biological richness and international geological significance.

Federal Environment, Heritage and the Arts Minister Peter Garrett announced that the Ningaloo Coast had been nominated for World Heritage listing by the Australian Government with the support of the Western Australian Government.

Mrs Faragher said the nomination was for an area of 710,000ha and included Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range, a coastal strip extending about 260km south to Red Bluff, as well as adjacent dunefields, marine areas and islands.

“The reef is part of a marine ecosystem that ranks seventh on the world’s list of coral reef biodiversity ‘hotspots’ and is second in terms of the number of species to be found within a limited range,” she said.

“The Cape Range peninsula is an evolutionary laboratory that emerged from the sea over 26 million years, built from the skeletons of ancient marine creatures.

“The Ningaloo Coast represents the best opportunity in the world to encounter whale sharks, the world’s largest fish, together with globally significant populations of manta rays, dugongs, marine turtles, humpbacks, other cetaceans, rays and sharks.

“This nomination is also recognition of the comprehensive management arrangements in place for the area based on a network of marine and terrestrial conservation reserves.”

The State Government will remain principally responsible for management and decision making in the area, in consultation with local governments, pastoralists, landholders and the community.

“The various land tenures of the nominated property, if listed, will remain under the control of the State and Federal government jurisdictions; the shires of Exmouth and Carnarvon; and private land and lease holders,” the Minister said.

Mrs Faragher said the State Government had worked closely with the Australian Government to identify an appropriate boundary for the nomination.

“World Heritage listing is the highest global recognition of a site’s importance and if listed, Ningaloo Coast will be recognised with the greatest of the world’s heritage sites such as the Grand Canyon, Egypt’s Pyramids, Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Stonehenge,” she said.

“The reef and the adjoining Cape Range National Park attract more than 100,000 visitors a year, which results in an injection of approximately $127million into the Gascoyne region’s economy.”

The nomination document is being sent to the World Heritage Centre in Paris, where it will be assessed during the next 18 months.

Shark Bay and Purnululu National Park are the only other Western Australian sites which are World Heritage listed.

Minister's office - 9213 7250