Recognising Cape York Peninsula’s natural and cultural values
The Queensland and Australian governments are committed to recognising and protecting the cultural and natural values of the Cape York Peninsula.
That is why governments and the community continue to work together on projects to protect this region now and for future generations.
The first step towards World Heritage
The exceptional cultural and natural values of Cape York Peninsula have been recognised and acknowledged by the local, national and international community and all levels of government for a long time.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) noted the region’s values as worthy of World Heritage listing in its 1982 report “The world’s greatest natural areas: an indicative inventory of natural sites of world heritage quality”.
A World Heritage Tentative Listing Submission signals a government’s intention to progress towards a Nomination to be on the World Heritage List.
A Tentative Listing Submission must follow a specific format. It is a technical document that requires demonstrated evidence against the ten World Heritage criteria.
Consultation with and free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) is required from Traditional Owner groups who are interested in including their Country in a Tentative List Submission.
It is important to note:
- Tentative Listing is non-binding, has no statutory effect, offers no additional protection, and has no impacts on the rights and interests of Traditional Owners or other landowners.
- A boundary does not need to be identified in this step, and only a single coordinate is required on a map.
- At present, Australia has six locations on its World Heritage Tentative List.
- Following a Tentative Listing Submission, the World Heritage Nomination process can commence. This is a lengthy process that will take at least five years with opportunities for broad engagement and consultation with all interested parties.
The benefits of further recognition and protection
World Heritage Listing would further recognise and protect the Cape York Peninsula’s large, complex and diverse landscapes, and its cultural and natural values.
World Heritage Listing may offer increased tourism opportunities, greater environmental protections, increased land management opportunities and employment. It may also result in other economic development opportunities.
What has been done so far
Work with community
The Australian and Queensland governments have been working closely with Traditional Owners to help identify and quantify the cultural values of Cape York Peninsula.
A Cape York World Heritage Taskforce is in place to talk with Traditional Owners and help with understanding what inclusion on the Tentative List means.
We continue to engage with the community to help them understand the initial Tentative Listing Submission process and future opportunities to be involved.
Cape York Heritage Assessments Grants
In 2023, the Queensland Government allocated $200,000 to support the recognition and protection of the outstanding values of Cape York Peninsula, through the Cape York Heritage Assessment Grants.
Four organisations received $50,000 to undertake assessments and other work to identify priority cultural values of their Country and options for protection:
- Palmerville Limestone Research, Western Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation
Location: Palmer, Cook Shire Council - Assessing Balnggarrawarra Country for National Heritage Listing, South Cape York Catchments
Location: Balnggarrawarra Country, Cook Shire Council - Cultural Heritage on Muunthi Country, Muunthiwarra Aboriginal Corporation
Location: Muundhi (Jack River) National Park: Cook Shire Council - Increasing the Footprint of Binthi's National Heritage Listing Nomination, Binthi Land Holding Group Aboriginal Corporation
Location: Hope Vale: Cook Shire Council
Other history
The Cape York Peninsula Heritage Act 2007 provides a legislative basis for identifying the significant natural and cultural values of Cape York Peninsula, and for the cooperative and ecologically sustainable management of the area.
In 2011, the Queensland Government invited First Nations groups to participate in an ‘opt in’ Country Based Planning program.
First Nations groups were provided with resources to undertake planning for their Country to consider their aspirations and whether they aligned with World Heritage or National Heritage listing.
Eight groups participated in this process, resulting in First Nations-led plans for managing, protecting, and recognising cultural heritage on Cape York Peninsula.
In December 2015, the Meeting of Environment Ministers (MEM) agreed to explore the possibility of including Cape York on Australia’s World Heritage Tentative List — a list of places that may be nominated for World Heritage listing in future years.
An Agreed Statement was developed at the MEM articulating governments’ support for exploring World Heritage nominations for Cape York Peninsula in Queensland and Budj Bim Cultural Landscape in Victoria.
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape was inscribed on the National Heritage list in 2004 and on the World Heritage list in 2019. Budj Bim is the first place inscribed on the World Heritage list in Australia exclusively for First Nations cultural values. The process was driven by the Gunditjmara people.
In November 2018, Quinkan Country became the first place on Cape York Peninsula to be inscribed on the National Heritage list. The Quinkan Country National Heritage nomination was submitted by First Nations families from the Laura region in 2013 following the community’s Country Based Planning process.
Frequently asked questions and further information
For further information, please refer to this list of frequently asked questions or email the World Heritage team at capeyorkworldheritage@des.qld.gov.au.