Australia’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed attractions you should visit
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has compiled a list (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list) of World Heritage locations the globe over, and Australia made the list an impressive 19 times. Here are just some the World Heritage Australian locations you need to visit in your lifetime.
The Sydney Opera House, NSW
Possibly the most iconic building in Australia, the Opera House is one of the greatest works of architecture out of the 20th century.
The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
The Great Barrier Reef is, if we do say so ourselves, one of the most beautiful natural phenomenon in the world. Whether you snorkel it, dive it, or just visit it atop a boat, you’re sure to see countless varieties of marine life and coral.
Fraser Island, Queensland
As the largest sand island in the world, Fraser Island boasts an impressive 250km of white sand beaches surrounded by gorgeous turquoise waters. Whether tanning, hiking, four-wheeling or camping, there’s something to be loved by every visitor.
Purnululu National Park, WA
Purnululu National park is home to 240,000 hectares of park filled with hive-shaped towering sandstone and green-blue waters. If the 300km trek there puts you off, one of the most popular ways to experience the stunning scenery is by helicopter.
Shark Bay, WA
Despite its name, Shark Bay boasts more than just sharks, with many dugongs calling the expanse of water home. If dugongs aren’t a big enough draw-card, Shark Bay also houses three-billion-year-old lifeforms called stromatolites, which are, put simply, living fossils. You can travel there by boat, plane, or even camel.
The Tasmanian Wilderness, Tasmania
Taking up one fifth of Tasmania, the Tasmanian Wilderness holds beautiful gorges, rivers, and rainforests, as well as Tasmanian Aboriginal rock art. While you’re there, you can also experience wild water rafting, bushwalking, camping and fishing.
The complete list of Australian World Heritage locations is as follows:
- Great Barrier Reef
- Kakadu National Park
- Willandra Lakes Region
- Lord Howe Island Group
- Tasmanian Wilderness
- Gondwana Rainforests of Australia 1
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 2
- Wet Tropics of Queensland
- Shark Bay, Western Australia
- Fraser Island
- Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte)
- Heard and McDonald Islands
- Macquarie Island
- Greater Blue Mountains Area
- Purnululu National Park
- Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens
- Sydney Opera House
- Australian Convict Sites
- Ningaloo Coast