Discover the UNESCO World Heritage wonders of Queensland

From ancient tropical rainforests and the wild, rust-red terrain of the Outback to pristine white sand beaches and the immense Great Barrier Reef, Queensland – which encompasses the northeastern corner of Australia – is home to an extraordinary variety of natural wonders, both on land and at sea. Together with its abundant wildlife and deeply rooted Aboriginal heritage stretching back 60,000 years, it’s a truly captivating destination that offers a unique blend of adventures in nature alongside enriching cultural experiences. This is recognised by no fewer than five UNESCO World Heritage sites, as you’ll discover below.

The Great Barrier Reef

Extending over 2,300 kilometres off the coast of Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders and the largest coral reef system on Earth, composed of nearly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands and cays. It’s so vast, in fact, that it can even be seen from outer space. Whether you’re flying above it, sailing past it or snorkelling among it, it’s a simply awe-inspiring sight to behold. Around 1,500 species of fish, 240 species of birds, 133 varieties of sharks and rays and more than 30 types of whales and dolphins are known to inhabit this colossal marine environment, making it one of the planet’s most diverse ecosystems and a wildlife lover’s paradise. The laid-back city of Cairns is the most popular gateway, while an island getaway on The Whitsundays – a collection of 74 tropical islands at the heart of the Great Barrier Reef – is another wonderful way to experience this epic world wonder along with some of Australia’s most idyllic beaches.

The Wet Tropics of Queensland

Stretching along the northeast coast of Queensland is the oldest continually surviving tropical rainforest region in the world, the Wet Tropics of Queensland. This includes the Daintree Rainforest, which dates back more than 180 million years, when dinosaurs were still roaming the Earth. Throughout this dense expanse of luscious tropical greenery are spectacular waterfalls, mighty gorges and rugged, mist-shrouded mountains, forming a pristine wilderness that remains largely untamed by human civilization. The sheer scale of its biodiversity is quite staggering, with over 3,000 vascular plant species and more than 650 vertebrates, including 113 reptile species and 107 mammals – many of which are endemic to the region. Among these are nocturnal tree kangaroos, saltwater crocodiles and cassowaries (the second-heaviest bird in the world). There’s no better way to explore the Wet Tropics of Queensland than in the expert company of a First Nations guide, offering fascinating insights into not just the region’s biodiversity, but also its Aboriginal heritage over the millennia.

K’gari (formerly Fraser Island)

K'gari sand dunes (via Tourism and Events Queensland)

K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) is the world’s largest sand island, found just off the coast of Queensland, around 160 miles north of the state capital, Brisbane. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1992 in recognition of its unique combination of shifting dunes, coastal rainforest and perched freshwater dune lakes, along with the world’s largest unconfined aquifer on a sand island, towering sand cliffs and over 250 kilometres of sweeping golden sand beaches. It’s a thoroughly worthwhile inclusion on any Queensland trip, best explored on a 4WD adventure that’ll take you deep into the island’s wild interior while also offering the chance to soak in tidal volcanic rock pools and potentially spot breaching humpback whales as they migrate past the island between July and October on their way north from Antarctica. From River Heads, just south of Hervey Bay, the ferry crossing to K’gari takes just 30 minutes.

Gondwana Rainforests

Mount Barney, Gondwana Rainforests (via Tourism and Events Queensland)

This UNESCO-listed rainforest region between South East Queensland and northeast New South Wales isn’t just a rainforest; it’s a snapshot of an ancient supercontinent that once occupied around a fifth of the Earth’s surface, including Australia, Zealandia, South America, Africa, Antarctica, Arabia, and the Indian Subcontinent. Today, this sprawling subtropical rainforest punctuated by cascading waterfalls and soaring volcanic peaks is essentially a living time capsule of the Earth’s evolutionary history, home to an exceptionally high concentration of rare and threatened flora and fauna species, including some of the oldest known bird species in the world. And, thanks to a plethora of excellent eco-friendly accommodation options scattered throughout the region, it’s possible to stay right in and among this natural wonder, venturing out into the ancient terrain on the likes of guided bush walks and treetop canopy hikes.

Riversleigh Australian Fossil Mammal Site

Tucked away deep within the Outback of Boodjamulla National Park, North West Queensland, it would be fair to say that the Riversleigh World Heritage Area is firmly off the beaten track – but for those who make the journey, it’s a richly rewarding destination. It’s home to one of the world’s richest and most extensive fossil deposits, some of which date back as far as 15-20 million years, including some of the earliest records of Tasmanian tigers, marsupial lions, kangaroos, koalas, possums and wombats. For an enlightening introduction to life on Earth long before the existence of humans, consider taking a guided tour, or follow the Riversleigh Fossil Trail to the top of the limestone outcrop of Site D, which provides a fascinating glimpse into Australia’s past as you make your way across an ancient, fossil-dotted landscape, which harbours the remains of the largest known freshwater crocodile.