Fraser Island – World heritage Site

Fraser Island – The year of inscriptionFraser Island was one of 15 World Heritage

places included in the National Heritage List on 21 May 2007.

Fraser Island – Role of individuals, groups, and governments in protecting this World Heritage SiteOwners and managers of Australia's

listed heritage places are required to meet certain requirements that are designed to protect that place for future generations.

The role of individuals and groups is to be aware of its significance and assist in taking care of the place and community.

Management StrategiesThe primary management objectives for World Heritage

properties are part of Australia's general obligations under the World Heritage Convention:

to protect, conserve and present the World Heritage values of the property

to integrate the protection of the area into a comprehensive planning program

to give the property a function in the life of the Australian community to strengthen appreciation and respect of the property's World

Heritage values, particularly through educational and information programs

to keep the community broadly informed about the condition of the World Heritage values of the property

to take appropriate scientific, technical, legal, administrative and financial measures necessary for achieving the foregoing objectives.

Management StrategiesIn achieving these primary objectives due

regard is given to:ensuring the provision of essential services to

communities within and adjacent to a propertyallowing provision for use of the property which

does not have a significant impact on the World Heritage values and their integrity

recognising the role of current management agencies in the protection of a property's values

the involvement of the local community in the planning and management of a property.

Fraser Island – Who is responsible for the management and preservation of this World heritage site?

The Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities develops and implements national policy, programs and legislation to protect and conserve Australia's environment and heritage

Fraser Island – Geographic location24⁰ 46’ South 153⁰ 8’ East

Fraser Island is part of the state of Queensland

Fraser Island – BOLTS system map

Fraser IslandFraser Island is the world's largest

sand island.  It has over a 100 freshwater lakes. It is World Heritage Listed and has become an eco tourism venue now that its timber and sand mining industries have been abandoned.

Fraser Island attained its World Heritage Listing in December 1992 in recognition of the island's exceptional sand dune systems, its rainforests on sand, and its beautiful freshwater lakes.

Fraser Island- What is there?

Sand dunes

Rainforests

Fraser Island – What is there?

Dingoes Freshwater lakes

Why is it important to the community it is located in?There are now only a handful of surviving

descendants of the Fraser Island Aboriginal Butchulla people. Their history is an important part of Fraser Island and today efforts are being made to find, recognise and manage cultural sites so that future generations can learn, understand and respect the Butchulla way of life.

Fraser Island – How is it changing over time?No local authority responsibility is more urgent than providing an

adequate, reliable supply of safe, potable water for its residents. Supply of potable water is clearly a factor which can restrict population growth. Great Sandy Region local authorities have managed to cope so far, but this has been mainly accomplished by tapping other catchments. For example, most of Noosa’s water comes from Six Mile Creek in the Mary River catchment.

Without water to drink, to flush toilets and for industry (not to mention gardens) modern urban communities can’t survive. Although the rate of regional population growth has eased off a little, continuing exponential growth is also creating many other infrastructure problems.

Tourists were driving and walking over Aboriginal middens so in 1992 special trees were planted in the area and now has a significant forest there.

Fraser Island – What are the effects of it being there?Water from Fraser Island and Cooloola's

streams is nourishing Hervey Bay, regional estuaries and the adjacent sea while other regional streams cease to flow. It is therefore vital to maintain the full environmental flow from these streams to sustain Southern Queensland's marine biodiversity.

ReferencesDepartment of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Fraser Island.Retrieved on 14 October 2010:http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/world/fraser/index.html

David Kidd’s Genuine Australian websites. About Fraser Island, Retrieved on 14 October 2010:

http://dkd.net/fraser/

Fraser Coast Chronicle. Dancing with nature, 27 July 2009Retrieved on 14 October 2010:

http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2009/07/27/dancing-with-nature/

Fraserisland.net. Fraser Island Aboriginal History, fraserisland.net/aboriginal-history.html, Retrieved on 14 October 2010:http://www.

Fraser Island Defenders Organization,.Water Education Supplement, Retrieved on 14 October 2010: http://www.fido.org.au/moonbi/Water_Education_Supplement.html

Fraser Island Defenders Organization. Changes in Fraser Island Ecology, A Fraser Island Defenders Organization Educational Backgrounder - No. 15, July, 2003 Retrieved on 14 October 2010: http://www.fido.org.au/moonbi/backgrounders/15%2030%20years%20Ecological%20Changes%20.pdf