The World Heritage Symposium began in Cairns yesterday, and explores the benefits of World Heritage to Australians, and the challenges experienced in the management of natural assets and recognition of cultural values.

Speakers at the Symposium include the Australian Conservation Foundation's (ACF) Cape York Project Officer Leah Talbot and ACF Board member Chrissy Grant.

Both are Kuku Yalanji women whose traditional country borders the Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Areas.

Ms Talbot said the Symposium presented an opportunity to consider the environmental outcomes Indigenous people have helped achieve in the past, and the opportunities for the future in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area including recognition of the region’s cultural values.

“Australia needs to recognise the contribution of Indigenous cultural heritage to the Australian nation,” Ms Talbot said. 

“We as Australians need to realise the most effective protectors, conservationists, educators, interpreters of our outstanding Indigenous cultural heritage values are Aboriginal people themselves." 

Australia became one of the first nations to ratify the World Heritage Convention in 1974.  Since then, Australia has had 19 sites inscribed onto the World Heritage List including four for their outstanding natural and cultural values - Kakadu National Park, Willandra Lakes, Tasmanian Wilderness and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park World Heritage Areas.

Currently under consideration is the re-listing of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area to acknowledge the Indigenous cultural values of the region.

The World Heritage Symposium finishes today.

Home page image by Tod Walker