A Regional Environmental Plan for the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Region

Abstract

The Willandra Lakes region was registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List in October 1981, on the basis of both the cultural heritage value of the archaeological finds there, and the natural heritage value of the environment, specifically the Pleistocene landforms which document climatic and environmental change. As a World Heritage property, the Willandra Lakes Region falls under the provisions of the International Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972 (The World Heritage Convention) which was ratified by Australia in August 1974. It also falls under the provisions of the Federal Government's World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983, which was particularly designed to prevent the damming of the Franklin River in western Tasmania.