Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area

Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area

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The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area is a diverse Aboriginal cultural landscape in which the cultural heritage of Tasmanian Aboriginal people is preserved.

It is significant to Tasmanian Aboriginal people because of the rich cultural heritage still present there.

The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area is also significant to Australia and the world community. It was formally recognised by the World Heritage Committee for its Outstanding Universal Value when it was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1982.

About the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area

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- [Narrator] The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Areais considered to be an Aboriginal cultural landscapewhere the cultural heritage of TasmanianAboriginal people is preserved.The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Areais significant to Tasmanian Aboriginal people,as it contains evidence of Aboriginal land managementand occupation for at least 35,000 years.Aboriginal people were also likely to have been thesouthernmost people on earth for 20,000 years.Aboriginal people carried out targeted burning activitiesacross large areas of the Tasmanian Wilderness WorldHeritage Area.These burning activities were aimed at managing andmodifying the landscape to assist the movementof people across the land, encourage new growthof useful plant resources and to maintain open areasof land to attract and hunt animals.This cultural landscape demonstrates the successfuladaptation of Aboriginal people in an environmentthat was subject to extreme climactic change.Intangible Aboriginal cultural values are also associatedwith the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area,including song, story, dance, language, kinship, custom,ceremony, and ritual.Knowledge of these intangible elements are held byTasmanian Aboriginal people and are often connected withphysical places, or features within the landscape.The intangible value and story associated withLouisa Bay and Cox Bight is presented to the publicin the form of an interpretative walking trail,know as the Needwonee Walk at Melaleuca.There is growing support and recognition thatAboriginal heritage values within theTasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Arearequire greater management and investment.The effective conservation of these valueshas been jeopardised in the past,as limited opportunities were provided to TasmanianAboriginal people to inform and participatein management of the area.The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage AreaManagement Plan 2016 seeks to address these issues.The Plan provides a framework for the TasmanianState Government to work collaboratively with the TasmanianAboriginal people to manage their cultural values.The Plan provides ongoing opportunities forTasmanian Aboriginal people to engage and connectwith their cultural heritage and the resourcesof the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
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Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Management Plan

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The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Management Plan 2016 outlines Key Desired Outcomes for managing Aboriginal cultural values and increasing the involvement of Aboriginal people in connecting with, managing and interpreting those values. Other Key Desired Outcomes focus on managing natural values, development, presentation, community engagement and general management.

Responsibility for the management of Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area

Within the State Government, the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment is responsible for managing the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. This includes the Parks and Wildlife Service, Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania and other branches within the Natural and Cultural Heritage Division.

Cultural Management Group

Within Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania the Cultural Management Group is implementing Key Desired Outcomes for Aboriginal cultural values from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Management Plan 2016 in collaboration with Aboriginal people.

World Heritage Selection Criteria

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Ten criteria are used to assess a property for inscription on the World Heritage List. A site must be of Outstanding Universal Value and meet at least one out of ten Selection Criteria. The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area meets seven of these selection criteria.