Willandra Lakes Region

The Aboriginal Advisory Group (AAG) is the peak Aboriginal consultative and advisory body for the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage site. The AAG provides advice to the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW NPWS) on Aboriginal Cultural Heritage matters within the World Heritage boundaries. It can also be consulted on matters within Mungo National Park. The AAG is a departmental advisory body whose members are nominated through a series of community elections, including a Native Title representative elected by the Barkandji Registered Native Title Body Corporate (Barkandji RNTBC). The AAG was formed in 2015 via an open, transparent community election. Elections are held every 3 years. This Group contains representatives from each of the three tribal groups (3TTG) of the Barkandji/Paakantyi, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa people. Members of this group also sit on the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Advisory Committee (NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, 2020). A new Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Advisory Committee was appointed in 2018 and has 50% Aboriginal representation (IUCN Consultation, 2020). However, key decision-making structures, including the state government, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Australian Government, remain hierarchical, with local communities and Indigenous people not always involved in everyday decision making (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

NPWS has obtained funding to develop a whole of property Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP). This will be the first landscape scale CHMP for the property, which will be codesigned with the elected representatives of the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Aboriginal Advisory Group (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

Thirteen privately leased grazing stations make up 70 percent of the World Heritage Site. The land managers for these properties are responsible for the effective management and protection of the World Heritage site. Nine of the 13 Stations attended forums held in 2023/24 to discuss future management practices. Properties that have low levels of engagement regarding management of World Heritage values may pose a risk to ensuring ongoing effective management of values within those areas (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

The World Heritage values of the Willandra Lakes Region are protected as Matter of National Environment Significance (MNES) under the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). New development proposals in or near the World Heritage site may be subject to assessment and approval under the EPBC Act as to whether it may, or will have a significant impact on the sites Matters of National and Environment Significance (MNES) and OUV . Approximately 30% of the World Heritage area within the site is protected and managed by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) while the remaining 70% of the site comprises private pastoral leases administered under the Crown Land Management Act 2016, primarily used for grazing Merino sheep and Dorper (an arid-adapted breed of sheep). The leases are known as Western Lands Leases. Both NPWS and Western Lands Leases, are subject to NSW legislation including the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, the NSW Heritage Act 19787 (State Heritage Register listings), and the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (World Heritage Committee, 2013). The legal framework is therefore under Commonwealth (national) and NSW (state) legislation frameworks (World Heritage Committee, 2013), with limited local government regulation via the Local Environment Plans (LEP) administered by the Wentworth and Balranald Shire Councils. Greater council/local government participation could support responsiveness to everyday management needs and increase participation and alignment with community perspectives, supporting more immediate and adaptive conservation efforts. This may better address on-the-ground challenges through closer ties to the community (Lixinski, 2020).

The governance of WLR site is structured across federal, state, and local levels, with the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DECCEW) and the Australian Focal Point (as responsible agency for World Heritage sites) are responsible for national oversight under the EPBC Act. NPWS manages conservation activities and site protections on public lands, and can support the private pastoral leases at the request of the leaseholder. The privately managed leasehold lands—comprising the largest area of the World Heritage site— are administered under the Crown Land Management Act 2016, are effectively freehold land with all responsibility of protection and management passed onto the leaseholders through their lease agreements under the Crown Lands Management Act 2016. Local Indigenous communities are represented through the Willandra Lakes Region Aboriginal Advisory Group and by Barkandji/Paakantyi, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa - 3TTG (three Traditional Tribal Groups) which provides cultural guidance and collaborates with the World Heritage Advisory Committee to ensure Aboriginal perspectives are integrated into site management. However, further opportunities for local engagement, particularly beyond formal committees and councils, could strengthen best practices for the protection and management of the site. Direct involvement in active management roles—through employment and practical participation—would allow Indigenous communities to integrate their knowledge and perspectives into daily operations, fostering stewardship and continuity. This approach aligns with community-based conservation principles, which are vital for effectively managing natural and cultural heritage sites, especially those with significant Traditional Knowledge (Lixinski, 2020; Pappin et al., 2022). While the WLR site lies within the Balranald and Wentworth local government boundaries, further efforts could be made to engage these councils more actively in consultation and collaborative management efforts, which would promote a more inclusive, community-driven approach.

The NSW Government consolidated its State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation) (SEPP) to simplify the planning rules for several places including the Willandra Lakes Region. The site had its own Regional Environmental Plan (REP): Nº 1 – World Heritage Property (2001) (REP) prior to the consolidation. The REP was repealed, and the Willandra Lakes Region site was omitted from the consolidated SEPP, and has been superseded by the State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity & Conservation) 2021.

Revised boundaries were approved by the World Heritage Committee in 1995 on the basis that it would better define the area containing World Heritage values (World Heritage Committee, 1995). While the 1995 boundary adjustments aimed to more clearly encompass the core area containing World Heritage values, no formal buffer zone was added at that time and this has not been addressed in any reporting undertaken since. Signage has been erected at the site's boundaries along the main access roads acknowledging the Aboriginal Traditional Owners and the World Heritage property (IUCN Consultation, 2020).
Involving Indigenous communities (Barkandji/Paakantyi, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa; 3TTG Elders Council) in boundary monitoring could support enhanced protection, leveraging their knowledge to address boundary-related challenges (Pappin et al., 2022).

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A management plan for the whole area, requested by the World Heritage Committee upon listing, was finalised in 1996 (World Heritage Committee, 2013). The last State of Conservation reporting was undertaken around the same time, 1995.
The World Heritage Committee 37COM 8E adopted retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value, revised boundaries following 2012 Periodic Reporting Cycle 2, Section II.

It is noted that a new Strategic Management Framework is in development and scheduled for completion by mid 2025. The Strategic Management Framework will replace the 1996 Plan of Management and identify a series of new priority subsidiary plans to be developed as part of the management framework for the property.

Data deficient. It is unclear to what extent climate mitigation and adaptation action is being integrated in the site's management. Some projects relating to climate change are being implemented e.g. Willandra Lakes Region – Outcomes for Country, which is a collaborative effort until 2028 by Local Land Services to reduce the impact of pest animals, improve habitat resilience to climate change and extreme events and facilitate Aboriginal community engagement with land management activities (NSW Government, 2025).

Approximately 30% of the World Heritage area within the site is protected and managed by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) under NSW state legislation, while the remaining 70% of the site is comprises private pastoral leasehold lands administered by the Crown Land Management Act 2016. The governance of Willandra Lakes Region site is structured across federal, state, and local levels (see governance arrangements above). Most protection and management operations and decisions seem to go through the Australian Focal Point (national) as primary point of contact. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) manages conservation activities and site protections on public lands. Privately managed pastoral leases on the largest area of the World Heritage site operate under the Crown Land Management Act 2016 where the leaseholder is responsible for protection and management of their leasehold lands. All lands within the World Heritage site are regulated by state and national authorities. Although advised by the World Heritage Committee upon nomination (5th COM, 1981), upon the last State of Conservation report (1995) and in response to the Periodic Reporting Cycle 2, Section II (2012) by the 2013 37COM 8E - Adoption of retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value, the WLR site remains lacking a management plan — specifically, one that provides action to minimise threats to its OUV, and supports educational and interpretative frameworks. Continuing research and understanding of the site could expand knowledge of humankind and Earth’s history, of traditional land management and adaptation practices, however, such work must involve partnerships with research organisations and Indigenous communities to ensure ethical stewardship (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, 2010; Tardim-Coelho, 2021; WLRWH, 2023; WLRWH Aboriginal Advisory Group, 2021) — and be outlined by a management plan and overall management systems for implementation. It is noted that a new Strategic Management Framework is in development and scheduled for completion by 2025. The Strategic Management Framework will replace the 1996 Plan of Management and identify a series of new priority subsidiary plans to be developed as part of the management framework for the property. NPWS has obtained funding for stage 1 to commence work that will support a whole of property Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP). Subject to further funding, stage 2 is the first proposed landscape scale CHMP for the property, which will be codesigned with the elected representatives of the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Aboriginal Advisory Group with the opportunity for input by all the Three Traditional Tribal group members (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

The area of land managed by NPWS within the World Heritage site has increased from 4.2% at the time of inscription (1981) to 29.9% following the purchase of additional properties (37COM 8E World Heritage Committee, 2013), which is all gazetted as National Park. The remainder of the property comprises pastoral grazing properties (37COM 8E World Heritage Committee, 2013). NPWS has two dedicated First Nations Rangers, funded by the Australian Government to support site conservation across the whole World Heritage property. The 30% of the World Heritage area managed by NPWS, has dedicated staff running conservation, pest management and visitor management programs. Although the site does not pose high number of visitation (IUCN Site Visit, 2021), more training for staff and more employment opportunities for monitoring could be pursued — and prioritising local and Indigenous communities for such roles.

Secure annual recurrent funding to manage the National Park is provided by the NSW Government via the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. In 2017 the Australian Government announced funding of AUD $330,000 per annum for five years to support the operations of the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Advisory Committee and Aboriginal Advisory Group. This funding has been extended to 2027. The Australian Government funds 1.5 Full Time Equivalent staff to support the operations of the two advisory committees (IUCN Consultation, 2020). Additionally, the Australian Government, through the National Indigenous Australians Agency, Indigenous Ranger Program funds two Full time Equivalent, Indigenous rangers to carry out site conservation works throughout the World Heritage site. These are the only staff dedicated to site conservation works across the the World Heritage site. This funding is confirmed through to 2027 (IUCN Consultation, 2025).

Mungo National Park has staff employed by NSW NPWS who carry out operational and program management for the state managed portion of the World Heritage site. In addition to state funding, the site is supported by several competitive grants that support specific programs i.e. National Indigenous Australians Agency, Indigenous Ranger Program. Two roles are dedicated to conservation works and can provide support to the private leaseholders. Any support on the private leases is voluntary and must be initiated by the leaseholders. If these positions were lost, there would be no capacity for conservation work in the private portion of the site. Additional funding opportunities could support financial training and employment opportunities for Indigenous communities to manage the site effectively (including partnering with research bodies for safeguarding and transmitting Traditional Knowledge) (Doe, 2023; Pappin et al., 2022 ). And such training and employment could in turn empower local communities and Indigenous communities employed at the site to seek additional funding for long-term conservation (Pappin et al., 2022).

Interpretive facilities include a visitor centre at Mungo National Park, a guidebook and website. Improvements in interpretive materials were completed in 2010 as part of an upgrade to the visitor centre and Zanci pastoral precinct on Mungo National Park. Audio-visual content upgrades are ongoing (IUCN Consultation, 2020). New interpretation has been installed to educate visitors on the impact of the removal of artefacts (IUCN Consultation, 2017). The website for Willandra Lakes Region and Mungo National Park are dated and could be improved. Additional interpretation is being developed with the Willandra Lakes Region Aboriginal Advisory Group to showcase the significance of the Willandra Lakes Fossil Trackway site. The Aboriginal Advisory Group have worked with the Sharing Stories Foundation to develop the Mungo Stories App increasing First Nations interpretation of the World Heritage Values of the property (https://sharingstoriesfoundation.org/mungo-stories/). This program is highly effective and demonstrates best practice with a collaborative approach to safeguarding and transmission of living heritage and traditional ecological and cultural knowledge. Incorporating film and multimedia could present additional opportunities to engage a broader audience, including younger generations, without disrupting the physical environment. By capturing interviews, stories, and visual narratives from the 3TTG (Paakantyi, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngyiampaa) Elders and rangers, the park has significant potential to provide a richer, more immersive experience for visitors. Another interesting educational tool is the Aboriginal Discovery Ranger programme, through which visitors can learn about Aboriginal culture through a range of guided cultural tours with Aboriginal rangers in NSW national parks.
The Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Aboriginal Advisory Group has also worked with Backbone productions to develop the film, No Distance Between Us produced by Backbone Productions (https://backboneproductions.com.au/portfolio/no-distance-between-us).

There is a visitor centre, visitor facilities, brochures, audio visual resources and self-guided and guided tours available for the Mungo National Park, which is the only public area open to visitors in the WLR. Two private accommodation offerings are available on adjoining private properties within the WLR. One offers lodge style accommodation along with camping, the other camping only within the Lease conditions administered by the Crown Lands Management Act 2016. With dirt road access only, the site is inaccessible during wet conditions (IUCN Site Visit, 2021) which impacts on tourism and visitation resulting in the subdevelopment of the overarching visitor experience. In the early 2000s, to mitigate risk to tourists and cultural heritage the Walls of China car park was relocated and a new boardwalk and viewing platform constructed (State Party of Australia, 2002), and visitor access on to the sensitive Mungo lunette has been restricted since 2010. Licenced tour operators conduct a range of activities within the national park. NSW NPWS staff provide visitor services including Aboriginal guided tours. Unmonitored tourism poses the threat for removing fossil/artefacts unidentified by Indigenous communities and research bodies, however, these threats would be lowered because they can be addressed and controlled if sufficient resources were available on an ongoing basis for staff/technological monitoring (Thomas, 2023) and the site is provided with an appropriate management plan with actions to inform sustainable visitation.

An agreement was reached with most landholders to protect the most significant sites (State Party of Australia, 2002). In 2015/16 there was engagement with landholders to identify significant areas and assess past management practices (Barrett et al., 2016). Mining and associated water extraction from areas surrounding the World Heritage site has the potential to have major impacts on World Heritage values (State Party of Australia, 2002; World Heritage Committee, 2013). The State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) no longer provides protection to the World Heritage site. While the revocation of the Willandra Lakes Regional Environmental Plan No 1—World Heritage Property (REP) REP has weakened environmental protection over the WLR, the NSW Environmental Protection & Assessment Act (EP&A) and NSW NPW Act still offer state level protection.
While SEPP has been repealed, sections of the SEPP relating to the Willandra Lakes Region, have been adopted in the Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) for each Shire Council – Balranald and Wentworth.
The Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage property has its own section within the Local Environmental Plans (LEP) administered by the local government. Each local government area – Balranald Shire Council and Wentworth Shire Council - has a Local Environmental Plan to guide development and protect natural resources such as including heritage within local government areas. LEPs are prepared by local Councils, in consultation with their community and approved by the Minister for Planning (or their delegate). It is unclear how the LEP are being administered by Local governments as no activities have been referred for advice in over 10 years (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

The CSIRO (2022) analyses the impacts of climate change on Australia's natural heritage sites, emphasising how shifts in temperature, rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events pose significant risks to the preservation of both ecological and cultural values. The need for targeted climate adaptation measures to protect these sites' Outstanding Universal Values (OUV) while aligning with sustainable tourism strategies is vital (CSIRO, 2022) — and WLR not only provides the opportunity to implement current effective practices, but also poses significant knowledge about the climate change events and human response to it.

Low resolution monitoring of the World Heritage values occurs on a limited scientific basis and there is insufficient monitoring to determine the state and trend of key attributes for several World Heritage values (see assessing values). Monitoring programs have existed in the past, but lack of allocated resources has seen them cease. More recent efforts have been made to observe landscape change through time using satellite imagery to model broad changes in total ground cover (Barrett et al., 2016). However, funding to this project also ceased and the monitoring is no longer occurring (IUCN Consultation, 2024). An ongoing/ recurrent budget for site monitoring and management would be beneficial.

Monitoring of the World Heritage values at the Willandra Lakes Region has been intermittent, with previous efforts focused on landscape change detection through satellite imagery and broad-scale ground cover assessments. However, these monitoring programs have faced challenges due to insufficient funding. Partnerships with research organisations are highly desirable for enhancing the management of Willandra Lakes.

At the time of listing in 1981, it was noted that research strongly aligned with archaeology with a need to investigate the natural elements of the World Heritage site should be pursued. To address this topic, in 2023, the WLRWH Advisory Committee and Aboriginal Advisory Group worked together to develop a research prospectus (WLRWH Research Prospectus 2023; WLRWH Aboriginal Advisory Group Research Code of Practice 2021).

The prospectus introduces a set of broad-ranging research priorities to be reviewed and updated regularly, or at least every five years by the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Advisory Committee. There are strong partnerships with a range of researchers and research organisations, and in 2022 the Willandra Lakes Research and Learning Centre was established, located on Mungo National Park, within the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage property. It provides an opportunity for researchers to work on Country with
members of the Barkindji/Pakaantyi, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa Nations, to study both archived and current research materials and to discuss the presentation and dissemination of research results. Researchers are invited to partner with the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Advisory Committee.

Proposed mining outside the site — requiring the extraction of large volumes of water from within the site — requires proactive monitoring and resource allocation. Currently there is no recent data on the progress of proposed mining activities, creating uncertainty around the timeline and management requirements for this threat, however, site managers are actively staying informed and aligned with efforts to minimise any potential risks to the site (IUCN Consultation, 2024). Similarly, there is a project proposal to develop a wind farm near the property boundary. Willandra Lakes Region is approximately 25 kilometres northeast of the project area. The proposal is currently being assessed under the EPBC Act to ensure no adverse impacts to the OUV. It is however of some concern that the NSW Government consolidated its State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation) (SEPP) to simplify the planning rules for several places including the Willandra Lakes Region. The site had its own Regional Environmental Plan (REP): Nº 1 – World Heritage Property (2001) (REP) prior to the consolidation. The REP was repealed, and the Willandra Lakes Region site was omitted from the consolidated SEPP, and has been superseded by the State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity & Conservation) 2021.

The management system for Willandra Lakes has demonstrated effectiveness in addressing internal threats, although several challenges remain. The site currently lacks an updated management plan, however the new draft Strategic Management Framework for the World Heritage Property will go on public exhibition in 2025.

Threats such as soil erosion, invasive species, grazing impacts, and pressures from unmonitored tourism activity persist and require ongoing attention. However, gaps in consistent funding constrain efforts to expand monitoring, as well as training and employment opportunities for local and Indigenous communities, who could further help secure additional funding with adequate training.

The site's protection and management relies on strong interagency cooperation and Indigenous community involvement to sustain both the cultural and natural values of the site. Ongoing strengthening of the system, for example by specifying grazing limits/areas, implementing measures for feral animal control, and improving visitor management are essential to reduce internal threats. Enhancing the conservation and further safeguarding and transmitting of Traditional Knowledge, Earth and human heritage embedded in the site presents another opportunity. Regularly updating management plans with actionable deliverables—in partnership with the Aboriginal Advisory Group—and expanding local government and community involvement will be instrumental in advancing site protection and management. NPWS has obtained funding to develop a whole of property Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP). This will be the first landscape scale CHMP for the property, which will be codesigned with the elected representatives of the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Aboriginal Advisory Group (IUCN Consultation, 2024).