Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte)

The Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) acknowledges the rights and interests of First Nations Peoples in Country recognised for its World Heritage values. In 2023, Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land) was handed back to the Waanyi People, marking a significant milestone in recognising their connection to this land. This followed the release of the Boodjamulla National Park Management Plan, which supports collaborative management of the park. The Waanyi People have been actively represented on the Riversleigh World Heritage Advisory Committee (RWHAC) since its establishment, fostering strong working relationships over the years. The RWHAC has supported Waanyi-led initiatives, such as the Riversleigh Fossil Dreaming Project, funded through an Australian Heritage Grant. This project explores the connections between the Riversleigh fossils and Waanyi culture, offering an interactive experience for visitors to learn about the fossils and Waanyi (IUCN Consultation, 2024). The project recently concluded its second phase, which integrated anthropological findings with an interactive map of Riversleigh’s D Site public walking track. Waanyi representatives on the RWHAC are nominated by the Waanyi Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (Registered Native Title Body Corporate), which represents the Waanyi People. The RWHAC plays a key role in meeting obligations under the World Heritage Convention and the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). It provides advice to management agencies and the Queensland and Australian Government Ministers responsible for World Heritage.

DETSI is working to incorporate First Nations priorities and perspectives into decision-making and operations. This commitment is guided by The Gurra Gurra Framework 2020-2026, and the Queensland First Nations World Heritage Strategy 2022. The Gurra Gurra Framework is a ‘whole of department’ that prioritises co-management of business with First Nations partners, including the business of World Heritage (Queensland Government, 2019a). The Queensland First Nations World Heritage Strategy 2022 was co-designed and developed with First Nations people and places Country and people at the centre of all aspects of World Heritage management.
The RWHAC also includes representatives from a broad range of stakeholders, including the scientific community (spanning palaeontology, archaeology, anthropology, geology, speleology, geochronology, hydrology, zoology, and botany), the Queensland Museum, commercial tourism and the Queensland government tourism body Tourism and Events Queensland, local councils, local landholders, and the Queensland and Australian governments. This diverse representation ensures a holistic approach to the management and protection of Riversleigh’s World Heritage values.

The First Nations Peoples of the Naracoorte area are the Potaruwutij to the North, Jardwadjali to the East, Boandik and Bindjali to the South and Meintangk to the West. Naracoorte Caves feature in Dreaming tracks, and some of the wildlife species that inhabit the caves are culturally significant. The South Australian Department for Environment and Water recognises First Nations Peoples’ connection to country, strength and resilience, and the importance of engaging Traditional Custodians in the care and management of natural resources and heritage. A Traditional Custodian representative nominated by the Southeast Aboriginal Focus Group sits on the Naracoorte Caves Interagency-Community Reference Group (IRG). Naracoorte has also been able to gain the support of the local community. A strong ‘Friends of Naracoorte Caves’ group, an active consultative committee and supportive local businesses along with an understanding of the role the community has had in the development of Naracoorte Caves NP over 160 years contributes to a positive partnership between the park and community. Local government at Naracoorte have also recently enhanced connections with the community, through a prospectus and plan for the local business community titled Caves Connections, and by financially supporting scientific research at the site. Other local business associations have also contributed funds for research and events.

Naracoorte and Riversleigh both benefit from robust legislative frameworks that reflect the interests of various stakeholders and support ongoing scientific research. The Riversleigh component is protected under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Riversleigh is managed according to the Boodjamulla National Park Management Plan 2022 and the Boodjamulla Cooperative Management Council (BCMC). The BCMC consists of Waanyi representatives and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service representatives, following the hand back of Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land), which includes the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, to the Waanyi People in 2023.

The Naracoorte component falls under the jurisdiction of the Naracoorte Caves National Park Management Plan (2001). The Riversleigh fossil deposits are largely situated within the boundary of the Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park but also extend outside the World Heritage site in both the national park and on neighbouring properties. The Naracoorte fossil deposits are situated within the Naracoorte Caves National Park. Both components of the World Heritage site are protected under the relevant parks' legislation of the States in which they are situated. In May 2017, the South Australian Heritage Council confirmed the Naracoorte Caves Complex as a State Heritage Place in the South Australian Heritage Register (Government of South Australia, 2017). This formal recognition as an important part of South Australia’s rich non-Aboriginal heritage adds another layer of protection as State Heritage Places are protected under the Heritage Places Act 1993. The World Heritage values of the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites are also protected as a matter of national environmental significance under the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Any new development proposal in the World Heritage site will be subject to assessment and approval under the EPBC Act if an action is considered likely to have significant impacts on World Heritage values. Importantly, this Act also aims to protect World Heritage sites from impacts that originate outside their boundaries. It thus forms an additional layer of protection designed to protect values of World Heritage sites from external impacts (State Party of Australia, 2003).

The overall governance arrangements for both sites are generally effective; however, there is a pressing need for increased funding to support critical priorities. Additional funding is essential to advance research identifying appropriate boundary adjustments for both sites, particularly in light of new fossil discoveries outside the current World Heritage boundaries. Furthermore, funding is needed to process unexamined fossil material, which could provide valuable insights into the preservation of endangered or threatened species by studying how past ecosystems responded to the impacts of climate change.

To support governance arrangements the Australian Government provides funding of $500 000 ($100,000 per year) for the Naracoorte Caves IRG and Executive Officer for 2023-28. An additional $725 000 ($145 000 per year) is provided to support governance arrangements at Riversleigh (IUCN Consultation, 2025). In addition there is cross collaboration through regular Coordinating Committee meetings (Executive officers and Management representatives from both QLD and SA) and World Heritage Advisory Committee meetings.

Increased funding would also enable effective collaboration between the Australian and State Governments, the scientific communities conducting research at both sites, and the local communities. Strengthening these partnerships is vital to ensuring the long-term protection, research, and management of these globally significant sites.

The Australian and South Australian governments endorsed The Naracoorte Caves National Park Management Plan (Department for Environment and Heritage, 2001) in February 2001 following a lengthy period of community consultation. The South Australia Heritage Act, 1993 provides for the conservation of places of heritage value.

Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land), which includes Riversleigh, is managed cooperatively under the Boodjamulla National Park Management Plan 2022. Ongoing consultations are underway to develop a comprehensive management statement for the serial World Heritage site. This statement will complement existing legislative frameworks and management systems, further supporting Australia’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention (IUCN Consultation, 2020; 2024).

The boundaries of the Naracoorte Caves National Park do not match those of the caves in which the fossil deposits occur, although the entrances to the caves are protected. Since the World Heritage inscription, the boundaries of the National Park have been expanded and cover most known caves within the park and now include many other caves that were not part of the park at the time of inscription. Some of these ‘new’ caves are of very high scientific value, containing further extensive fossil deposits. The World Heritage site now only represents a sub-section about half the size of the total National Park area.

The Riversleigh component, covering approximately 10,000 hectares, is located within the broader Boodjamulla National Park, which spans around 380,000 hectares. Public access to the only visitor site (D Site), as well as access for Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) staff and scientific permit holders to the rest of the World Heritage area, is via a neighbouring pastoral lease held by the Lawn Hill Riversleigh Pastoral Holding Company (LHRPHC). QPWS currently facilitates access through informal agreements with LHRPHC as required. While the current boundary is sufficient to protect the site’s values, is does not ensure long-term public and scientific access or the effective presentation of these values (IUCN Consultation, 2019). Expanding the boundaries of, or formalising arrangements to allow ongoing access to, both Riversleigh sections should be negotiated to encompass all places of Outstanding Universal Significance, enhancing the protection, significance, and integrity of the World Heritage Area (IUCN Consultation 2024).

N/A

There have been no Committee decisions regarding this World Heritage site in recent years.

In 2023 and 2024, unprecedented flooding caused widespread damage across Northwest Queensland (Queensland Department of Environment and Science, 2024). These floods, driven by extreme weather events in the Gulf of Carpentaria, brought record-breaking rainfall, with floodwaters rising to 30 metres in Lawn Hill Gorge and 18 metres at Riversleigh. As a result, Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land), including Riversleigh, was temporarily closed to the public while roads and infrastructure were repaired and rebuilt. Although the Riversleigh section has since reopened, the Lawn Hill Gorge section (the main visitor area) of Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land) remains closed and is expected to reopen mid-late 2025 due to extensive damage sustained.
Most fossils at Riversleigh were unaffected by the floods, as they are encased in hard limestone. However, smaller, loose fossil material may have been displaced by floodwaters (IUCN Consultation, 2024). In response to this event, the Riversleigh World Heritage Advisory Committee developed a Riversleigh Climate Snapshot, which has informed a project partially funded by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority’s Environmental Investigations Program (EIP) for the Northwest Queensland floods.
As part of this project, LiDAR modelling has been completed, and the next phase involves assessing the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the site’s fossils and surrounding areas. This assessment aims to protect the OUV, mitigate future impacts and enhance recovery and resilience in the face of future weather events and climate change (IUCN Consultation, 2024). Securing additional funding for this program is critical to advancing climate action and ensuring the long-term protection of this globally significant site.

The management of component parts within this serial World Heritage site is guided by several key framework documents.

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), a division of the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), implements the Values-Based Management Framework (VBMF) (Queensland Government, 2019b). This framework is a strategic approach to guide the management of protected areas, including national parks, marine parks, and other conservation reserves. The framework ensures that management decisions are informed by the values of the area being protected, such as its natural, cultural, and recreational significance. It is designed to balance conservation priorities with sustainable use, ensuring that these areas are preserved for future generations while allowing for appropriate public enjoyment and use. The VBMF underpins the development of management plans and management statements for individual parks and reserves, such as the Boodjamulla National Park Management Plan 2022 (Queensland Department of Environment and Science, 2022). It has a strong emphasis on managing threats to key values, including World Heritage, maintaining environmental integrity, promoting healthy ecosystems and undertaking active management of pests, weeds, fire and visitation (IUCN Consultation, 2020).

In a historic milestone, the Queensland Government returned Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land) to the Waanyi People in 2023. The Boodjamulla Cooperative Management Council, comprising representatives from the Waanyi Prescribed Body corporate and QPWS, are responsible for implementing the park management plan. The strategic management of the Riversleigh World Heritage Area is administered by the World Heritage Unit, DETSI. The Australian Government funds an Executive Officer who provides the secretariat support and operation of the Riversleigh World Heritage Advisory Committee (IUCN Consultation, 2017).

At Naracoorte, management is guided by the Naracoorte Caves National Park Management Plan, 2001 (Department for Environment and Heritage, 2001). The South Australian Government, through the Department for Environment and Water, resources day-to-day management activities and provides strategic management, with advice from the federally funded Naracoorte Interagency-Community Reference Group and its Executive Officer (IUCN Consultation, 2019).

Consultations are ongoing to finalise an overarching management statement for the serial World Heritage site, which will complement existing legislative structures and other regimes to address Australia’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention (IUCN Consultation, 2020). The management statement will describe how the existing management and governance arrangements provide for the long-term collaboration, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission of the values of the AFMS World Heritage site. The AFMS Framework will provide overarching guidance for management of AFMS, while more detailed management objectives and strategies for Riversleigh and Naracoorte are provided in the site-specific Strategic Management Plans prepared by the Queensland and South Australian State government agencies (IUCN Consultation, 2020). The signatories to the Framework will work cooperatively to share information and develop appropriate strategies for the benefit of the AFMS. Respective State governments will continue to undertake regulatory and day-to-day management, but with a greater level of coordination and consistency. Cooperative opportunities include the development of promotional and interpretative material, research and information exchange, and sharing of expertise and resources to protect, conserve, present and transmit values. Cross collaboration through regular Coordinating Committee meetings (Executive officers and Management representatives from both QLD and SA) and World Heritage Advisory Committee meetings are essential and ongoing (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

The enforcement of the relevant laws and regulations at the sites is highly effective. All research activities, including excavations and removal of materials, are carried out in accordance with existing procedures. To date, no breaches of optimal conservation practice have been identified (IUCN Consultation, 2019; 2024).

In Queensland and South Australia, day-to-day management of World Heritage sites is funded by the State Governments, while the Australian Government provides funding for additional activities required to meet World Heritage obligations and to address and respond effectively to the expectations of Traditional Owners. However, the World Heritage site remains reliant on regional funding to deliver programmes specifically focused on protecting their World Heritage values.
Funding for research has primarily depended on researchers securing competitive grants from the Australian Research Council. While this has been a valuable support, it is not guaranteed for the future. Increasing competition for finite resources funding from other State and National funding bodies has shifted funding priorities towards protecting Australia’s existing biota, often at the expense of understanding the nature and conservation relevance of extinct biota. This is despite the fact that the fossil records at the World Heritage site at Naracoorte and Riversleigh provide critical insights that could inform long-term conservation programs for endangered living species, such as the mountain pygmy-possum Burramys parvus. Hence, greater investment is needed to support understanding the far longer, pre-modern history and potential environmental resilience of modern lineages than what is funded at present (IUCN Consultation, 2017). The Australian Government committed AUD $145,000 per annum for five years (starting July 2023) to support the continuation of the World Heritage Executive Officer and Advisory Committee for Riversleigh. However, this funding has remained unchanged for over a decade, despite rising operational costs. There is an urgent need for increased funding from both State and Australian Governments to ensure the ongoing protection, conservation, and presentation of the Outstanding Universal Values of both these globally significant sites (IUCN Consultation 2024). The Naracoorte component receives a non-indexed $100,000 per annum from the Australian Government for the Naracoorte Interagency-Community Reference Group (Advisory Committee) and World Heritage Executive Officer. This amount has become insufficient to continue the Executive Officer in a full-time capacity (IUCN Consultation, 2019; 2024).

Staff levels are sufficient to meet minimum day-to-day management requirements. Current Naracoorte staff do not have substantive training in fossil conservation, cave conservation and water management techniques, and rely on external advisors to assist in these areas. However, staff are trained to be vigilant observers in all related areas and are encouraged to report any changes (IUCN Consultation, 2019). There is currently strong support from researchers to assist and advise on management of values and train staff, highlighting the importance for management authorities to continually engage with the scientific community. Continued training of site interpreters in the methods and findings of current World Heritage-centred research is important to maintain quality communication of the World Heritage values. Currently, no staff are provided by the State or National bodies responsible for World Heritage management to support research or site interpretation at Riversleigh. However, Waanyi representatives with an interest in the Riversleigh fossil material and work at the Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre at Outback in Mount Isa have been identified and supported (IUCN Consultation, 2024). Through funding from Waanyi Joint Venture, these representatives were given the opportunity to attend the University of New South Wales, where they received specialised training in handling and preparing the fossil material. This initiative highlights the commitment to building local capacity and fostering Traditional Owner engagement in the preservation and interpretation of Riversleigh’s significant fossil heritage.

Riversleigh offers a variety of educational resources, including web-based material, online Riversleigh-focused educational tools, a brochure and fossil kits. These kits allow non-significant fossils to be used as learning tools off-site under the supervision of trained staff. Interpretive displays at the Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre (operated by the Mount Isa City Council) in Mount Isa (260 km from Riversleigh) and Naracoorte Caves Wonambi Visitor Centre contribute significantly to the transmission of the site’s OUV. The Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre undertook a $2.2 million redevelopment and re-opened in June 2020. This redevelopment was supported by $1.23 million in funding from the Queensland Government’s Outback Tourism Infrastructure Fund. The Centre provides an exceptional interpretation of Riversleigh’s World Heritage values and ongoing research efforts. The expertise of the RWHAC and researchers from the University of New South Wales was instrumental in shaping the interpretive content for the refurbished Centre (IUCN Consultation, 2019). To ensure the Centre continues to engage visitors effectively, DETSI has also provided funding to repair and update its displays after 5 years of operation. These initiatives highlight the commitment to enhancing public understanding and appreciation of Riversleigh’s unique fossil heritage.

Naracoorte’s Wonambi Visitor Centre, on site at the Caves, also houses interpretive displays providing important context to the values of the World Heritage site. However, many of the interactive components and interpretive panels are worn out or otherwise damaged, and the display is now static and in a state of disrepair (IUCN Consultation, 2024). Special exhibitions and displays are no longer part of site presentation, and extensive funds are needed to restore or convert the space into an experience of the values of the site (IUCN Consultation, 2024). Naracoorte has a range of informative interpretive signage that conveys information on the importance of the site.

The Boodjamulla National Park Management Plan 2022 acknowledges the important role visitors play integrating the World Heritage site into the life of the community. Tourism not only enhances public appreciation of the site’s OUVs but also provides significant social and economic benefits to the region, including opportunities for Indigenous employment (IUCN Consultation, 2020). However, the remote location of Riversleigh, combined with the impacts of recent significant flooding events, has affected visitation. As a result, Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land) is expected to remain closed until mid-late 2025 to allow for recovery and restoration efforts (IUCN Consultation, 2024). These measures aim to ensure the park is fully prepared to welcome visitors again while safeguarding its unique cultural and natural values. In April 2025, Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) facilitated a Tourism workshop with the RWHAC and other key stakeholders and partners. This workshop initiated discussions to develop a Riversleigh Tourism Masterplan in collaboration with TEQ and Waanyi PBC (IUCN Consultation, 2025).

The Naracoorte Caves National Park is promoted as a prime visitor attraction and plays a substantial role in regional tourism. Naracoorte’s visitation has experienced rapid growth in the last 5 years, and the number of people entering the caves on tours has been shown to be affecting the caves’ baseline temperature. Research into carrying capacity is urgently needed to understand the visitation level that is environmentally safe, and to inform an urgently-needed visitor management strategy (IUCN Consultation, 2024). Modification of the caves to facilitate the interpretation of fossil deposits revolutionised the visitor experience as has the site’s interpretative centre which is focused specifically on the World Heritage values. Cave tours give visitors an appreciation of the processes which formed the caves and their contents, with particular focus on the fossil deposits, the aesthetics of caves and the biology and cultural history of the caves and the region in which they occur.

Further promotion of the sites through increased profiling would be highly beneficial in enhancing both scientific and tourism interest. Special events, such as the World Heritage Festival, provide an excellent opportunity to engage a wide audience through media coverage. These events offer valuable insights, appealing to both those familiar with them and those discovering them for the first time.

Use of both components is limited mainly to research, education and tourism. The SA DEW Scientific Permits Team with input from the IRG Research Subgroup, regional team and park management review all scientific research permit applications for work at Naracoorte Caves to determine the likely impacts of the research on World Heritage Values. In particular, DEW Permits Team assess the methods and always seek to minimise impacts of research from a conservation and aesthetic viewpoint if the area is in the public view. DEW and researchers developed a 'Researchers Protocol' for Naracoorte covering all aspects of fossil extraction including minimum information that has to be recorded and procedures that are to be followed when conducting research. Tourism is addressed by implementing rigid policies which only allow access to areas designated as show cave or adventure cave under the Management Plan except where visitors are under the direct supervision of a park employee.

The public use of Riversleigh’s resources is managed sustainably. Access to the fossil sites is controlled via a designated walking track, and the site is located in a remote area with relatively low visitation (IUCN Consultation, 2019). This approach ensures the preservation of the site’s unique values while allowing visitors to experience its significance responsibly.

Both components of the World Heritage site have management documents that recognise the importance of establishing and maintaining effective monitoring programmes. At Riversleigh, monitoring of research is done through the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water in accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth). The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service issue Permits to Take, Use, Keep or Interfere (PTUKI) under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 in consultation with the Boodjamulla Cooperative Management Council, and assess and report on activities carried out by the research scientists. Currently conditions and threats are reported on in Queensland’s State of Environment Reporting, which is published approximately every two years (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

At Naracoorte, monitoring activities include inspections of caves according to a regular schedule to assess stability of limestone walls and ceilings. Ongoing observations are conducted on tours and glass indicators are used to detect rock movement. Visual monitoring of fossil sites occurs in show-caves daily and in other caves during stability inspections, and the bats are monitored by infrared cameras installed in the cave (IUCN Consultation, 2019).

There is a valuable opportunity to work collaboratively with researchers to develop a sustained monitoring programme aimed at tracking the conservation status of natural values. This programme could also address the need to monitor the impacts of climate change, as well as visitor satisfaction and safety (IUCN Consultation, 2024; Queensland Department of Environment and Science, 2024). By developing a structured, scientific-based monitoring programme that is delivered collaboratively with scientists, staff and volunteers, essential baseline data could be gathered to support effective conservation planning (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

A significant body of literature has been published as part of the outputs of research for AFMS, reflecting the vital role research plays in underpinning the site’s World Heritage values. Both the Naracoorte Management Plan and the Boodjamulla National Park Management Plan 2022 (BNPMP) highlight the importance of ongoing research in fully realising the site’s World Heritage values. These plans also emphasise the need for research to be conducted sustainably and outline clear and appropriate controls and permitting procedures to support this goal.
The Naracoorte Management Plan includes a requirement to ‘develop and implement a five-year Research Plan’ and the BNPMP includes the requirement to ‘develop and implement a ‘Monitoring and Research Strategy’.
In addition, the Riversleigh World Heritage Advisory Committee has developed a “Australian Fossil Mammal Site WHA – Riversleigh Research priorities 2023-2030” document (Riversleigh World Heritage Advisory Committee, 2006) to outline key research focus areas for the World Heritage site. Currently, several large-scale, high-level fossil-related projects are underway, involving multiple universities with multiple funding partners. Most research on Riversleigh fossils has been undertaken by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), which has collaborated with over 100 research colleagues and uncovered more than 40,000 fossils to date (IUCN Consultation, 2020).

However, there is an urgent need to address uncertainties surrounding future funding for research and the continuity of university research groups (IUCN Consultation, 2024). Whilst research is regulated very effectively, there are further opportunities to attract research partners and build research programs and facilities to ensure sufficient research efforts are geared towards the protection and realisation of the site's OUV (IUCN Consultation, 2025).

External threats are minimal and effectively managed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth). This legislation serves as the primary mechanism for fulfilling Australia’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention. Notably, the EPBC Act also protects World Heritage sites from external impacts, even if those impacts originate beyond their boundaries (World Heritage Committee, 2012). Additional protection should be provided by nominations for extension to both sites' World Heritage listings (IUCN consultation 2024). An audit of the registered Riversleigh fossil material currently held at UNSW is being completed by the Queensland Museum - a return of material plan has been co-developed between QM (state custodians) and UNSW (researchers)

There is a suite of legislation in place that provides suitable support for protection and management. There are regular site inspections and a prescribed burning programme designed to mitigate any negative effects associated with wildfires. Management of both components of this serial site appears effective. The Boodjamulla National Park Management Plan 2022 provides a framework for evaluating management effectiveness, through QPWS’s Health Check program (a component of its VBMF). In 2023, Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land) was returned to the Waanyi People, enabling decision-making between QPWS and the Waanyi People through the Cooperative Management Council. Ongoing consultations aim to develop an overarching management statement for the serial World Heritage site. This statement will complement existing legislative frameworks and other mechanisms to fulfil Australia’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention (IUCN Consultation, 2020; 2024).