Parts of the Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland have been elevated to the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list. The decision has been more than a decade in the making and aims to protect and increase global recognition of the vast area.
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00:00It's referred to as one of Australia's last great frontiers.
00:06The sprawling Cape York peninsula is known for its rugged national parks, pristine waterways,
00:13secluded beaches and rich indigenous cultures.
00:16Both levels of government have announced parts of the area will be placed on the UNESCO World
00:21Heritage Tentative List.
00:23This place is so special, it deserves global recognition.
00:28This is a process that we've been on for about 10 years now, I worked on this when
00:33I was the Environment Minister and it's very special to have reached this next milestone.
00:38The peninsula is home to nearly a fifth of Australia's plant species and indigenous rock
00:43art can be found across the region.
00:46Six national parks would be included in the listing.
00:49Traditional owners at the announcement are supportive, saying they hope it will generate
00:54more interest, bringing tourists and jobs.
00:58To me it's exciting and the younger ones, they start to get excited, that's the key
01:04to looking after land.
01:06It'll bring opportunity to manage our land and sea country.
01:13There are nearly 2,000 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the Galapagos
01:18Islands and Great Barrier Reef.
01:20The federal government has proposed six other sites for inclusion on the list, but nothing
01:25will happen in a hurry.
01:27It can take years for a site to be World Heritage Listed.
01:31Cape York is one of seven tentative listings Australia has put forward.