AUSTRALIA’S 2007-2011
World Heritage Committee term
Australia has played a prominent role in the World Heritage Convention since its adoption.
Since 1974, when Australia became the seventh State Party to accede to the Convention, we
have taken a leadership role in promoting the World Heritage Convention’s objectives and set
high standards in meeting our commitments. This was Australia’s fourth term as a member of
the Committee, having previously served in 1976-83, 1983-89 and 1995-2001.
Our 2007-2011 World Heritage Committee term cemented Australia’s reputation as an
international leader in:

strengthening the integrity of the World Heritage Convention

contributing expertise to improve the policies that conserve World Heritage and

supporting our region’s engagement with, and share in the cultural, economic and
social benefits of, World Heritage recognition and protection.
To demonstrate Australia’s commitment to World Heritage, the Australian Government made
available AUD3.3 million to assist in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention
through the Australian Funds in Trust (AFIT) with UNESCO. AUD1 million was dedicated to
help build World Heritage capacity in Pacific Island countries.
A champion of operational reform
Australia initiated and led the key policy agenda in the lead up to the 40th anniversary of the
World Heritage Convention (2012) to reflect on the future of the World Heritage Convention.
As a member of the World Heritage Committee, Australia chaired the consultative group,
Committee and General Assembly sessions to establish the agenda and priorities of the
‘Futures process’. Under our guidance, the process was characterised by a spirit of creativity,
cooperation and open participation. We also introduced a number of procedural innovations
to World Heritage, including inviting written submissions and establishing a website forum.
The Futures process identified the core ‘architecture’ needed to orient the implementation of
the Convention for the next decade. We played an active role in drafting the Vision Statement
and Strategic Plan 2012-2022.
The World Heritage community also identified a number of operational issues which required
immediate action and Australia co-sponsored expert meetings on these priorities, notably:

‘Upstream processes’ (with Japan and Thailand) – focused on the development of
creative options to improve the processes and practices ‘upstream’ or prior to
Committee consideration of a nomination, and recommended actions to refine and
augment the provision of advice and feedback to States Parties.

‘Decision-making procedures’ (with Bahrain) – identified opportunities to increase the
efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of decision-making procedures within the
World Heritage Committee and the General Assembly and recommended
improvements, including the creation of a devoted space for policy discussion,
reducing workload, reducing ‘surprises’ and increasing the capacity of the key actors
to enhance the credibility of the Convention.

‘State of conservation issues’ (with Senegal) – developed creative approaches to
assist States Parties and World Heritage site-managers in effectively responding to
the range of problems that emerge for inscribed properties and recommended actions
for both States Parties and the World Heritage system.
A leader in policy development
Australia has long been an active contributor to World Heritage policy discussions.
Policy issue
Sustainable
Tourism
Brand
Criterion vii
Serial and
transnational WH
properties
Buffer zones
Procedures of
election of World
Heritage
Committee
members
Operational
Guidelines for the
implementation of
the World
Heritage
Convention
World Heritage
Fund
Periodic
Reporting
Culture and
Sustainable
Development
Australia’s contribution
Australia co-hosted the international workshop on Advancing Sustainable
Tourism at Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites (2009), with the Chinese
Government State Administration for Cultural Heritage and the Getty
Conservation Institute. The workshop recommended a policy orientations
statement defining the relationship between World Heritage and tourism,
which was adopted by the Committee in 2010. It also proposed
Principles to provide a best practice framework for stakeholders to
protect and conserve heritage resources in the context of tourism.
Australia sponsored Brand Finance to conduct a ‘brand audit’ of World
Heritage. The ‘brand’ or credibility of World Heritage should be
unsurpassed in terms of conservation and as an endorsement of an
inscribed site’s quality, yet, the audit found room to improve awareness,
knowledge and the credibility of the Convention.
In 2008, the World Heritage Committee invited States Parties to provide
extra-budgetary assistance to support the work of the Advisory Bodies in
developing thematic studies on identified priorities, including on criterion
vii. Australia was pleased to provide funding in 2011 for this important
work.
Australian experts participated in meetings (Germany 2008, 2009) to
resolve some of the procedural issues these complex site types raise in
relation to nomination and management.
As rapporteur of the expert meeting on World Heritage and buffer zones
(Switzerland, 2008), Australia contributed to a refined policy approach
focused on the protection of values rather than places. The meeting
recognised that a buffer zone is only one of many available protection
measures, and should be integrated with effective legal and regulatory
methods.
Australia participated in the open-ended working group on the
procedures of election of World Heritage Committee members, chaired
by the former Japanese Ambassador to UNESCO, H.E. Mr Seiichi
Kondo. The working group's amendments to the Rules of Procedure of
the General Assembly were adopted by the 17th session of the General
Assembly of States Parties (2009).
Australia participated in the Working Group to revise the Operational
Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.
Australia supported changes to the Operational Guidelines which simplify
their use and interpretation, acknowledging that these changes should be
based on the minimum required for efficacy.
Australia chaired the inaugural informal finance working group and
participated in intersessional meetings. The group was established to
respond to identified pressures on the World Heritage Fund and its
impact on the work of the Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage
Centre.
Australia was a prominent player in a two-year working group exercise to
develop the format for the second cycle of periodic reporting.
The Futures process led by Australia identified the need to explore the
contribution of World Heritage to sustainable development. The
Convention focuses primarily on maintaining the heritage value of
inscribed properties. The Futures process identified a need to integrate
a concern for the wider social, economic and environmental context of
the property.
2.
A partner in capacity building
The World Heritage Committee has recognised that the Pacific is the least represented area
in the World Heritage List and that action needs to be taken to address this. Australia has
played an active role to encourage implementation of the Convention in the region and to
improve regional World Heritage management.
Australia has extensive experience in partnering with government and non-government
organisations to support heritage managers worldwide. Australia was elected Vice-President
for the Asia-Pacific in 2008-09 and again in 2009-10. In support of our international
responsibilities to World Heritage, in 2008, the Australian Government committed
AUD1 million to World Heritage activities in the Pacific. Additional major projects have been
developed with Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Pacific Islands World Heritage Workshops
Building on the momentum created by New Zealand’s role as Chair of the World Heritage
Committee in 2007, Australia supported four workshops on World Heritage in the Pacific.

Tongariro, New Zealand 2007: The inaugural Pacific Islands World Heritage
Workshop was held at Tongariro National Park, New Zealand. The workshop resulted
in the first declaration of Pacific Island views on heritage. The declaration offered a
clear statement of Pacific views on culture and heritage, and illustrates rising Pacific
confidence and interest in these issues. Australia provided AUD70,000 towards the
workshop.

Cairns, Australia 2008: Australia hosted the second Pacific Islands World Heritage
Workshop in Cairns. The workshop sought to build on the momentum achieved
through the recent inscription of three Pacific World Heritage sites. Key outcomes
included a draft of the 2010-2015 Pacific World Heritage Action Plan, and terms of
reference for a scoping study for a financing mechanism for heritage activities in
region.

Maupiti, French Polynesia 2009: The third Pacific Islands World Heritage Workshop
was held in Maupiti, French Polynesia. Australia contributed AUD120,000 to the
costs of the workshop, which refined the draft Pacific World Heritage Action Plan
2010-2015. The proposed activities at the regional and national levels follow and
build on the achievements of the Pacific 2009 action plan.

Apia, Samoa 2011: The fourth Pacific Islands World Heritage Workshop was held in
Apia, Samoa. The workshop discussed the proposed Pacific Heritage Hub as well as
future engagement of the region with the World Heritage Convention. Australia
contributed AUD264,000 to support this activity.
Pacific Heritage Hub
The Pacific Heritage Hub concept will involve supporting staff in a regionally-based
organisation to deliver initiatives to improve networking and knowledge management;
capacity building and partnerships and sustainable funding for World Heritage and related
heritage work in the region. This concept is consistent with directions set by Pacific Island
countries at the 2008 and 2009 Pacific World Heritage Workshops and with discussions on
funding, training and communication for the Pacific World Heritage Action Plan 2010-15.
Australia has supported a scoping study and planning meetings (Suva and Apia, 2011) and
will provide start-up funding for the Hub.
Heritage Management Framework for the World Heritage site of Angkor
In December 2008, the Australian Government agreed to provide AUD 1.13 million to support
a Heritage Management Framework for the World Heritage site of Angkor. The Royal
Government of Cambodia committed over USD 600,000 for its implementation. The
Framework will lay the foundations for an official management plan for the Angkor World
Heritage Site and support the role of the Angkor International Coordination Committee and
the APSARA National Authority (Cambodia) in conserving the values of this important World
Heritage site.
Fostering Pacific Islands participation in World Heritage
3.
Australia has provided funding to Pacific Islanders to attend training on heritage protection
and management. This includes supporting three Pacific Islander representatives to attend
the 2010 and 2011 Series on the Conservation and Management of World Heritage Sites.
These workshops focussed on conservation monitoring and were run by the United Nations
Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in Hiroshima, Japan.
A Pacific Islander representative was supported to attend the 3rd UNESCO Foundation
Course for Underwater Cultural Heritage (2011), held in Chanthaburi, Thailand. The workshop
focused on building regional capacity in the protection and management of underwater
cultural heritage through professional training in field techniques on underwater
archaeological sites. We supported the attendance of three Pacific Islanders at the Inaugural
Asian Academy for Heritage Management (AAHM) Asia-Pacific regional conference on
Underwater Cultural Heritage in the Philippines in 2011. Also in 2011, Australia supported
Periodic Reporting training held in Cairns for Vanuatu, PNG, Kiribati and Solomon Islands.
Attendance at World Heritage Committee meetings is an important capacity building activity
and during our Committee term, Australia has supported the attendance of many Pacific
Islanders to these important statutory meetings.
A number of projects are still in development, but details of specific projects underway or
completed are provided below.
Asia-Pacific Projects
Country
Activity
Levuka: During 2010-11
Fiji
Australia provided $11,333 for
an expert review of the Fiji
Government's draft nomination
of the historic port town to the
World Heritage List.
Phoenix Islands Protected Area
Kiribati
(PIPA): In 2008 Australia
provided $25,400 for a
consultant to assist Kiribati to
prepare a World Heritage
nomination.
Bikini Atoll. In 2011 Australia
Marshall
Islands
provided $14,000 to build
institutional capacity and
understanding of the
requirements of having a World
Heritage site and a clear
Management Plan for Bikini
Atoll.
Palau
PNG
Rock Islands Southern Lagoon
Area: During 2010-11 Australia
provided $47,395 to assist
Palau to prepare a World
Heritage nomination.
Owen Stanley Ranges, Brown
River Catchment and Kokoda
Track Region: The Australian
Government is providing
assistance to the Government
of Papua New Guinea for the
protection of the special
natural, cultural and historic
values, and the sustainable
Outcome
The Fiji Government submitted
the Levuka nomination dossier to
the World Heritage Centre in
January 2011.
Status
Completed
PIPA was inscribed on the World
Heritage List in 2010.
Completed
A management capacity
workshop for the Bikini Atoll
Management Committee was
held and provision of list of
agencies or organisations which
can provide funding and
technical assistance to the
Republic of the Marshall Islands
or the Kili-Bikini-Ejit Local
Government to support
management of the Bikini Atoll
World Heritage site provided.
Nomination dossier provided to
the World Heritage Centre in
January 2011.
Ongoing
Second Joint Understanding
between Papua New Guinea and
Australia on the Owen Stanley
Ranges, Brown River Catchment
and Kokoda Track Region was
signed on 8 July 2010. Second
Joint Understanding goals:
 A safe and well-managed
Kokoda Track, which honours
Ongoing
Completed
4.
development of the Owen
Stanley Ranges, Brown River
Catchment and Kokoda Track
Region.
PNGSolomon
Islands
Strengthening World Heritage &
Protected Area Governance:
Solomon Islands & PNG:
Australia is providing $700,000
for this activity.
Solomon
Islands
East Rennell World Heritage
Area: In 2008-09, Australia
implemented an activity on
Strengthening World Heritage
Governance in the East Rennell
World Heritage Area with
funding of $367,053.
its wartime historical
significance and protects and
promotes its special values.
 Enhanced quality of life for
landowners and communities
through improved delivery of
basic services, income
generation and community
development activities.
 The wise use and conservation
of the catchment protection
area, including the Kokoda
Track, and its natural and
cultural resources and values.
 Building national and
international tourism potential
of the Owen Stanley Ranges
and Kokoda Track Region,
supported by a possible future
World Heritage nomination.
 Working with communities,
landowners, industry and all
levels of government to ensure
that activities established
under the Kokoda Initiative are
sustained into the future.
The Activity will focus on
supporting and enhancing
implementation of the World
Heritage Convention, building
capacity to implement protected
area legislation, and supporting
customary landowners to
manage their land in World
Heritage areas, including through
encouraging alternate livelihoods
to circumvent unsustainable
resource extraction. The Activity
will also seek to build regional
partnerships for World Heritage
in the Pacific.
The activity assisted
communities living in the World
Heritage property to:
 establish new governance
and management structures
and processes, in particular,
a new community association
and committee for
management of the property
(Lake Tengano World
Heritage Site Association
LTWHSA);
 enhance awareness and
skills to support communitybased governance and
decision making, World
Heritage and sustainable
natural resource
management and monitoring;
Ongoing
Completed
5.
Vanuatu
Strengthening World Heritage
and Protected Area
Governance in Vanuatu:
Australia is providing $188,000
to undertake this one year
activity.
Vanuatu
Chief Roi Mata Domain World
Heritage Area: Australia is
providing $50,000 to assist with
heritage tourism infrastructure.
Vanuatu
Chief Roi Mata Domain World
Heritage Area: In 2011
Australia provided support for
two heritage professionals from
Solomon Islands and Papua
New Guinea to attend a study
tour.
Borobudur Sustainable Tourism
Guide: In 2011 Australia is
providing USD30,000 to
support a publication on
sustainable tourism at
Borobudur
Indonesia
and
 actively engage with the
implementation of the East
Rennell Management Plan.
The activity will assist Vanuatu to
promote sustainable
development and poverty
reduction in Vanuatu by building
capacity for the governance,
protection and management of
World Heritage, protected areas
and natural resources at
national, provincial government
and community levels.
Ongoing
A World Heritage Bungalows
Workshop was run, providing
information to the local
community on how to receive an
income while using land in a
sustainable way.
Increase knowledge of World
Heritage management issues
including small scale tourism,
and strengthen World Heritage
networks in the Pacific.
Ongoing
Assist the revitalisation of local
communities through cultural
industries and heritage tourism
following the eruption of Mt
Merapi in October 2010 and
provide best-practise information
for safeguarding important
heritage sites in areas known to
be unstable
Ongoing
Complete
6.
Australia’s places of outstanding universal value
Australia’s World Heritage Property Management
Australia had its first three sites inscribed onto the World Heritage List in 1981. Our
properties cover the range of types, including properties listed for their cultural, natural and
mixed values. Australia has worked energetically to ensure that our sites of Outstanding
Universal Value are well protected and managed.
Australia’s Activities
Climate Change
Australian World Heritage
Intergovernmental
Agreement (AWHIGA)
Australian World Heritage
Advisory Committee
(AWHAC)
In 2009, Australia published the first report by any country into
the impacts of climate change on all of its World Heritage
properties. Implications of Climate Change on Australia’s
World Heritage Properties: A Preliminary Assessment shows
that the impacts of climate are expected to be significant,
especially for the eleven World Heritage properties in Australia
inscribed for their ecological values.
In November 2009, Australian Governments agreed on an
arrangement to articulate the roles and responsibilities of
governments in regard to the management of Australia’s World
Heritage properties.
The AWHIGA encompasses the
management, funding, nomination, monitoring and periodic
reporting and promotion of Australia’s World Heritage
properties.
Australian Governments established AWHAC in November
2008 following the World Heritage Ministerial Council and
Property Governance review in 2006. It was established to
provide advice on issues of a national and cross-cutting nature
affecting Australia’s World Heritage properties. It also
streamlined the coordination and governance of Australian
World Heritage properties by replacing nine of ten propertyspecific World Heritage Ministerial Councils. Subsequently
7.
Australian World Heritage
Reference Group
Australia’s World Heritage
Tentative List
World Heritage Convention
activities
Emblem Guidelines
AWHAC has developed key recommendations to government
for action to ensure Australia maintains and enhances its
approach to managing its World Heritage properties. AWHAC
is supported by a Working Group of Officials that is currently
completing a ten year Australian World Heritage
Implementation Plan which will assist Australia in meeting its
World Heritage obligations under the World Heritage
Convention.
In April 2008 the Australian Government established a World
Heritage Reference Group to provide for dialogue between
Australia’s World Heritage Committee Government-nominated
representatives and interested stakeholders. The group
comprises domestic heritage experts, peak bodies and interest
groups, including Chairs of the Australian World Heritage
Advisory property committees, state and territory heritage
councils; Australian, state and territory government
departments; heritage NGOs and heritage academics active in
the field. The Reference Group has provided valuable
expertise, perspectives and ideas on Australia’s policy
approach within the World Heritage Committee.
In June 2007, Australia established a two-stage approach to
guide the development of its Tentative List over the next ten
years: an initial submission to the WHC by Australia in 20092010 of those properties agreed nationally as clear candidates
for nomination to the World Heritage List; and a subsequent
discussion with Australian jurisdictions in 2011 on other
properties that might be included in an update to Australia’s
Tentative List.
Listings: Sydney Opera House (2007); Australian Convict Sites
(2010); Ningaloo Coast (2011); Kakadu National Park extended
to include Koongarra (2011).
Tentative List: Great Sandy World Heritage Area (2010) and
The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area
(extension to existing properties) (2010).
Missions: Tasmanian Wilderness State of Conservation (2008).
Australia developed a guideline for the use of the World
Heritage Emblem. These guidelines are to promote and
standardise use of the World Heritage emblem across
Australia’s diverse World Heritage properties.
Future challenges
The World Heritage Convention has an enviable reputation as a flagship UNESCO program.
This needs to be maintained, requiring both effort and resources. The ‘Futures process’ has
produced a Vision Statement and Strategic Plan 2012-2022 and developed a range of
recommendations in relation to upstream processes, decision-making procedures, state of
conservation issues and sustainable development and heritage. This is not, however, the end
of the road. It is vital that these outcomes of the Futures process be effectively implemented
and monitored for impact on the integrity of the World Heritage Convention.
The environment within which the World Heritage Convention operates has changed
dramatically since its inception in 1972. The ‘identification, protection, conservation,
presentation and transmission to future generations’ of the world’s cultural and natural
heritage of outstanding universal value is, over time, influenced by changing cultural factors,
new scientific findings and the developing appreciation of cultural and natural heritage.
Ongoing expert input of Committee members, States Parties, the secretariat and the advisory
bodies is needed to ensure that the policies that conserve World Heritage adapt and evolve to
reflect these changes, while retaining a core focus on the international community’s
responsibility to participate in the protection of places of outstanding universal value.
8.
While responsibility for the protection, conservation and presentation of World Heritage
belongs to each State Party under the Convention, there are clearly sub-regions of the world
that struggle to engage with, and share in the cultural, economic and social benefits of, World
Heritage recognition and protection. It is incumbent on the World Heritage community to work
together to assist these sub-regions through initiatives to improve communication, training
and funding for World Heritage.
9.
Australia’s World Heritage Committee Term – at a glance
Date
24-25 October 2007
11 – 14 March 2008
2-10 July 2008
16 October 2008
13-17 October 2008
26-30 November
2008
December 2008
25-27 February 2009
14-15 April 2009
11-12 June 2009
22 -30 June 2009
26-29 September
2009
23-28 October 2009
7-11 November
2009
2-7 November 2009
27-29 April 2010
14 June 2010
25 July – 3 August
2010
15-17 December
2010
13-15 April 2011
27-28 April 2011
19 -29 June 2011
5-9 September 2011
October/November
2011
Event
16th General Assembly of States Parties, UNESCO Headquarters
Participant at Expert Meeting on World Heritage and buffer zones,
Davos, Switzerland
32nd session of the Committee, Quebec City, Canada
Australian Funds in Trust (AUD3.3million) established to support
activities related to the World Heritage Convention, particularly in the
Pacific
Host of Pacific Islands World Heritage Workshop, Cairns, Australia
Participant at Expert Workshop on the Present Situation, Challenges
and Opportunities of Serial Natural World Heritage Properties, Vilm,
Germany
AUD1.13million announced for Heritage Management Framework for
the World Heritage site of Angkor
Co-sponsored Workshop to reflect on the Future of the Convention,
UNESCO Headquarters
Participant at expert workshop meeting of the World Heritage Tourism
Initiative Working Group of UNESCO
Participant at World Heritage Asia-Pacific Forum: Fostering
international cooperation in culture and sustainable development,
UNESCO Headquarters
33rd session of the Committee, Sevilla, Spain
Co-sponsored Workshop on Advancing Sustainable Tourism at
Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites, Mogao Caves World Heritage
Site, China
17th General Assembly of States Parties, UNESCO Headquarters
Participant at Expert Workshop on the Nomination and Management
of Serial and Transnational Natural World Heritage sites Vilm,
Germany
Co-sponsored Pacific Islands World Heritage Workshop, Maupiti,
French Polynesia
Co-sponsored Expert meeting on Improvement to “upstream
processes" prior to consideration of nominations by the World
Heritage Committee, Phuket, Thailand
9th Extraordinary session of the World Heritage Committee, UNESCO
34th session of the Committee, Brasilia, Brazil
Co-sponsored Expert meeting on the decision-making procedures of
the statutory organs of the World Heritage Convention, Manama,
Bahrain
Sponsored Expert meeting to develop strategies to address state of
conservation issues in inscribed properties, Dakar, Senegal
Sponsored Planning meeting for Pacific Heritage Hub in Suva, Fiji
35th Session of the Committee, UNESCO Headquarters
Co-sponsor of Pacific Islands World Heritage Workshop, Apia, Samoa
18th General Assembly of States Parties, UNESCO Headquarters
10.