The Australian Government, as a party to the World Heritage Convention, works in cooperation with the NSW Government (and other states) to ensure management of World Heritage is consistent with the Convention. It also administers the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, under which World Heritage is a matter of national environmental significance.
World Heritage advisory committees in New South Wales advise managing agencies and government ministers responsible for World Heritage on matters relating to the identification, protection, conservation and presentation of World Heritage values. This includes strategic policies in relation to Australia’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention. The committees may also be asked to consider and provide advice on issues that may have a significant impact on the area or on natural and cultural-heritage conservation.
The chairs of the committees are jointly appointed by the NSW and Australian Government ministers responsible for World Heritage. Committee members are appointed by the state minister responsible for World Heritage.
Meetings
Advisory committees meet at least 3 times a year. Up to 2 observers from each of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water may be present at advisory committee meetings.
Gondwana Rainforests of Australia
There are 2 advisory committees for the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia:
- the Community Advisory Committee
- the Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee.
The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage property advisory committees provide advice to relevant government ministers and management agencies.
The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage property includes reserves in New South Wales and Queensland. Members of advisory committees are appointed by New South Wales and Queensland environment ministers. Chairs of the advisory committees are jointly appointed by environment ministers for the New South Wales, Queensland and Australian Governments.
Advisory committees meet in Brisbane, with one on-site visit each year.
The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Community Advisory Committee has an independent chair and 10 members who represent traditional owners, local authorities, community interest groups and other stakeholders:
- Five members represent stakeholder interests within the New South Wales portion of Gondwana and are nominated through the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) regional advisory committees.
- Five members represent stakeholder interests within the Queensland portion of Gondwana Rainforests and are selected through an expression-of-interest process.
The Chair of the Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee is also a member of the Community Advisory Committee.
Current members of the Community Advisory Committee, with the fields they represent, are as follows.
Chair
Dr Mahri Koch (NSW, ecologist)
Members
- Mr Paul Donatiu (Queensland, recreation)
- Mr Bryan Johnston (NSW, commercial tourism/NPWS Northern Tablelands Regional Advisory Committee)
- Mr Innes Larkin (Queensland, commercial tourism)
- Mr Peter Ogilvie (Queensland, conservation)
- Ms Jan Olley (NSW, recreation/NPWS Northern Rivers Regional Advisory Committee)
- Ms Carmel Peacock (NSW, local government)
- Mr Terry Tibbett (NSW, Aboriginal people/NPWS North Coast Regional Advisory Committee)
- Professor Nick Reid (University of New England)
- vacant (Queensland, Aboriginal member).
The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee has an independent Chair and 8 members who represent areas of technical and scientific expertise. The Chair of the Community Advisory Committee is also a member of the Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee.
Current members of the technical and scientific advisory committee, with the areas they represent, are as follows.
Chair
Professor Nick Reid (University of New England)
Members
- Professor Stephen Gale (geomorphology)
- Ms Liz Gould (community engagement in natural-resource management)
- Dr Aila Keto (World Heritage assessment and ecological restoration)
- Dr Melinda Laidlaw (plant-community ecology)
- Professor Michael Mahoney (threatened species management and conservation biology)
- Dr Bill McDonald (biogeography, ecology and plant identification)
- Dr Ross Peacock (fire ecology and citizen science)
- Professor Betty Weiler (visitor management, interpretation and sustainable tourism)
- Dr Mahri Koch (NSW, ecologist).
Committee meetings are also attended by representatives of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, the Queensland Department of Science, Environment and Innovation, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and a representative from the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Committee members are reimbursed for travel expenses and sitting fees are paid to the chairs.
Greater Blue Mountains Area
The Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Advisory Committee provides advice to relevant government ministers. It also provides advice to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, as the management agency, through the property’s Management Committee on matters related to the property’s World Heritage values.
The Advisory Committee has 13 members. Current members, with the areas they represent, are:
- Mr Bruce Leaver – Chair
- Dr Ian Baird – ecology or zoology
- Mr Doug Benson – botany
- Ms Tara Cameron – non-government organisation from the conservation sector
- Mrs Glenda Chalker – Aboriginal
- Mr Bill Dixon – NPWS Blue Mountains Region Advisory Committee
- Mr Darrin Gray – outdoor, self-reliant, nature-based recreation
- Dr Julia James – water quality and aquatic ecology
- Mr Dylan Jones – tourism
- Cr Amanda Kotlash – local government (Hawkesbury City Council)
- Dr Ruth Longdin – archaeological/cultural heritage
- Mr Nick Rigby – local government (Blue Mountains City Council)
- Mr Lance Syme – Aboriginal.
Committee meetings are also attended by the property's Management Committee:
- Director Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust
- Director NPWS Blue Mountains Branch
- Director NPWS Partnership, Planning and Heritage Branch
- a representative from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
Willandra Lakes Region
There are 3 groups that provide advice on the management of this World Heritage property:
- Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Advisory Committee
- Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage First Peoples’ Consultative Group (formerly the Aboriginal Advisory Group)
- Willandra Landholders Group.
The groups work together to manage the property. All members of the First Peoples’ Consultative Group are members of the Advisory Committee, and they meet 3 times a year on or near the World Heritage property. The Willandra Landholders Group meets twice a year, with one of these meetings being a joint meeting with the First Peoples’ Consultative Group.
The Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Advisory Committee provides advice to relevant government ministers and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service on the management of the property. It provides advice to other government agencies through the intergovernmental Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Management Committee on matters relating to the property's World Heritage values.
The committee has 18 members. The committee’s terms of reference specify that the committee Chair should be an independent, non-government person with no current direct financial or political interest in the management of the Willandra Lakes Region.
The committee members represent relevant interest groups, stakeholders, scientific disciplines and rights-holders. Members of the committee are:
- Mr Mike Williams (Independent Chair)
- Mr Warren Clark (Barkandji/Paakantyi representative)
- Mr Ivan Johnston (Barkandji/Paakantyi representative)
- Ms Kathy Potter (Barkandji Registered Native Title Group Aboriginal Corp representative)
- Ms Patricia Winch (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Ms Verna Eade (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Mr Jason Kelly (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Ms Joan Slade (Ngiyampaa representative)
- Mr Mark Brettschneider (Ngiyampaa representative)
- Mr Keith Hampton (Ngiyampaa representative)
- Tom Wakefield (southern landholder representative)
- Wade Griffiths (northern landholder representative)
- Jane MacAllister (local government – Wentworth Shire)
- Professor Tim Denham (science)
- A/Professor Nicola Stern (science)
- Dr Nathan Jankowski (science)
- Sarah Hope (tourism expert)
- Marie Russel (NPWS West Branch Regional Advisory Committee).
Landholders are nominated by the Willandra Landholders Group to represent the northern and southern landholder clusters in the area.
Representatives of local government are nominated by their local government. The relevant National Parks and Wildlife Service regional advisory committee members are nominated by their committee.
Tourism and scientific community committee members are appointed by the NSW Minister for the Environment, following a public call for nominations.
All 9 elected members of the First Peoples’ Consultative Group are appointed by the NSW Minister for the Environment to the World Heritage Advisory Committee.
The Willandra Lakes Region First Peoples’ Consultative Group provides advice to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. First formed in 2015 as the Aboriginal Advisory Group, it changed its name in 2023. The group is in its third term.
The First Peoples’ Consultative Group has 9 members. The members are elected from each of the 3 Aboriginal peoples associated with the World Heritage property – the Barkandji/Paakantyi, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa peoples:
- The Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa peoples elect 3 members each.
- The Barkandji/Paakantyi people elect 2 members.
- The third member is appointed by the Barkandji Registered Native Title Group Aboriginal Corporation to represent their interests.
All members of the First Peoples’ Consultative Group also sit on the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Advisory Committee.
The elected and then appointed members are also able to nominate a member’s representative to attend meetings on their behalf. This position is appointed by a National Parks and Wildlife Service Executive Director.
The term is 3 years, and members can be re-elected as per their terms of reference:
- Mr Warren Clark (Chair – Barkandji/Paakantyi representative)
- Mr Ivan Johnston (Barkandji/Paakantyi representative)
- Ms Kathy Potter (Barkandji Registered Native Title Group Aboriginal Corp representative)
- Ms Patricia Winch (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Ms Verna Eade (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Mr Jason Kelly (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Ms Joan Slade (Ngiyampaa representative)
- Mr Mark Brettschneider (Ngiyampaa representative)
- Mr Keith Hampton (Ngiyampaa representative).
Aboriginal Advisory Group report
Future reports will be known as the First Peoples’ Consultative Group report to reflect the change to the group’s name.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this report may contain images and names of deceased persons.
The Willandra Landholders Group meets with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to discuss matters relating to the management of the World Heritage property. The group is made up of all leaseholders of pastoral properties within the World Heritage property.
There are 13 stations currently within the Willandra Lakes Region:
- Mulurulu
- Spring Hill
- Pan Ban
- Gol Gol
- Baymore
- Turlee
- Top Hut
- Marma
- Chibnalwood
- Arumpo
- Banoon
- Guthul
- Prungle.
Contact us
Greater Blue Mountains Area
Email: [email protected]
Gondwana Rainforests of Australia
Email: [email protected]
Willandra Lakes Region
Email: [email protected]
Lord Howe Island Group
Email: [email protected]