Gondwana rain forests are a protected group of rain forests along the eastern coast of Australia. The forests lie within the states of New South Wales and Queensland. The Gondwana forests contain some of the largest subtropical rain forests in the world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added parts of the Gondwana rain forest area to its World Heritage List in 1986. The UNESCO World Heritage List recognizes areas of cultural and natural importance. The World Heritage site covers more than 900,000 acres (360,000 hectares).
The forests are named after the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana. Millions of years ago, the areas that would become Africa, Antarctica, Australia, India, and South America were all combined into a large landmass known as the Gondwana supercontinent. During this period, rain forests covered the landmass that would become Australia. Later, the Australian landmass broke off from the larger supercontinent due to a shift in Earth’s tectonic plates. As it continued to drift northward, Australia developed a drier climate and gradually lost most of its rain forests. The Gondwana forests are among the last remaining rain forests in Australia.
The Gondwana rain forests are centered around the Great Dividing Range in eastern New South Wales and southern Queensland. The region receives high amounts of rainfall each year and is known for its rich soil. During the 2019-2020 bushfire season, wildfires burned roughly half the Gondwana rain forest land. Bushfires are wildfires common throughout Australia.
The Gondwana rain forests are home to a wide variety of native plant and animal species (kinds). Several plant species have grown in the region for more than 100 million years. The forests also shelter hundreds of threatened or endangered species. The Gondwana’s cool temperate forests are the largest remaining habitats in the world for the Antarctic beech, an ancient species of tree. Scientists have discovered several animal species previously believed to be extinct in the Gondwana area, such as the Hastings River mouse and the parma wallaby.
First Nations people have inhabited the Gondwana region for thousands of years. First Nations, also called Indigenous peoples of Australia and First Australians, are the original inhabitants of the land that is now Australia. During the European colonization of Australia, settlers cleared rain forests and converted much of the area to farmland. Beginning in the 1900’s, several national parks were established in Queensland and New South Wales to protect the remaining rain forest habitat.
After its creation in 1986, the World Heritage site was expanded in 1994 to include rain forests in Queensland. The World Heritage site already included much of the rain forest region in New South Wales. The site was renamed the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia in 2007. It is managed by the New South Wales and Queensland National Parks Services.
