Scientific, Natural & Cultural Heritage Values
The Nullarbor is of national and international scientific and heritage significance with respect to karst landforms and associated phenomena including caves, blow holes, anastomosing tubes (meso-caverns), rock holes, pocket valleys, cave minerals, sediments, sub-fossil bones, bats and invertebrate cave fauna, palaeo-environmental records and climate changes spanning millions of years.
The caves have preserved ancient underground landscapes, environments and fauna that have remained ‘frozen in time’ for hundreds of thousands, and even millions, of years!
Many of the karst landforms and associated phenomena are superlative examples of their type, and many are unique to the Nullarbor.
In 1992 a report (Davey et al.) commissioned by the Commonwealth Government of Australia determined that the Nullarbor karst meets four World Heritage integrity criteria based solely on natural heritage values, even before considering cultural heritage or marine ecosystem values.
Additional to its geoheritage and biodiversity values the Nullarbor has immense cultural heritage significance with more than 40,000 years of human presence preserved in caves.
Professor Jon Woodhead, Melbourne University, in Science Matters (24 January 2019) writes: “The Nullarbor caves meet many of the outstanding universal value criteria for World Heritage Listing – they contain “superlative natural phenomena” and are “an outstanding example representing a major stage of Earth’s history. We should make every effort possible to preserve them for future generations. They are a national treasure and should be part of our national conversation.”
The caves have preserved ancient underground landscapes, environments and fauna that have remained ‘frozen in time’ for hundreds of thousands, and even millions, of years!
Many of the karst landforms and associated phenomena are superlative examples of their type, and many are unique to the Nullarbor.
In 1992 a report (Davey et al.) commissioned by the Commonwealth Government of Australia determined that the Nullarbor karst meets four World Heritage integrity criteria based solely on natural heritage values, even before considering cultural heritage or marine ecosystem values.
Additional to its geoheritage and biodiversity values the Nullarbor has immense cultural heritage significance with more than 40,000 years of human presence preserved in caves.
Professor Jon Woodhead, Melbourne University, in Science Matters (24 January 2019) writes: “The Nullarbor caves meet many of the outstanding universal value criteria for World Heritage Listing – they contain “superlative natural phenomena” and are “an outstanding example representing a major stage of Earth’s history. We should make every effort possible to preserve them for future generations. They are a national treasure and should be part of our national conversation.”