The Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Site is an area covering about 8,940 km² (3,450 sq mi) of very wet forests along parts of the coast and nearby mountain ranges in tropical Queensland, Australia. This area meets all four natural heritage selection criteria for a World Heritage site. It received World Heritage status in 1988 and was added to the Australian National Heritage List on 21 May 2007.

The tropical forests in this region have the highest number of ancient types of flowering plant families in the world. Only Madagascar and New Caledonia, because of their long history of being isolated, have humid, tropical areas with a similar level of species found only in those regions.

The Wet Tropics rainforests are a biodiversity hotspot and are recognized worldwide for their very old history and many unique plants and animals. This area covers 0.1% of Australia’s total land area but is home to 50% of the country’s species. Many of the plants and animals in the Wet Tropics are found nowhere else on Earth. The Wet Tropics contains the oldest tropical rainforests that have existed continuously on Earth.

Indigenous peoples

On November 9, 2012, the Australian government recognized the importance of the area's Indigenous heritage for the entire country. The Aboriginal Rainforest People of the Wet Tropics in Queensland have lived in the rainforest for at least 5,000 years. This is the only place in Australia where Aboriginal people have lived permanently in a tropical rainforest environment.

Geography

The Wet Tropics of Queensland runs from Townsville to Cooktown, near the Great Barrier Reef, which is also a World Heritage Site.

The land is rough and uneven. Large mountain ranges, smaller coastal hills, highlands, flat areas, foothills, and a steep slope shape the landscape.

This area includes the northern part of the Queensland tropical rainforests, such as the Daintree Rainforest. Sixteen different kinds of rainforests have been identified here.

The World Heritage area includes Australia’s highest waterfall, Wallaman Falls. It covers 13 major river systems, including the Annan, Bloomfield, Daintree, Barron, Mulgrave, Russell, Johnstone, Tully, Herbert, Burdekin, Mitchell, Normanby, and Palmer Rivers. Copperlode Falls Dam, Koombooloomba Dam, and Paluma Dam are also located within this area.

Fifteen percent of the area is protected as a national park. National parks within the Wet Tropics include:

• Barron Gorge National Park
• Kalkajaka National Park
• Cedar Bay National Park
• Daintree National Park
• Girramay National Park
• Girringun National Park
• Kirrama National Park
• Kuranda National Park
• Macalister Range National Park
• Wooroonooran National Park

More than 700 protected areas, including privately owned land, are part of the region.

The Wet Tropics Management Authority was created in 1983. It manages the site as required by Australia’s World Heritage rules. In 2012, the agency had 20 employees working as part of the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection. A board of directors, responsible to the Wet Tropics Ministerial Council, leads the agency. The council includes representatives from both the Queensland and Federal Governments.

Flora

The site has many special features, including more than 390 rare plant species. Of these, 74 are at risk of disappearing. At least 85 species are found only in this area, and there are 13 different types of rainforest and 29 species of mangrove trees, more than any other place in the country. Out of the 19 families of early flowering plants worldwide, 12 live in the Wet Tropics. Two of these families are found only here, and include at least 50 species that are unique to the area.

Ninety species of orchids have been identified. A rare tree called Stockwellia quadrifida, also known as Vic Stockwell's Puzzle, grows only in limited areas of "well-developed upland rainforest" in the Wet Tropics. This tree is closely related to the ancient ancestors of eucalyptus trees, which later diversified into the many types of eucalyptus plants seen today. Sixty-five percent of Australia's fern species are protected in this area, including all seven of the oldest fern species.

Fauna

In the area, 370 types of birds have been recorded. Of these, 11 are found only in this region. The southern cassowary and the rare spotted-tailed quoll are among many species that are at risk of disappearing. The musky rat-kangaroo is one of 50 animal species that are unique to this area. This animal is important because it shows an early stage in the evolution of kangaroos. Other rare animals in the area include the yellow-bellied glider and the brush-tailed bettong. Scientists have identified 107 species of mammals. Australia's rarest mammal, the insectivorous Flores tube-nosed bat (Murina florium), also lives here. About 25% of Australia's rodent species are found in the Wet Tropics.

There are 113 reptile species in the area, including 24 that are found only in this region. There are also 51 amphibian species, 22 of which are found only here. One reason so many species are found only in this area is the variety of landforms, which create separate habitats where unique species have developed. Some species are found only in specific mountains or groups of mountains.

Around 225 butterfly species have been discovered in the area, including 6 that are found only here and 14 unique subspecies. This area is home to about 57% of all butterfly species in Australia.

Climate

Rainfall in the area changes a lot, with elevation and the direction of the coastline being the main reasons. Rainfall averages between 1,200 millimetres (mm) and over 8,000 mm each year. The highest mountains along the escarpment between Cairns and Tully receive the most rainfall, mainly because of orographic factors. Mount Bellenden Ker is the wettest recording station in the area. Other high peaks and the eastern slopes also get a lot of rainfall. Most of the rainfall happens from November to April. Tropical cyclones can affect the area.

Environmental threats

The growth of the sugarcane industry in lowland areas can harm some endangered ecosystems. These ecosystems are broken into smaller parts, and their natural plants are damaged. Non-native pests and roads and power lines splitting the land are also problems. Some insects and mites are hard to find, making them a special concern. Certain areas are not allowed for the public to enter to stop the spread of Phytophthora. Southern cassowaries are often hit by cars. Feral cats hunt native animals. These cats also compete with spotted-tailed quolls for food and living space.

Gallery

• Barron Gorge, located in Barron Gorge National Park
• Josephine Falls, photographed in 2008
• Daintree Rainforest, documented in 2011
• The musky rat-kangaroo is a marsupial species that lives only in the Wet Tropics ecoregion.
• Map of the region, created in 2012