Gondwana Rainforests of Australia

The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, formerly known as the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves, are a World Heritage Site, encompassing 41 rainforest reserves with a total area of approximately 370,000 ha (910,000 acres) in north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland. The site was added to the World Heritage List in 1986 and was expanded in 1994. The Gondwana Rainforests are also listed on the Australian National Heritage List and the New South Wales Heritage Register. The Gondwana Rainforests are home to a number of plant and animal species whose lineages trace back to before the separation of the landmass Gondwana, some of which are only found in the region. These include early examples of ferns, conifers, and flowering plants. The reserves that make up the site are among the last remaining examples of the rainforests that covered most of Australia at the time of its separation from Gondwana. The Gondwana Rainforests are the world's most significant subtropical rainforests and include almost all of the world's Antarctic beech cool temperate rainforests.