Lexi Webster
Australia has been included on the UK's COVID-19 travel green list, allowing tourists to visit the country without having to quarantine on their return. Australia has also been recognised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for its four sites on the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas. These sites include Arakwal National Park and Kakadu National Park, which are co-managed with Indigenous people.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is Australia on the green list for travel? | As of May 2021, Australia was on the green list for travel from the UK. However, as of October 2022, the green list and amber list were replaced with a simplified red and non-red list system. |
| IUCN Green List Sites | Australia has four sites on the IUCN Green List: Arakwal National Park, Kakadu National Park, Lamington National Park, and an unnamed fourth site. |
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What You'll Learn
Australia's IUCN Green List Sites
Australia has an extensive system of protected areas, with nearly 12,500 sites, including sixteen natural/mixed World Heritage areas. These protected areas cover almost 20% of the country's terrestrial region and over 40% of its marine area.
The IUCN Green List is a global campaign for successful nature conservation. It is the only global standard that recognizes protected and conserved areas for effectiveness in their governance and management and conservation outcomes. Sites that meet the standard demonstrate positive outcomes for people and nature. The IUCN Green List offers locally relevant expert guidance to help achieve fair and effective nature conservation results in protected and conserved areas.
In 2024, the IUCN admitted four new sites in Australia to the Green List: Arakwal National Park, Kakadu National Park, Lamington National Park, and Booderee National Park. Arakwal National Park was the first park in the world to be listed under the IUCN Green List in recognition of the work done to sustainably manage, improve, and protect the area. Kakadu National Park enables Indigenous knowledge and values to inform the ways in which effective management is evaluated and enabled. Lamington National Park is a densely forested area that forms the border between New South Wales and Queensland. It contains remnants of the ancient Gondwanan rainforests that once blanketed Australia. Booderee National Park is co-managed by the Wreck Bay Indigenous community and Parks Australia.
Australia's protected areas provide a diverse range of conservation efforts, from heritage studies and tourism planning to community development and visitor management. These sites showcase the country's commitment to preserving its natural heritage and biodiversity while also promoting cultural and Indigenous values.
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Australia's Covid 'green list' status
Australia has been included in the UK's Covid green list. Travellers arriving from countries on the green list will not have to quarantine upon their return to the UK. However, they will be required to take a test two days after arriving in the UK. It is important to note that the green and amber lists were removed in October 2022, simplifying the system to a red list and a non-red list.
In June 2024, four new sites in Australia were admitted to the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas. The IUCN Green List is the only global standard that recognises effective governance, management, and conservation outcomes in protected and conserved areas. The four new sites in Australia include Lamington National Park, which forms the border between New South Wales and Queensland.
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Australia's travel restrictions
Australia has had some of the world's strictest travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of June 2021, Australia was on the UK's green list, meaning that UK tourists could travel there without quarantining on their return. However, entry to Australia was "severely restricted".
The Australian government has advised its citizens that if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. Australians travelling to Europe or Southeast Asia are advised to take out travel insurance and to exercise a high degree of caution due to the unpredictable security situation in the Middle East.
In June 2021, the UK government added Spain's Balearic Islands, Malta, Madeira, and some islands in the Caribbean, including Barbados, to its travel green list. However, Spain's government stated that Britons arriving in Mallorca and Ibiza would have to present a negative test result or proof of vaccination. The UK's green list also included Gibraltar, Israel, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands, but entry to several of these destinations was also highly restricted.
The UK's amber list included Portugal, Germany, and Spain. Travellers arriving in Portugal from the UK had to prove they had received two vaccine doses at least two weeks prior to their arrival or isolate for 14 days. Germany required travellers from the UK to quarantine for two weeks, regardless of their COVID-19 test results, unless they were citizens or residents or had urgent humanitarian reasons for their visit.
The red list included Brazil, India, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Eritrea, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Mongolia, Tunisia, and Uganda. Travellers returning to the UK from red list countries had to stay in a government-approved quarantine hotel for 10 full days at a cost of £1,750.
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Australia's conservation efforts
Australia is one of the world's most biologically diverse countries, with unique biodiversity and some of the most fascinating species and exceptional natural places globally. It is one of 17 'megadiverse' nations and has more species than any other developed country.
The country has a long history of conservation efforts, with an extensive system of protected areas dating back to 1879 when the Royal National Park was established near Sydney. Since then, the system has expanded to include nearly 12,500 sites, including sixteen natural/mixed World Heritage areas. Protected areas cover nearly 20% of the terrestrial and over 40% of the marine areas of the country, with the majority managed by state governments. Notably, protected areas under Indigenous governance, while relatively small in number, represent nearly half of the terrestrial reserve system by area. Additionally, many government-protected areas are co-managed with Indigenous people, incorporating their knowledge and values into effective management practices.
Several organisations play a crucial role in Australia's conservation landscape. The Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC), a non-government organisation, owns, manages, or influences more land for conservation than any other non-government organisation in the country. AWC focuses on restoring landscapes and wildlife through science, innovation, and partnerships. They work to protect Australia's threatened animals and restore landscapes and wildlife at a large scale.
The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) inspires communities, businesses, and governments to benefit nature. They advocate for a transition from expensive and destructive fossil fuels to affordable and clean energy, recognising the climate destruction caused by burning coal and gas fuels.
Conservation International Australia is another key player, working to restore coastal wetlands in partnership with Indigenous custodians. They recognise the importance of 'blue carbon' ecosystems, such as mangroves, saltmarshes, and seagrass, in drawing down atmospheric carbon.
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Australia's international travel rules
Currently, the Australian government provides travel advice and updates through its Smartraveller website and recommends that travellers subscribe to receive email notifications when travel advice is updated. The website also advises travellers to purchase travel insurance that covers their itinerary, planned activities, and any potential emergency expenses.
For US travellers, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides information on medical tourism, including the risks associated with travelling to Australia for medical reasons. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also assessed Australia's Civil Aviation Authority as meeting international standards for aviation safety oversight.
Additionally, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Food and Drug Administration have specific rules regarding bringing medication back to the United States. Any medication purchased abroad must be for personal use, approved for use in the US, and meet all requirements to be legally brought back.
Travellers should also be aware of potential safety and security concerns, such as the unpredictable situation in the Middle East, which may impact travel within the region and globally. Australia also experiences natural disasters such as bushfires and cyclones, which travellers should be prepared for.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia was on the green list for UK travellers in 2021, but the green list has since been removed in favour of a simpler travel system.
The green list was a traffic light system introduced in the UK that allowed travellers arriving from countries on the list to return to the UK without needing to quarantine.
Travellers still need to follow the rules for other countries, which may include providing proof of vaccination and a negative PCR test. It is recommended to check the government website before travelling as rules are constantly changing.
