Lexi Webster
Australia is home to a variety of rainforests, including tropical, subtropical, warm-temperate, and cool-temperate rainforests. These rainforests are found in different regions of the country, depending on factors such as rainfall and latitude. The tropical rainforests are located in Far North Queensland, while subtropical rainforests are found in northern and eastern Australia in wet coastal areas. Warm-temperate rainforests grow in New South Wales and Victoria, and cool-temperate rainforests are found in Victoria, Tasmania, and small areas of New South Wales and Queensland. The Eastern Australian Temperate Forests ecoregion, covering southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, showcases a mix of eucalyptus forests and mixed-species rainforests. The Gondwana Rainforests of Queensland, a World Heritage site, offers a glimpse into the past with its ancient subtropical rainforests. Tasmania's wild and untouched wilderness, covering almost a fifth of the state, boasts one of three remaining temperate wilderness areas in the Southern Hemisphere.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Eastern Australia, specifically the southeast coast, New South Wales, and Queensland |
| Climate | Wet and cool |
| Forest Type | Tropical, subtropical, warm-temperate, and cool-temperate |
| Vegetation | Eucalyptus trees, booyong, black booyong, figs, coachwood, sassafras, lillypilly, Eucryphia moorei, Antarctic beech, ferns, shrubs, vines, mosses, lichens |
| Biodiversity | High; home to unique plant families and endangered species, such as the Wollemi pine, swift parrot, and red goshawk |
| Conservation Status | Threatened by bushfires, coastal development, and logging; conservation efforts focus on protecting wildlife linkages and native vegetation |
| Tourism | Yes; popular for hiking, river drifting, and exploring ancient Aboriginal artefacts |
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What You'll Learn
The Gondwana Rainforests of Queensland
The Gondwana Rainforests contain the largest remaining stands of subtropical rainforest and Antarctic Beech (Nothofagus moorei) cool-temperate rainforests globally. They also contain the most significant areas of warm-temperate rainforest and one of only two remaining large areas of Araucarian rainforest in Australia. The rainforests in Queensland support a rich diversity of marsupials, frogs, and butterflies, with the state having the largest area of rainforest native forest type in the country.
The Queensland Gondwana Rainforests are a popular tourist destination, with approximately 2 million visitors per year. The most heavily visited parts are Dorrigo National Park and the Natural Bridge section of Springbrook National Park. The region has strong institutional arrangements for protection and management, with almost all of the 41 reserves within the protected area estate. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service are responsible for managing the sites, and both states have legislation relating to protected areas and native flora and fauna.
The Gondwana Rainforests were initially listed as a World Heritage site in 1986, covering only the New South Wales sites. In 1994, the site was extended to include the Queensland sites, and the World Heritage Committee requested that the Australian authorities complete the management plans for the individual sites, particularly those within Queensland. The region has faced challenges, with historical logging and the devastating 2019-2020 Australian bushfires impacting large areas of the Gondwana Rainforests. Despite these threats, the rainforests remain an important conservation area, providing habitat for many unique and threatened plant and animal species.
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Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area
The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) is a World Heritage Site in Tasmania, Australia. Covering almost a fifth of Tasmania, or about 15,800 square kilometres, it is one of the largest conservation areas in Australia and one of the last expanses of temperate wilderness in the world. The area is also one of the world's most significant archaeological sites, with a rich cultural history and diverse landscapes.
The TWWHA was first listed as a World Heritage Site in 1982 through joint efforts by the Australian federal government and the Tasmanian government. The area includes Tasmania's four largest national parks and several smaller areas of various conservation land tenures. The Tasmanian Wilderness is also one of the world's largest and most spectacular temperate wilderness areas and a precious cultural landscape for Tasmanian Aboriginal people, who have lived there for approximately 40,000 years. The Aboriginal people adapted to a changing climate and natural environment, and their cultural heritage remains in the property today, with significant Pleistocene cave occupation sites and later Holocene sites.
The TWWHA is known for its natural beauty and biodiversity, including rare and endangered species of plants and animals, most of which are endemic to the region. The area is home to 663 species of animals, 230 butterfly species, and more than 2,800 different types of plants. It is also a great place to spot crocodiles and elusive species like the flightless cassowary, the tree kangaroo, and the Ulysses butterfly. The region's main industry is tourism, with activities such as bushwalking, whitewater rafting, and climbing.
The TWWHA has faced threats from logging and development interests, with attempts to de-list the area's World Heritage status in 2014 to allow for logging. However, these attempts were rejected by the World Heritage Committee and UNESCO, which opposed the idea. The area is protected by Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, which provides legal protection for Outstanding Universal Value by regulating actions within and outside the World Heritage boundary. A management plan is in place and is reviewed at least every seven years to ensure the preservation of this unique and culturally significant site.
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Sydney's forested areas
The Sydney metropolitan area has a transitional climate, with regions like the Cumberland Plain Woodland in the greater west being predominantly dry sclerophyll woodlands. However, the eucalyptus communities, or eucalypt forests, in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales are usually wet sclerophyll wet forests. These forests have a closed canopy cover ranging from 30% to 70% and include small broadleaved trees, vines, ferns, and shrubs.
Subtropical rainforests, the most developed community in New South Wales, grow in warm and wet sites with rainfall higher than 1,300 mm per year. They can be found in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, in the Border Ranges National Park, and in the lower and more sheltered reaches of Wollumbin (Mount Warning) National Park.
Warm-temperate rainforests, which are less diverse than dry or subtropical rainforests, grow on low-nutrient soils. They can be found scattered in the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, North Coast, the Illawarra escarpment near Wollongong, and in isolated pockets in the South Coast. They are predominant in the parks south of Coffs Harbour and can be found in all the World Heritage national parks of the region, between 450 and 1200 metres altitude.
Cool-temperate rainforests, similar to the biome found in Tasmania, receive between 1750 and 3000 mm of rain annually and are often shrouded in mist when it's not raining. They are found in small pockets at high altitudes throughout the Border Ranges and Lamington National Parks.
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Tropical rainforests in Far North Queensland
The tropical rainforests in Far North Queensland are a nature lover's paradise. Covering 32,700 square kilometres of northeastern coastal Queensland, this ecoregion is one of the oldest and most isolated rainforests in the world. It is home to a rich biodiversity, including ancient plant lineages and unique animal species.
The Wet Tropics bioregion, as it is also known, rises from sea level to 1,477 metres and has a tropical rainforest climate with dry winters. The northern section, which includes Cairns, is the largest part of the ecoregion. The middle section is centred on Mackay, Queensland, and the southern section is just south of Shoalwater Bay.
The Queensland tropical rainforests are designated one of the Global 200 ecoregions and are the largest remnant of Australia's rainforest flora. They contain the world's best living record of the evolutionary history of land plants, with most of the world's relict species from the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana. The region also boasts an impressive array of animal life, with at least 672 terrestrial vertebrate species, 130 bird species, and 170 reptile species.
The Southern Cassowary is the flagship species of the Queensland Tropical Rainforests ecoregion. Other iconic species include the tree kangaroo, mahogany gliders, and spotted-tail quolls. The region is also home to the ancient Wollemi pine, a relict species that has found refuge in the stable, wetter microclimates of Queensland.
The rainforests in Far North Queensland face several threats, including invasive species like cane toads and diseases like Phytophthora cinnamomic, which causes rainforest dieback. Conservation efforts focus on reducing the impact of feral pigs, foxes, cats, and other pests, as well as protecting intact natural forest fragments and reducing habitat fragmentation caused by infrastructure.
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Warm-temperate rainforests in New South Wales and Victoria
Australia's warm-temperate rainforests are found in various regions in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria. In NSW, they are located in discontinuous patches along the eastern edge of the state, ranging from large tracts of land to small gullies. These rainforests fall within the subtropical and warm temperate climate zones, with warm, humid summers and mild winters, and higher rainfall in summer. The warm temperate zone specifically follows the coast from 32° latitude to 34° latitude, south of Wollongong.
The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, a World Heritage-listed site, includes large areas of warm-temperate rainforest across 40 reserves from southeast Queensland to Newcastle near the NSW Central Coast. This area represents significant biodiversity and evolutionary history, with 50 national parks, an array of bushwalks, and diverse flora and fauna.
In Victoria, approximately 32,000 hectares, or 0.14% of the state's total area, is covered by temperate rainforest. These rainforests can be found in East Gippsland, Strzelecki Ranges, Wilsons Promontory, Central Highlands, and Otway Ranges. The Victorian rainforests vary between cool temperate, warm temperate, and mixed cool temperate, providing habitat for a diverse range of plant and animal species.
The Eastern Australian Temperate Forests ecoregion, which includes parts of southern Queensland and northern NSW, features a mix of eucalypt forests and mixed-species rainforests. Common rainforest trees in this region include booyong, black booyong, and figs. The wet eucalypt forests support species such as tallowwood, blackbutt, brush box, and flooded gum.
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Frequently asked questions
Temperate rainforests are found in the southeast of Australia, in the coastal plains, mountains, and tablelands of the southeast coast.
The warm-temperate rainforests of Australia include the eucalyptus communities of the Blue Mountains, the Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest, and the Blue Gum High Forest.
The cool-temperate rainforests of Tasmania support diverse fungi, mosses, and lichens. Cool-temperate rainforests are also found in small areas of high altitude in New South Wales and Queensland.
Covering almost a fifth of Tasmania, the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area is one of three remaining temperate wilderness areas in the Southern Hemisphere. It is known for its conservation of rare and endangered species, most of which are endemic to the region.
Rainforest Tours Australia offers hiking experiences in Springbrook and Lamington National Parks, where you can discover cascading waterfalls, breathtaking lookouts, and the iconic Natural Bridge. You can also explore the Gondwana Rainforests of Queensland, which include Lamington, Springbrook, Mount Barney, and Main Range National Parks.
