Fourteen civil society organisations have urged UNESCO to increase its risk rating for Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) from “good with some concern” to “significant concern”. Uplisting by UNESCO will increase scrutiny by the international community and ensure the federal government does its part in urgently addressing threats.

The groups have written to senior officers at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) outlining their concerns about rising threats to the World Heritage Area including:

  • Climate change impacts, including increasingly severe fire seasons
  • Changed fire regimes
  • Increasing threats to the Maugean skate
  • Declining federal protections 
  • Inadequate boundary management
  • Invasive feral deer
  • Light pollution threatening cultural heritage
  • Tourism development pressures, and 
  • The unrestored flooded Lake Pedder 

The groups also highlighted the complete lack of progress on joint management with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community, incomplete cultural heritage assessment, and the failure to seek free, prior and informed consent, which breaches the UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The groups have, through a joint letter (attached), subsequent correspondence, and in person in Paris on 12 December 2025, asked the international body to intervene.

Specifically, the groups have asked that 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee session to recommence State of Conservation Reporting and send a Reactive Monitoring Mission to the Tasmanian Wilderness in 2026.

Key concerns raised

1. Maugean Skate Extinction Risk: The endangered, ancient Gondwanan skate faces imminent extinction due to salmon farming pollution in Macquarie Harbour. The organisations argue the Australian Government has misled UNESCO by suggesting the species is recovering, when scientific evidence indicates the population may be approaching a “demographic cliff.”

2. Indigenous Rights (Palawa People): No progress has been made on joint management with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community, cultural heritage assessments remain incomplete, and free, prior and informed consent is not being sought — in breach of the UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

3. Undermined Legal Protections: The Australian Government changed environmental law in March 2025 specifically to prevent a reconsideration of the 2012 decision permitting salmon farm expansion, blocking an Environmental Impact Assessment that likely would have been required.

4. Climate Change & Fire: Increasingly severe fire seasons driven by climate change are destroying irreplaceable, fire-sensitive Gondwanan ecosystems. The organisations challenge the “mostly effective” climate management rating given Australia’s continued approval of new fossil fuel projects.

5. Other Issues: Inadequate boundary management, invasive feral deer, light pollution threatening cultural heritage, tourism development pressures, and the unrestored flooded Lake Pedder are all flagged as ongoing concerns.

Andry Sculthorpe, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre said: “Our concerns have been raised in person in Paris at the World Heritage Centre and we are asking the World Heritage Committee to intervene at its annual meeting in July. 

“Central to our concerns are the absence of a Cultural Survey and joint management with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community. These and other actions were committed to in response to the 2015 mission from UNESCO but remain outstanding.”

“The Palawa community is seeking to meet with UNESCO to discuss the breach of rights and ongoing alienation faced by Traditional Owners of the Tasmanian Wilderness.”

Eloise Carr, The Wilderness Society said: “The 2025 Global World Heritage Outlook Report finds the current state and trend of the Tasmanian Wilderness is deteriorating and of high concern, and that overall threats are considered high. Recently disclosed documents reveal Australia is willing to ignore its own advice about impacts on the World Heritage Area. We urgently need an intervention from the World Heritage Committee.

“A report to the UN General Assembly last year highlighted the completely inadequate response by governments when it comes to fish farming in Tasmania. This industry has never been subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment under Australian law, including for its impact on World Heritage. Both Macquarie Harbour and Maugean skate are recognised for their World Heritage values, and yet no such assessment has been undertaken. Nor has any reduction in farmed fish occurred since the 2023 recommendation to do so.

“We have asked the World Heritage Committee to send another mission to Tasmania to assess the situation for themselves, and to require regular reporting from Australia on actions being taken to address threats.”

EDO Principal Lawyer Nicole Sommer said: “The federal government has a duty at international law to protect our World Heritage Areas and pass them onto future generations in good condition.  

“The federal government must urgently address threats to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and its Gondwanan values. 

“These threats include climate change and unsustainable fin fish farming that is putting the endangered Maugean skate at greater risk of extinction. 

“The message from the community is clear – urgent action is needed. That is why we join with community and environmental groups calling on UNESCO to reassess its threat status of the TWWHA, which would increase pressure on state and federal governments to manage this priceless community asset responsibly.”

Signatories to the letter

  • Australian Marine Conservation Society 
  • Environment Tasmania
  • Environmental Defenders Office 
  • Friends of the Bays
  • Neighbours of Fish Farming
  • NW Tas for Clean Water
  • Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection
  • Tasmania Alliance for Marine Protection
  • Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre
  • Tasmanian National Parks Association
  • The Australia Institute
  • The Bob Brown Foundation
  • The Wilderness Society