Flinders Ranges World Heritage Nomination

Adnyamathanha Common Law Holders are invited to provide their consent to the Flinders Ranges being assessed for World Heritage at a community meeting on 14 June 2025.

On Saturday 14 June 2025, Adnyamathanha Common Law Holders will be asked to provide their consent to the Flinders Ranges being assessed for World Heritage at a community vote in:

Copley (Copley Community Hall, Copley SA 5732)
Port Augusta (West Augusta Football Club, 13 Gardiner Ave, Port Augusta West SA 5700)
Adelaide (Rydges South Park (Flinders Room), 1 South Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000)

Members who are not able to attend the meeting in-person can attend the meeting online, by clicking on this link. Attendees using the link are not able to vote on resolutions.

View the notice of the Adnyamathanha Common Law Holders meeting.

What is World Heritage?

The World Heritage List is managed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Only places that have “Outstanding Universal Value”, meaning they are of such significance that they are important for both current and future generations, are included on the World Heritage List. Australia is proposing to put forward the Flinders Ranges for nomination to the list in January 2026. If successful, the Flinders Ranges could be officially listed in mid-2027.

The Flinders Ranges World Heritage nomination

The proposed World Heritage area has 7 parts across the Flinders Ranges: in 3 National parks (Ikara-Flinders Ranges, Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges and Nilpena Ediacara) and 4 pastoral leases (Arkaroola, Maynards Well, Puttapa and Angorichina).

The Flinders Ranges is being nominated for its incredible fossils and geology. It is the only place on Earth where we can observe the continuous formation of animal life between 672 and 510 million years ago through three geological periods: the Cryogenian, the Ediacaran and the Cambrian periods. The Ediacaran period’s name in fact finds its origins in Adnyamathanha language, in the word Idhi or zebra finch. The records of this period found in the Flinders Ranges are so exemplary and significant that a Golden Spike has been installed in Brachina Gorge which is the best place in the world to recognise the start of the Ediacaran period.

What is the Adnyamathanha community’s role?

The World Heritage nomination is on the traditional lands of the Adnyamathanha People. This means that the nomination can only be submitted to UNESCO if the Adnyamathanha People provide their free, prior and informed consent.

Representatives from National Parks Co-Management Boards and the ATLA Culture Heritage and Native Title Committee (CHANT), as well as members of the wider community have been meeting regularly since the end of 2023 to discuss the project. Various community engagements have also been taking place on Country and online for Adnyamathanha people to learn more about the project.

Through these engagements, Adnyamathanha people have told us that better protection of cultural sites is a priority. This is now a separate project which will continue regardless of the outcome of the nomination.

What will and won’t happen if the Flinders Ranges gets World Heritage listing?

Listing won’t affect native title rights.
Listing will recognise the global importance of the Flinders Ranges.
Listing could open up more opportunities for Adnyamathanha employment through site management and tourism.
Listing will increase opportunities to access to funding and grants for tourism, site management and protection.
Listing doesn’t require new visitor access to any of the sites, and won’t automatically increase visitation.

Adnyamathanha community vote

Adnyamathanha Common Law Holders will be asked to provide their consent to the Flinders Ranges being assessed for World Heritage at a community vote on 14 June 2025.

If community members provide consent, documentation will be forwarded to the Australian Government for submission to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Once assessed, the Adnyamathanha community will be asked to provide their final consent on World Heritage. In the absence of community consent, the documentation will not proceed to submission with the World Heritage Centre.

Registrations and questions

If you have any questions about the meeting or would like to register your attendance, please contact Bernedeen Denton at atla@moore-australia.com.au or phone (08) 8224 3300.