Today we walk on Quandamooka Mother Earth
We acknowledge our creator spirit, Quandamooka Elders past and present.
Quandamooka Country in Moreton Bay, south east Queensland, is being proposed for a World Heritage listing in recognition of its unique cultural and natural values. World Heritage listing is the highest global recognition of the significance of a place.
Quandamooka Country comprises the area of Moreton Bay (near Brisbane), the major islands of Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), Mulgumpin (Moreton Island), the surrounding smaller islands and the adjacent mainland.
The Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (QYAC) is working in partnership with the Queensland Government and the Australian Government to progress the Quandamooka submission for inclusion on Australia’s World Heritage Tentative List. QYAC represents the Quandamooka People and is leading the submission to ensure it adequately conveys the ancient and living heritage of Quandamooka People, their connection to Country and aspirations for it.
The Quandamooka People, and their ancestors before them, have continuously occupied the lands and seas of Moreton Bay and the sandy bay islands for thousands of years. The archaeological heritage of Moreton Bay and the surrounding islands is an extensive, rich and diverse cultural record, comprising more than 1,000 known sites.
Contemporary cultural knowledge relating to these sites and landscapes remains strong, and is associated with living traditions, ideas and beliefs.
The islands, marine and wetland environments are outstanding natural habitats for the protection of many conservation significant species.
An array of marine and terrestrial wildlife inhabits the area, which is also an important feeding area for migratory wader birds on the East Asia-Australasia Flyway. The marine areas, from shallow lagoon to open sea on the east of the island, are important habitat for a rich diversity of fish, sharks, reptiles and marine mammals of international importance for conservation.
Quandamooka Country is particularly renowned for its significant and stable population of dugong, and for its three areas of the critically endangered Eastern Australia sub-population of grey nurse shark.
A World Heritage nomination will further promote and protect outstanding Quandamooka Country examples of natural habitat and wildlife, rich cultural heritage and continuous land and sea management for current and future generations. Specifically, it would further protect:
The first step towards World Heritage is to have a place added to the Australian World Heritage Tentative List, which indicates Australia’s future intention to nominate for World Heritage listing.
The tentative listing process for Quandamooka is currently taking place and involves collaborative engagement with stakeholders to ensure the natural, social, economic and cultural values of Quandamooka are carefully considered.
