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It has recently been reported that Australia’s Ningaloo Coast has been listed as a World Heritage site. The World Heritage listing is bestowed by UNESCO, the cultural body of the United Nations, on areas of cultural and natural significance that are considered to have outstanding universal value.

The Ningaloo reef is one of the longest near-shore reefs found anywhere in the world. The contrast between the arid, limestone coastline and the blue water of the Ningaloo Coast is a favorite subject for photographers. Caves, conduits, subterranean bodies of water, and groundwater streams make the land portion a significant natural site on its own.

The Ningaloo Coast is on the Indian Ocean and comprises 604,500 hectares of both land and water. The biodiversity of the area is high, with lagoons, reefs, open ocean, continental slope, continental shelf, and intertidal systems. It has a large seasonal population of whale sharks and is a prime habitat for multiple species of sea turtles. Numerous rare species also live there, both on land and in the water. It is the only place in the world where rainforest plants and aquatic invertebrates coexist.

The World Heritage listing will ensure that this remarkable portion of marine and terrestrial territory will be protected into the future. It has been a national park since 1987, but the new listing represents an enhanced level of conservation. Certain legal protections are included as a component of the listing. A World Heritage listing also stimulates eco-tourism, bringing in funds that assist with conservation and preservation efforts. However, more visitors also means more impact on the environment, so a delicate balance must be sought.

Australia is well-known for its abundant and diverse natural beauty. Visitors from all around the world travel there to hike, dive, surf, and otherwise enjoy nature. 73 percent of tourism activity is domestic, as Australians travel around to see the many wonders of their own country.

The media in Australia includes two national newspapers and many regional, state, and town papers throughout the country. The Sydney Morning Herald has been continuously published since 1831, the longest of any paper in the nation. There are two publicly funded media outlets providing television, radio, and internet programming. Private and commercial television channels are available as well.

More Australians are now getting their news from the Internet. Newspaper readership has declined by half since 1970. Television news reporting has seen a decline as well, with more viewers choosing entertainment programming over news and current affairs. News delivered via the internet appears to be the future.