Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte)

The Australian Fossil Mammal Sites are a serial World Heritage property that links the Riversleigh deposits in Queensland and the Naracoorte Caves in South Australia. Together they provide an outstanding record of the evolution of Australia’s mammal fauna from the early Cenozoic through the Pleistocene.

At Riversleigh visitors and researchers encounter a dispersed set of fossil localities noted for exceptionally preserved skeletal remains of Oligocene to Miocene mammals, birds and reptiles interpreted from limestone deposits and ancient lake beds. Access to the fossil areas is controlled and most public interpretation is provided by regional visitor centres and museums.

At Naracoorte the main public experience is of a system of karst caves with Pleistocene fossil-bearing sediments; developed cave tours take visitors through show caves where fossil-bearing deposits are visible and interpreted. Both places combine scientific displays with guided experiences that explain chronology, fossilisation processes and the significance of the assemblages.

Scientific exploration at Riversleigh and Naracoorte began in the 20th century and expanded with systematic palaeontological work from the 1970s onward, revealing the exceptional palaeobiological records now conserved and studied. Conservation measures and visitor management have been established to protect fragile deposits while allowing research and education.

Riversleigh is located in the savannahs of northwest Queensland, in a remote inland region requiring long-distance travel from major cities; Naracoorte sits in southeast South Australia near the town of Naracoorte and is more readily accessible by road from Adelaide.

• Complementary fossil records: The combined property links two complementary fossil provinces: Riversleigh (older, Oligocene-Miocene deposits) and Naracoorte (Pleistocene cave deposits), together portraying mammal evolution in Australia.
• Visitor access: Both areas are active research sites with visitor facilities; cave tours are the main visitor activity at Naracoorte, while Riversleigh access is more restricted and focused on guided interpretation and research visits.

What to See #

• Riversleigh: Riversleigh - a collection of fossil-bearing deposits in northwest Queensland, with exceptionally preserved Oligocene to Miocene vertebrate fossils that document early Cenozoic mammals and other animals.
• Naracoorte Caves: Naracoorte - a system of limestone caves in southeast South Australia containing extensive Pleistocene fossil deposits preserved in cave sediments and sinkholes that record more recent faunal assemblages.