Your invitation The people, wildlife and wildlands of southern Africa invite you to participate in the 7th World Wilderness Congress, the first time in 25 years this international congress has met in Africa.

The 2nd WWC was opened by the Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Fraser, and delegates from 25 countries acted upon many issues of international wilderness and nature conservation.

2nd WORLD WILDERNESS CONGRESS - Held in June, 1980, in Queensland, Australia, with 1,000 delegates from 25 countries. Proceedings: Wilderness, edited by Vance Martin and published by Findhorn Press, 1981.

Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser recommended the Great Barrier Reef as suitable for inclusion on World Heritage list and, subsequently, specific areas were brought under protection and management of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Areas of virgin rainforest in Queensland were protected under park status by the Premier of Queensland.

The 2nd WWC cultural programme focused on contemporary Austrailian nature art, as well as on the dance, song and artwork of the Aboriginal culture.

Bob Brown (President of Tasmanian Wilderness Society) brought, for the first time, international attention to the issue of wilderness conservation in Tasmania. This issue, concerning dams and hydroelectricity, later was a critical factor in the election of the new Labour government under Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

The need to employ Aboriginal people in the Park Service, and utilize aboriginal knowledge in nature conservation programs, was recommended.

The first scholarly, global overview of wilderness definitions was produced, which surveyed by relevant country the legal and cultural status of the concept.

Site updated weekly...