About the Wet Tropics Management Authority

The Wet Tropics Management Authority is charged with managing the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area according to Australia's obligations under the World Heritage Convention. In 1990 the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments agreed on a framework to manage the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. They decided to establish a small Cairns-based agency which would be responsible for managing the Wet Tropics according to Australia's obligations under the World Heritage Convention. The Authority was officially established under the Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Management Act 1993.

Under the primary goal of the World Heritage Convention, the Authority's must provide for the implementation of Australia's international duty to protect, conserve, present, rehabilitate and transmit to future generations the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area.

The Authority is responsible to both the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Wet Tropics Ministerial Council and has an independent Board of Directors appointed by both Governments. Administratively the Authority is a unit within the Queensland Government Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM).

The Authority administers the Queensland Government's Wet Tropics legislation and sets policies and procedures which govern activities and land use within the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area.

In 2010 the Authority has about 20 staff and and works in partnership to manage the Area with a range of government agencies, land managers and landholders, Rainforest Aboriignal people, research organisations, local governments, tourism and community groups. The Authority has a Strategic Plan 2008-2013 and you can read about the many ways the Wet Tropics Management Authority looks after the World Heritage Area in a six page colour brochure (copies are also available at the Authority).

You can read all about the Authority's policies, priorities and decisions in other pages of this publication scheme.

A chronology of World Heritage listing and management

The Authority has kept a record of major events leading up to the listing of the World Heritage Area and the achievements of the Authority and others in managing the Area. It is available on our World Heritage management publications page.

Wet Tropics Management Authority

The Authority is responsible for policy and the coordination of on-the-ground management to ensure the World Heritage Area is properly protected. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and other land managers are responsible for day-to-day management issues such as maintenance, routine permits, and enforcement activities. The Authority's main functions are to:

• develop and implement management plans, policies and programs
• administer funding arrangements
• promote research and monitor the state of the Wet Tropics
• enter into cooperative management agreements and other arrangements with land holders and Aboriginal people
• develop community education programs
• promote the Wet Tropics locally, nationally and internationally.

Contact us

You can contact the Authority by email or through the details provided on our contacts page.

World Heritage Area management structure

You can read more about how our management stucture and how our decisons are made in our decisons in this publication scheme and the WTMA Board page.

Department of Environment and Resource Management

Administratively the Authority is a unit within the Queensland Government Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM). As part of the Queensland public sector, the Authority is subject to established public sector legislation, regulations, standards and guidelines governing administrative functions and arrangements. The Director- General of the DERM is the accountable officer for the Authority under the Financial Administration and Audit Act 1997. The Authority is responsible to the Director-General regarding compliance with State Government administrative and financial standards.

For more information about the administrative regulations, standards and guidelines governing the Authority, and the Department of Environment and Resource Management, please see the DERM publication scheme.