Australian Convict Sites is a World Heritage property consisting of 11 remnant penal sites originally built within the British Empire during the 18th and 19th centuries on fertile Australian coastal strips at Sydney, Tasmania, Norfolk Island, and Fremantle; now representing "...the best surviving examples of large-scale convicttransportation and the colonial expansion of European powers through the presence and labour of convicts".[1]
Penal sites included
The 11 penal sites constituting the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage listed property are:[2][3]
These properties were all individually included on the Australian National Heritage List before inclusion on the World Heritage list.
History of World Heritage listing
Out of over 3,000 convict sites remaining in Australia, the 11 constituting the Australian Convict Sites were selected as the pre-eminent examples of the world's convict era satisfying World Heritage selection criteria IV & VI, as follows:
Ensemble of buildings/architecture etc., illustrating significant stage in human history
"an exceptional example of the forced migration of convicts - an important stage of human history."[16]
Criterion VI
Directly or tangibly associated with events etc., of outstanding universal significance
"an extraordinary example of global ideas and developments associated with the punishment and reform of the criminal elements of humanity during the Age of Enlightenment and the modern era."[16]
Preparations began in 1995, and a World Heritage nomination was first made in January 2008. That attempt failed, and the nomination was subsequently reworked.[17]
^"Australian Convict Sites". World heritage places. Commonwealth of Australia: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. 16 December 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
^"Cascades Female Factory". National heritage places. Commonwealth of Australia: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. 15 May 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
^"Port Arthur: more information". National heritage places. Commonwealth of Australia: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. 15 May 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
^"Cockatoo Island: more information". National heritage places. Commonwealth of Australia: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. 15 May 2008. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
^ ab"Executive summary". Australian convict sites: World Heritage Nomination. Commonwealth of Australia: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. January 2008. ISBN978-0-642-55390-4. Retrieved 5 August 2010.