The New7Wonders of Nature Campaign, established by the New7Wonders Foundation, is a global search to recognise the seven most wondrous natural sites in the world through the eyes of the public.
Any site that is a clearly defined natural site, monument or landscape that was not created or significantly altered by humans for aesthetic reasons can be nominated.
In the first stage the public was asked to nominate the seven natural wonders of their choice. 13 Australian sites were listed including Uluru, the Twelve Apostles, Fraser Island, Kakadu, The Pinnacles, Blue Mountains, Bungle Bungles, Cradle Mountain, Flinders Ranges, The Australian Alps, Australia’s Green Cauldron, Australia’s Coastal Wilderness, and the partly owned Great Barrier Reef.
Two of these sites, Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef, received sufficient support to take them through to stage two of the campaign.
In stage two the two sites successfully fought off competition from 259 other spectacular natural icons from 222 countries worldwide to fall within the top 77 when voting closed on 7 July 2009 and be considered by the New7Wonders Panel of Experts for the third and final stage.
We’re delighted to announce that the New7Wonders Panel of Experts headed by Professor. Federico Mayor, former director-general of UNESCO, deemed both Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef worthy contenders and has placed both sites on the Official list of 28 Finalists.
Voting has now recommenced here at http://www.australia.com/ and will run until voting in stage three closes and the ultimate New7Wonders of Nature announced in mid-2011.
All you need to do to support Australia’s natural icons is follow the voting links below and select your top seven natural wonders. Everyone is eligible to vote once in each of the three stages so if you’ve voted before there’s still opportunity to get involved again now.
Hurry, register your support now and place Australia’s candidates on the global pedestal of which they are worthy.
By taking part your voice will be heard in deciding the New7Wonders of Nature, akin to those singled out by Philon of Byzantium when he announced the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World in 200B.C., and the New7Wonders of the World as voted by the public, and re-announced by the New7Wonders Foundation in 2007.
Vibrant in colour, rich in texture and steeped in history, Uluru – also commonly known as Ayers Rock – is the world’s largest monolith, and an icon of Australia.
Over 318 metres high, 9.4 kilometres in circumference and extending 6 kilometres below the ground’s surface, the remarkable geological compositions of Uluru ensures that it will remain a relic of our nation. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987, Uluru, is also remarkable for its religious and spiritual significance.
To vote for Uluru, click here
A remarkable natural gift, the Great Barrier Reef is blessed with the breathtaking beauty of the world’s largest coral reef. The reef contains an abundance of marine life and comprises over 3,000 individual reef systems and coral cays and literally hundreds of picturesque tropical islands with some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.
The marine park stretches over 3,000 kilometres and the reef, around 65 kilometres wide in some parts, is a gathering of more than 400 different kinds of coral, coral sponges, molluscs, rays, dolphins, over 1,500 species of tropical fish, more than 200 types of birds, around 20 types of reptiles including sea turtles and giant clams over 120 years old.
To vote for the Great Barrier Reef, click here