Shark Bay World Heritage Area encompasses 2.2 million hectares on the coast of Western Australia. Its colourful and diverse landscapes are home to a profusion of animals and plants, including some found nowhere else on Earth. Shark Bay was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1991. It satisfies all four of the criteria for natural heritage values.

A combined advisory committee for the Shark Bay World Heritage Property was formed in 2012 following the amalgamation of the previous Shark Bay World Heritage Area Community Consultative Committee and Scientific Advisory Committee which were established in 1997 by agreement between the Commonwealth and Western Australian Governments.

The Shark Bay World Heritage Advisory Committee provides advice to the Minister for the Environment and the Environment Protection Heritage Council on matters relating to:

• protection, conservation, presentation and management of the Property from the view point of the community
• research priorities which contribute to the protection and conservation of the Property and understanding of its natural history
• new information or developments relevant to protection, conservation or presentation of the Property
• the scientific basis of management principles and practices
• legislative processes for environmental assessment
• the maintenance of outstanding universal values and integrity of the Property.

If you have a development or tourism proposal either within or adjacent to the World Heritage Property, please use the guidelines and information in the following documents when preparing your proposal.

The committee also has input into the drafting and review of management plans.