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Australia's most spectacular mountain landscapes, home to unique native species, have been placed on the national heritage register.
The Alps of southeastern Australia cover an area of 1.5 million hectares and encompass 11 national parks and reserves. The site is the largest and most complex to be heritage listed.
It includes the Snowy Mountains, which inspired "bush poet" Banjo Paterson to pen his famous ballad in 1890. The Man From Snowy River tells the story of stockmen chasing a valuable horse, with all but the hero eventually defeated by the rugged country.
While the area is best known for spawning myths and traditions that helped Australians forge a national identity during the pioneer era, it is also highly significant to Aborigines. Occupying an important place in their "Dreamtime" mythology, it was a location where they gathered in summer to feast on migrating bogong moths.
The Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, said the listing recognised the "outstanding natural, indigenous and historic values" of the Alps.
With the Alps containing Australia's handful of ski resorts, not everyone welcomed their listing. Tourism operators said it would be more difficult for new developments to gain approval.
Its main threat, though, is climate change. A week before the heritage listing was announced, the Australian Conservation Foundation named it as one of 10 national "icons" most at risk from rising global temperatures.
- INDEPENDENT
