What is Greater Blue Mountains Area?
{{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site | image = Jamison Valley, Blue Mountains, Australia - Nov 2008.jpg | image_upright = 1.2 | caption = A view over [[Jamison Valley]], in 2008. | location = [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]] | criteria = {{UNESCO WHS type|(ix), (x)}}(ix), (x) | ID = 917 | coordinates = {{coord|33|42|S|150|0|E|type:landmark_scale:1500000_region:AU-NSW|display=inline,title|format=dms}} | year = 2000 | area = {{convert|1,032,649|ha|acre|abbr=on}} | buffer_zone = {{convert|86,200|ha|acre|abbr=on}} | locmapin = New South Wales#Australia | map_caption = }} The '''Greater Blue Mountains Area''' is a [[World Heritage Site]] in the [[Blue Mountains (New South Wales)|Blue Mountains]] of [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. It was added to the World Heritage List at meeting of the World Heritage Committee, held in [[Cairns, Queensland|Cairns]] in November 2000. <ref>{{cite web | url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/917 | title=Unesco Entry }}</ref> == Description == [[File:BlueMountains0083.jpg|thumb|Waterfall in the Blue Mountains]] This area is one of rugged [[plateau|tablelands]], cliffs, deep valleys and [[river]]s and [[lake]]s. There are many rare and different plants and animals which tell the story of Australia's great age. It shows the story of the [[evolution]] of Australia's unique [[Eucalyptus|eucalypt]] trees and the other plants and animals which live among them. The Greater Blue Mountains Area covers about 10,300 square kilometres. It is mainly forest on a [[sandstone]] plateau 60 to 180 kilometres inland from central [[Sydney]]. The area includes large areas of wilderness and is about one third the size of [[Belgium]], or twice the size of [[Brunei]]. The Blue Mountains are a blue color. This is because rising air [[temperature]] makes the [[oil]] of Eucalypts [[Evaporation|evaporate]] into the [[air]]. This makes the mountains seem [[Blue|bluish]]. The World Heritage Site includes eight protected areas. These are in two main