Australian National Park nominated
New 7 Wonder of Nature
Media Release
Christmas Island, 31 March 2009
Christmas Island’s spectacular national park has been officially nominated as one of the world’s New 7 Wonders of Nature.
“Having our national park nominated for such a prestigious title is an honour,” says Ms Linda Cash of the Christmas Island Tourism Association, the Official Supporting Committee for the nomination.
The surprise nomination comes hot on the heels of celebrated naturalist, Sir David Attenborough naming the annual migration of the island’s endemic red crab as one of the most memorable of his life’s work.
The park (which comprises 63 per cent of the 135sq km tropical island) has a unique ecosystem which has evolved over millions of years in isolation from human influence. Today it supports a diverse range of plants and animals, including 24 species that exist nowhere else on the planet (that’s more than any protected place in Australia), and still many yet to be discovered.
In its official letter of support for the nomination, the Australian Government through Parks Australia proudly states, “the iconic Christmas Island red crabs, land crabs, birds, rainforest, coral reefs and marine life, including the majestic whaleshark, attracts world wide interest from environmental scientists and tourists. It is a national park like none other in the world, with the annual migration red crab migration to the sea to spawn being one of nature’s true wonders.”
“One of the best things about Christmas Island National Park is that its natural wonders are relatively untouched – if you come and visit you’ll have the park almost to yourself,” adds Ms Cash.
Discover Christmas Island before the rest of the world does.
For more information on the New 7 Wonders, go to www.new7wonders.com
To vote for Christmas Island National Park as a New 7 Wonders of Nature, go to: www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/vote_on_nominees/
STOP PRESS To enable more Australians to see for themselves why the Christmas Island National Park has been nominated as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, National Jet Systems is offering special $499 (one-way ex-Perth, including taxes) fares to the Christmas Island. For more information, contact your local travel agent or www.christmas.net.au
For more information or images, contact Christmas Island Media Relations on 0407 769980 or media@christmas.net.au.
» Click here for Trips to Christmas Island ex-Singapore.
