Brief synthesisThe Willandra Lakes Region, in the semi-arid zone in southwest New South Wales (NSW), contains a relict lake system whose sediments, geomorphology and soils contain an outstanding record of a low-altitude, non-glaciated Pleistocene landscape. Criterion (iii): The drying up of the Willandra Lakes some 18,500 years BP allowed the survival of remarkable evidence of the way early people interacted with their environment. Willandra Lakes Region is also of exceptional importance for investigating the period when humans became dominant in Australia, and the large species of wildlife became extinct, and research continues to elucidate what role humans played in these events. The statutory basis for management is established under New South Wales legislation by the Willandra Lakes Region Environmental Plan. In 2007 the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area was added to the National Heritage List in recognition of its national heritage significance.