Two of Australia's natural icons - Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef - have been selected from the top 77 nominees to progress as two of the 28 Official Finalists in the global New7Wonders of Nature campaign, the New7Wonders Foundation announced today.The New7Wonders of Nature's Panel of Experts, headed by Prof. Federico Mayor, former director-general of UNESCO, made the announcement in Zurich, Switzerland, crowning a further seven finalists than originally planned due to record levels of participation.
On behalf of the official supporting committee for Australia, Tourism Australia's Executive Chairman Rick Allert said all Australians should be proud that our iconic natural wonders have received such global recognition.
"A place among the ultimate New7Wonders of Nature would be a stunning achievement for our nation's iconic natural wonders and we thank everyone who has played a part in ensuring Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef have made it through to this third and final stage, still in the running for the ultimate accolade," Mr Allert said.
With the announcement of the final New7Wonders of Nature set for mid-2011, the real race for the title now begins. Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef will vie for a place in the final seven against 26 of the world's other most iconic natural sites including the Amazon; Angel Falls; Bay of Fundy; Black Forest; Bu Tinah Shoals; Cliffs of Moher; Dead Sea; El Yunque; Galapagos; Grand Canyon; Halong Bay; Iguazu Falls; Jeita Grotto; Jeju Island; Kilimanjaro; Komodo; Maldives; Masurian Lake District; Matterhorn/Cervino; Milford Sound; Mud Volcanoes; Puerto Princessa Underground River; Sundarbans; Table Mountain; Vesuvius and Yushan.
Spokesperson for the New7Wonders Foundation, Tia Viering said that the New7Wonders Panel of Experts had a tough decision naming the 28 finalists.
"Beginning with 441 nominations from 222 countries worldwide initially nominated in the campaign, we are now down to the final 28. It's been a stunning process to watch so many of the world's iconic natural wonders in the public spotlight and we are delighted to see both Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef are through to the third and final stage. They're up against the world's best – it's certainly going to be an exciting two years as we see which sites the public choose as the official New7Wonders of Nature," Ms Viering said.
Voting will now recommence at www.australia.com for the third and final stage of the competition. To make sure Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef land a place in history, log on now and have your say.
All votes are monitored by the New7Wonders Foundation and will alter the standing of each nominee in real time. Every vote will therefore count, and if you voted in the previous stages, you can vote again now as everyone is eligible to vote once in each of the three stages.
Launched in 2007 by the New7Wonders Foundation, the New7Wonders of Nature campaign is a global search to recognise the seven most wondrous sites across the world through the eyes of the public. Nominations for the campaign were open to any clearly defined natural site, monument or landscape that was not created or significantly altered by humans for aesthetic reasons.
More than one billion votes worldwide are forecast to determine the final New7Wonders of Nature across the campaign.
For further information on Uluru or the Great Barrier Reef, or to cast your vote please visit www.australia.com.
