Murujuga Rock Art Receives UN Approval for World Heritage Designation

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An ancient Indigenous rock art collection in Western Australia has been recognised as a World Heritage-listed site.

The Murujuga rock art landscape contains the world’s largest, densest and most diverse collection of rock art engravings — known as petroglyphs — and some are estimated to be more than 50,000 years old.

They depict animals, plants and human figures, and are visible due to the colour and contrast between the removed varnish layer and the underlying brighter weathered rind of the host rocks.

The site was previously put forward to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in 2023 but Australia’s application was referred back in May.

UNESCO recommended state and federal governments address concerns that nearby acid emissions, including those from Woodside’s Burrup gas hub, were degrading the art.

The North West Shelf gas project is seen with a petroglyph of a turtle at Murujuga Cultural Landscape in Burrup Peninsula, Western Australia. Source: Supplied / Save Our Songlines / Conservation Council of Western Australia

The peninsula in northwest WA near Karratha is home to two gas plants, a fertiliser plant and iron ore and salt export facilities.

Mardathoonera woman and Murujuga traditional custodian Raelene Cooper, who was at the UNESCO meeting, said she welcomed the global recognition of Murujuga but cautioned that industry could still harm the rock art site.

“This is a momentous day for our old people and our future generations, to have Murujuga’s outstanding universal heritage values recognised by the world,” she said.

“Meanwhile, fertiliser plants are still being built around our sacred sites and polluting gas plants will emit toxic acid on our rock art for another 50 years.

“We will continue to fight for protection for this very special place, and the world is now aware of what we are up against.”

Watt said in the French capital overnight, “For more than 50,000 years, the Ngarda-Ngarli people have protected and managed this significant land and seascape — and today, I am proud to announce that Murujuga will receive another level of protection via the World Heritage system.”

“The Murujuga nomination had the free, prior and informed consent of the five language groups who all come together to care for Murujuga today,” he added.

Australia has 21 properties on the World Heritage list, which includes the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and the Great Barrier Reef.

UNESCO added several other sites to its list overnight including the Xixia Imperial Tombs in China and the Faya Palaeolandscape in the United Arab Emirates.