Australia's Murujuga Rock Art Granted UNESCO World Heritage Recognition
The recent designation of the Murujuga rock art in Western Australia as a UNESCO World Heritage site has been met with joy but also concerns, as the Australian government and Woodside Energy continue to push for the expansion of the Karratha Gas Plant. This plant, situated adjacent to the ancient Indigenous rock art, is a major industrial emitter of greenhouse gases and pollutants, posing a significant threat to the rock art's longevity.
The Murujuga site, overseen by the five language groups known as the Ngarda-Ngarli and Aboriginal peoples, contains more than 1 million known petroglyphs, including the oldest depiction of a human face, dating as far back as 50,000 years. The site is globally significant both archaeologically and culturally.
However, the gas plant expansion involves extending the operational life of Woodside’s North West Shelf Project facilities, including the Karratha Gas Plant. The project is a major industrial emitter of greenhouse gases and pollutants. Burning natural gas at the plant releases airborne pollutants known to chemically interact with and accelerate the degradation of the Murujuga petroglyphs.
Environment Minister Murray Watt gave provisional approval for a 45-year extension of the project in May 2025, but the conditions attached to protect the rock art remain undisclosed, raising concerns about transparency and efficacy. The approval has been criticized by scientific experts, Indigenous groups, and rock art advocates, who argue that industrial emissions conflict with the preservation of this unique cultural heritage. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), the advisory body for UNESCO, also disagrees with claims that heavy industry and the rock art can coexist safely.
Raelene Cooper, a Pilbara traditional owner and Mardudhunera woman, expressed joy over the recognition of Murujuga's universal heritage values but also expressed concern about ongoing pollution from fertilizer plants and gas plants. Cooper also noted that the final decision falls short of the protections recommended by ICOMOS.
Legal challenges are underway from groups like Friends of Australian Rock Art (FARA) and Indigenous representatives, contesting the environmental approvals on grounds including inadequate assessment of climate change impacts and the risks posed to the rock art.
In Paris, custodians from the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) and the Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt campaigned against a draft decision to refer the bid for World Heritage status back to Australia. Despite Murujuga’s new World Heritage status, protections appear inadequate or insufficiently transparent, placing the ancient and culturally vital Indigenous artwork at significant risk.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/20/murujuga-rock-art-world-heritage-status-granted-by-unesco [2] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-19/murujuga-rock-art-world-heritage-status-approved-by-unesco/101187562 [3] https://www.theaustralian.com.au/environment/murujuga-rock-art-world-heritage-status-granted-but-woodside-emissions-remain-a-concern/news-story/9537b928b3c84d78277b28d6671c6f21 [4] https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/woodside-emissions-pose-threat-to-murujuga-rock-art-20230521-p5d411.html
- The UNESCO World Heritage designation for the Murujuga rock art in Western Australia highlights its global significance in both archaeology and culture, but the proposed expansion of the Karratha Gas Plant, located near this ancient Indigenous art, raises concerns due to its status as a significant emitter of greenhouse gases and pollutants.
- The expansion of the Karratha Gas Plant, operated by Woodside Energy, involves extending the operational life of their North West Shelf Project facilities and burning natural gas at the plant releases airborne pollutants known to chemically interact with and accelerate the degradation of the Murujuga petroglyphs.
- Despite the provisional approval for a 45-year extension of the project given by Environment Minister Murray Watt in May 2025, the conditions attached to protect the rock art remain undisclosed, leading to concerns about transparency and efficacy.
- Legal challenges are underway from groups like Friends of Australian Rock Art (FARA) and Indigenous representatives, contesting the environmental approvals on grounds including inadequate assessment of climate change impacts and the risks posed to the rock art, despite the Murujuga's newly acquired World Heritage status.
