UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, has granted World Heritage status to the Murujuga Cultural Landscape in Western Australia’s Burrup Peninsula.
The news follows a tireless nomination process led by Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation on behalf of the Ngarda-Ngarli (Traditional Owners and Custodians), in partnership with the West Australian Government and with full support of the Australian Government.
The Murujuga Cultural Landscape is of immense cultural and spiritual significance. Murujuga represents the continuous traditional culture and practice of the area for at least 50,000 years.
Related article: New legal challenge for Woodside’s North West Shelf
It has the densest known concentration of petroglyphs of their kind anywhere in the world, with an estimated 1-2 million petroglyphs recorded in an area of more than 100,000 hectares, across land and sea country.
Achieving World Heritage status ensures stronger protections under Australian legislation and will allow the world to celebrate this unique cultural landscape. As part of the immediate inscription, the Australian Government will also provide a state of conservation report for consideration in 2027.
Murujuga will become only the second property in Australia recognised on the World Heritage List solely for its First Nations cultural heritage. This follows the World Heritage listing of Budj Bim in 2019.
Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation chair Peter Hicks said, “We are elated to see the Murujuga Cultural Landscape recognised for its Outstanding Universal Value.
“This is an exceptionally proud moment for us. It is recognition of the hard work that MAC has put in to progressing this nomination, but it is also recognition of the way our ancestors have managed this extraordinary landscape for over 50,000 years. We are proud to continue that legacy.
“World Heritage is the mechanism we will use to continue to do what we have always done —protect this Ngurra and our culture for all future generations.”
The Burrup Peninsula is home to two liquefied natural gas plants run by Woodside, including the controversial North West Shelf project. The federal government recently extended the lifetime of the North West Shelf until 2070, which will generate up to 4.3 billion metric tons of additional carbon emissions.
Related article: Woodside’s North West Shelf gas plant extended to 2070
However, a new legal challenge to the Western Australian Government’s approval of the North West Shelf extension has been launched by Friends of Australian Rock Art, Inc (FARA).
Australian Conservation Foundation CEO Kelly O’Shannasy commented, “The world is now watching. The onus is on the Australian government to make sure the values recognised by UNESCO are not jeopardised by ongoing industrial pollution.
“If Minister Watt is serious about protecting Murujuga’s now globally recognised values and wants to ensure the site doesn’t move to the World Heritage ‘in danger’ list, he should reject Woodside’s proposal to extend its gas hub when he makes his final decision.”
