Traditional owners hope rock art heritage listing will attract eyes of the world

SBS Australia

2 days ago

Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts . Among the red rock hills of Murujuga in Western Australia's Pilbara region are a million ancient rock engravings. Some of the engravings date back 50,000 years, making them older than Stone Henge and the Pyramids of Giza. The ancient petroglyphs include the oldest known depiction of a human face, as well as engravings of plants and animals, some of which are now extinct. Traditional owners have long campaigned to protect the art - and now, their bid for a UNESCO World Heritage listing has ended with triumph in Paris. "I therefore declare the decision 47-8B.13 adopted as amended." UNESCO says their decision recognises that the site represents 'a masterpiece of human creative genius'; is a unique testimony to a cultural tradition; and finally, that the site is an outstanding example of a cultural or human settlement showing interaction with the environment. Chair of the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation ((MAC)), Peter Hicks, travelled to Paris for the momentous decision. "Inscribed into the history books is a great, great outcome for us, the Aboriginal people. It's a nomination led by Aboriginal people, for Aboriginal people, and guided by the Aboriginal people. And therefore it is a world first." Peter Jeffries is also from the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, which has led the campaign. He says it's been years in the making. "It's been in motion now for two or three decades, and we've lost a lot of our old elders in the process. So this is also in recognition of their support, as well." But while the Corporation's campaign has gone on for decades, it wasn't until 2023 that the Australian Government nominated the Murujuga Cultural Landscape for World Heritage status. Australia's application was referred back to the government in May, after UNESCO suggested state and federal governments needed to do more to address concerns that acid emissions from Woodside's nearby gas project were damaging the engravings. The peninsula in northwest WA near Karratha is home to two gas plants, a fertiliser plant and iron ore and salt export facilities. Environment Minister Senator Murray Watt argued those emission claims were based on inaccuracies, drawing on a report by about 50 scientists who said the emissions showed there was no ongoing risk to the engravings. "In the end, what persuaded the committee was the scientific evidence that was put forward which disputed some of the claims being made but also the genuine passion from the traditional owners to see this world heritage listing be secured." The Minister was also in Paris for the announcement, declaring the government was committed to protecting the site now and for future generations. "On behalf of the Australian government I am honoured to accept this inscription. Australia is thrilled with the committee's decision to inscribe the Murujuga's Cultural Landscape on the World Heritage List. This has been an Indigenous-led nomination and this victory belongs to the Ngarda-Ngarli, the traditional owners and custodians of Murujuga, whose deep knowledge and cultural leadership and enduring connection to country are at the heart of this inscription. But concerns about the potential impacts of pollution on the rock art have not gone away with the listing. Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy says the world is watching now Murujuga is a world heritage site, and has urged the federal environment minister to reject Woodside's provisional gas project extension. Conditions of the approval which relate to emissions from the plant are still being negotiated. And while the 21 member nations unanimously supported the UNESCO listing, they requested Australia continue to research the effects neighbouring industry has on the rock art, and report its findings to the U-N next year. A Woodside spokesperson has responded in a statement to SBS: "The company has been a proud supporter of the World Heritage nomination and assessment process, and the company looks forward to continuing to work closely with the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation and Traditional Custodians on the continued protection and management of this globally significant area." Still, Mardathoonera woman and Murujuga traditional custodian Raelene Cooper says culture and industry cannot co-exist, and she remains worried about the long term impacts of emissions on the rock art. Peter Hicks says the Ngarda-Ngarli people will remain dedicated to protecting the site.
"Today we create our own stories in the stone, but with some care and protection of our culture like our ancestors have always done for fifty thousand years."