Older than Stonehenge or the Pyramids of Giza, Murujuga Rock Art earns UNESCO status, but can it survive gas and industry?

UNESCO has inscribed the Murujuga Cultural Landscape in Western Australia onto the World Heritage List. It is home to over a million Aboriginal rock carvings, some dating back 50,000 years, including the world’s oldest known depiction of a human face.

The inscription was approved unanimously at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, following a sustained campaign by Indigenous custodians and the Australian government.

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Murujuga, located on the Burrup Peninsula and nearby islands in the Pilbara region, is now formally recognised for its “Outstanding Universal Value”.

The listing follows decades of advocacy by Aboriginal groups and comes after a tense few months, when UNESCO’s own advisory body had recommended referring the nomination back to Australia.

Concerns were raised about the impact of emissions from nearby heavy industry, including gas and fertiliser plants, on the fragile petroglyphs.

But traditional owners from the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC), backed by Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt, successfully lobbied member states to override the recommendation, which secured the site's place on the global heritage list.

However, while the cultural milestone was celebrated, an earlier draft by UNESCO’s advisory body flagged concerns about the impact of emissions from nearby heavy industry.

Although the final resolution allows the listing to proceed, it includes provisions for ongoing monitoring of the site's environmental health.

What is the Murujuga Cultural Landscape?

Murujuga is located in the Pilbara region of northwestern Western Australia and is older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza.

It includes the Burrup Peninsula and 42 islands in the Dampier Archipelago. It is home to more than one million petroglyphs, ancient rock carvings that are among the oldest known in the world, with some dating back as far as 50,000 years.

These carvings represent ancestral stories, cultural practices, and spiritual knowledge, forming a living archive of Aboriginal connection to the land. For the Ngarda-Ngarli people, the traditional custodians of the area, the art embodies creation stories and is an expression of Lore that governs their way of life.

What makes Murujuga rock art unique?

Murujuga contains the world’s oldest known depiction of a human face and other intricate carvings of animals, human figures, and symbols that offer a window into ancient belief systems.

The density and age of the petroglyphs, with more than one million engravings spread across nearly 100,000 hectares, make it one of the richest and oldest continuous cultural landscapes on Earth.

Unlike many ancient archaeological sites, Murujuga is still culturally active. Present-day Aboriginal communities maintain a connection with their ancestors through stories, ceremonies, and custodianship.

This continuity of cultural practice, alongside the scale and antiquity of the artwork, contributes to its Outstanding Universal Value, which UNESCO has recognised.

Can Murujuga Exist Alongside Industry?

The inscription has intensified debate over industrial development in the region. The area also hosts major gas and fertiliser operations, including Woodside’s North West Shelf project, which has been granted a 40-year life extension.

While MAC and the Australian government argue that cultural protection and industrial activity can coexist, others, including former MAC chair Raelene Cooper and the Save Our Songlines group, believe rock art remains threatened by pollution and development.

UNESCO’s advisory body had initially recommended postponing the listing, citing risks from industrial emissions, though the final decision did not include such restrictions.

Murujuga now joins the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru as part of Australia’s World Heritage list.