The World Heritage Committee said it hopes Australia will complete ongoing research into the impact of local industrial activities on petroglyphs.
The Australian government’s bid to have a field of rock art in Western Australia is recognized as having been hit by a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Murjuga has over a million petroglyphs, or rock sculptures created by Aboriginal people with a cultural history of up to 50,000 years.
The site is located on the Barup Peninsula, which also houses the Karasa Gas Factory in Woodside and houses the world’s largest liquid natural gas facility.
Local Aboriginal communities and scientists have been concerned about the impact of industrial development on Murjuga over the past 60 years.
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Draft decision by the World Heritage Committee
In rejecting Australia’s bid, the committee said the country hopes to complete an ongoing study on the impact of local industrial activities on petroglyphs and remove acid emissions that damage the site.
The committee also highlighted the need for the Australian government to prevent industrial development near the site where it was appointed, and develop decommissioning and rehabilitation plans for existing industrial activities.
The committee subsequently recommended Australian implementation measures to protect nominated heritage sites and monitor the impact of port and industry activities.
On June 17th, 2008, the gateway to the development of Woodside Oil Plput, located in the Barup Peninsula, Western Australia. Greg Wood/AFP via Getty Images
The Australian government says it’s disappointing
Environment Minister Murray Watt pointed out that no final decision would be made until July, but he expressed his disappointment at the decision.
“It is unfortunate that the draft decision is heavily influenced by claims made in the media and communications from non-governmental organizations, rather than evidence from scientific and other experts,” he said.
“It is also unfortunate that despite the strong desire for a global heritage list, traditional custodians were not given the opportunity to consult or respond to the proposed recommendations.”
Watt pointed out that due to the efforts of the Aboriginal community to protect and manage the landscape over the past 50,000 years, Murjuga deserves recognition as a World Heritage Site.
Despite the set-up, the Minister said the Australian government will work with the committee to address “effective inaccuracies” that will affect the decision.
“We strongly advocate to the World Heritage Committee to reconsider the nomination when it meets,” he said.
Gas and World Heritage Sites cannot coexist: Environmental Groups
Meanwhile, Piper Rollins, a climate activist at the Australian Conservation Foundation, said the committee’s draft decision showed that international organizations have identified Woodside gas hubs as a major risk to Murjuga Rock Art.
“We have to choose between a world heritage site and a toxic gas expansion on Woodside. The two cannot coexist.”
