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

In a supplied image obtained on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, a petroglyph of an emu is seen at Murujuga Cultural Landscape in Burrup Peninsula, Western Australia. The federal government has approved Woodside's proposal to extend its North West Shelf gas project, subject to conditions, prompting legal action from traditional owners concerned about the impact on sacred rock art. (AAP Image/Supplied by Save Our Songlines) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY Credit: SUPPLIED/PR IMAGE/AAPImage

An ancient indigenous rock art collection in Western Australia's Pilbara region has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Traditional owners travelled to Paris for the decision, where member nations unanimously voted for the inclusion of the Murujuga Cultural Landscape. The engravings pre-date anything found in ancient Egypt or the Roman empire.

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Published 16 July 2025 6:00pm

By Georgia Maher, Angelica Waite

Presented by Haruka Shinno, Yumi Oba

Source: SBS

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An ancient indigenous rock art collection in Western Australia's Pilbara region has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Traditional owners travelled to Paris for the decision, where member nations unanimously voted for the inclusion of the Murujuga Cultural Landscape. The engravings pre-date anything found in ancient Egypt or the Roman empire.

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