The latest findings from an ongoing study into the impacts of industrial air emissions on ancient rock carvings on the Burrup Peninsula, suggests rocks closer to industry have suffered greater degradation. The Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program's interim assessment comes as the Federal Government prepares to announce its decision on whether Woodside's gas developments can continue on the peninsula.
00:00This is a sacred ancient place and we welcome you all here to share and to understand and see it from our perspective.
00:08This is Muradjuga, home to one of the world's most significant collections of ancient petroglyphs thought to be 65,000 years old.
00:17For years, scientists have been trying to determine whether the collection is at risk from industrial emissions from the Burrut Peninsula.
00:24One theory that emissions could have been creating acid rain appears to have been debunked, with the Muradjuga Rock Art Monitoring Program finding no evidence of that in its interim report.
00:35What they did find is evidence suggesting rocks closer to industrial developments are more degraded.
00:41The real headline to this report is the fact that it proves that there has been damage done to those ancient rocks at Muradjuga and that it is close to the industry at Dampier, where Woodside has its northwest shelf.
00:52It is important to remember that this is year two of a five-year research program, so these are the initial results and over the next two to three years there will be lots more investigation done and lots more data collected to build the case.
01:08The report comes amid Federal Environment Minister Murray-Watt's looming decision about whether oil and gas giant Woodside can continue operating its northwest shelf project until 2070.
01:18Traditional owner Raylene Cooper has launched a last-minute legal bid, demanding the minister resolve a 2022 application to protect the rock art at Muradjuga.
01:29I am urging Environmental Minister Murray-Watt's to come and visit Muradjuga and see what the destruction is and what our concerns are.
01:41In its response to the report, the state government says it has confidence that there is an acceptably low risk of impact on the rock art from current industrial emissions and will continue routine monitoring and assessment of ambient air quality.
Be the first to comment