Draft Burrup Rock Art Strategy – Consultation
The Western Australian Government has released a draft Burrup Rock Art strategy, a long term framework to protect Aboriginal Rock Art on the Burruup Peninsula (Murujuga).
You can download the draft Burrup rock art strategy here.
*The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation amended the draft Burrup Rock Art Strategy (13/09/2017) to clarify references to the currently unpublished paper entitled, Inadequacies of research used to monitor change to rock art and regulate industry on Murujuga (Burrup Peninsula), Australia.
How to make a submission
Comments on the draft Burrup Rock Art strategy may be lodged in writing by email (preferred) to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or hard copies can be mailed to:
Project Manager
Draft Burrup Rock Art strategy
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
Locked Bag 33
CLOISTERS SQUARE WA 6850
Consultation duration
8 September 2017 to 1 December 2017 (12 weeks)
All submissions must be received by 5pm (WST) on 1 December 2017.
Background
The Western Australian Government recognises the Burrup Peninsula as a unique ecological and archaeological area containing one of the largest collections of Aboriginal engraved rock art in the world. The rock art (petroglyphs) are of immense cultural and spiritual significance to Aboriginal people, and of national and international heritage value.
The Burrup Peninsula and surrounds is home to industry that contributes to the local and state economy and provides employment in the area. In response to concerns that industrial emissions may be impacting the rock art, a range of scientific studies have been conducted over the past 15 years. Past studies and reports are available here.
Recent independent reviews commissioned by the Western Australian Government have recognised that improvements can be made to ensure that monitoring programs and other studies provide robust, reliable results to inform management. Current studies and reports are available below.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation oversee the implementation of the strategy in consultation with the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, State agencies and the local government, industry and community.
Current studies and reports
- Review of CSIRO Report on Burrup Peninsula Rock Art Monitoring – Data Analysis Australia (May 2017)
- Review of Statistical Aspects of Burrup Peninsula Rock Art Monitoring – Data Analysis Australia (November 2016)
- CSIRO Burrup Peninsula Aboriginal Petroglyphs: Colour change and spectral mineralogy 2004-2016
- Extreme weathering experiments on the Burrup Peninsula / Murujuga weathered gabbros and granophyres – August 2017
Other reports
- Reanalysis of the colour changes from 2004 to 2014 on Burrup Peninsula Rock Art Sites May 2016 (J.L. Black and S. Diffey)
- Black, J.L., MacLeod, I.D., and Smith, B.W. 2017, Theoretical effects of industrial emissions on colour change at rock art sites on Burrup Peninsula, Western Australia. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports (12) 457-462