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Australia’s Gas Gamble and the Endangered Legacy of Murujuga Rock Art

Australia’s Gas Gamble and the Endangered Legacy of Murujuga Rock Art (1)

North West Shelf Gas Project Extended Until 2070

In a controversial move, Environment Minister Murray Watt approved the extension of the North West Shelf liquefied natural gas (LNG) project on Thursday. Located at Karratha in Western Australia, the gas plant will now operate until 2070, extending its industrial life by four more decades.

Figure 1: On Thursday, Environment Minister Murray Watt gave the green light to extend the North West Shelf liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. [Credit: ABC News/Matt Roberts]

 

This decision has triggered significant environmental and cultural concerns, most notably the threat it poses to the ancient Murujuga rock art, located near the industrial precinct. Murujuga contains more than one million petroglyphs, some dating back 50,000 years. These artworks include the oldest depictions of human faces in the world and offer a living record of Aboriginal traditions and lore since the first human settlement of the continent.

Despite its global significance, a massive industrial hub has grown around this sacred site. The latest extension to the gas project has prompted the International Council on Monuments and Sites to recommend that UNESCO delay its decision on world heritage listing for Murujuga until stringent protections are in place. Among the conditions recommended are the “total removal of degrading acidic emissions” and the prevention of “any further industrial development adjacent to, and within, the Murujuga Cultural Landscape”.

 

Figure 2: The decision to extend the North West Shelf liquefied natural gas (LNG) project has sparked major environmental and cultural concerns, particularly due to the risk it poses to the ancient Murujuga rock art — the world’s largest and oldest collection of petroglyphs — situated on the Burrup Peninsula near the industrial zone. [Credit: Alex Leach]

Scientific Evidence of Ongoing Damage

Concerns over the damage to Murujuga are not speculative. The Western Australian government recently released its Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program Year 2 Report, which analyses the effect of industrial emissions on the rock surfaces. Independent researchers, who have been studying Murujuga since 2018, say the report downplays the impact of pollution.

Their most significant findings show that all rock types tested were degraded when exposed to even small concentrations of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂). Particularly alarming is the “statistically significant evidence of elevated porosity of granophyre rock surfaces” found near industrial facilities, indicating that the rocks are absorbing more moisture and pollutants, hastening their degradation.

Jolam Neumann, a PhD researcher at the University of Bonn, conducted experiments simulating six years of exposure to current pollution levels. His research revealed major loss of minerals such as birnessite (manganese) and kaolinite (clay), leading to breakdowns in the surface structure of the rock. Neumann’s work underscores the alarming conclusion: industrial emissions are directly responsible for the weakening and potential destruction of the rock varnish that holds Murujuga’s petroglyphs.

A birnessite sample was photographed in Red Hills, located in the Derry District of Sierra County, New Mexico, USA [Mindat].

A Legacy at Risk

The varnish on these rocks forms through a slow biological process involving cyanobacteria, which extract manganese and iron from the environment to build a protective layer. This varnish grows at a glacial pace—just 1 to 10 microns every 1,000 years. Disturbingly, Neumann found that manganese levels in the rock varnish had nearly halved from 18.4% in 1994 to just 9.6% in 2021. The varnish was also riddled with holes, suggesting accelerated erosion caused by industrial pollutants.

The implication is sobering: damage that would normally take thousands of years is happening in mere decades. Moreover, the absence of cyanobacteria near industrial areas points to a disrupted ecosystem, where pollution is not only eroding the rock physically but also killing off the microorganisms responsible for its preservation.

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Climate Consequences Ignored

Perhaps even more controversial than the cultural damage is the environmental cost of extending the gas project. The North West Shelf is Australia’s third-highest emitting facility, producing approximately six million tonnes of greenhouse gases annually. This figure excludes scope 3 emissions—the vast majority of a fossil fuel project’s environmental impact—which occur when the gas is finally burned overseas.

Estimates suggest that the project’s total lifetime emissions could equal a full decade of Australia’s current national emissions. Yet, under existing environmental laws, such as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, the climate impact of fossil fuel projects does not need to be considered during approval processes.

Environmental law experts such as Associate Professor Julia Dehm from La Trobe University describe this as a “dangerous loophole”. A proposed “climate trigger”, which would require assessment of a project’s emissions, was actually advocated by Anthony Albanese back in 2005 when he served as shadow environment minister. Yet despite being in power, the Albanese government has not implemented it.

The Murujuga petroglyphs, situated close to the Woodside gas facilities, rank among the most ancient rock carvings globally. [Credit: ABC News/Charlie Mclean]

Political and Legal Fallout

The decision has been met with disbelief from climate advocates and political observers. “I think the average punter out there is basically saying, ‘Hang on, this is about climate change and 2070, what are we doing?’” said Greg Bourne of the Climate Council, who formerly worked in the gas industry.

Environmentalists have attempted to challenge these approvals in court. The Environmental Council of Central Queensland recently brought a case arguing that climate change should be considered under current environmental law. While the court ultimately ruled against them, it acknowledged that the legislation is ill-suited to address the climate crisis.

Dr Liz Hicks from Melbourne Law School notes that while the minister has discretion to consider social and economic factors, including climate impact, the lack of mandatory climate assessment remains a glaring weakness in Australia’s regulatory framework.

A Blow to International Standing

Australia’s decision to approve a major fossil fuel expansion just one year before it hopes to host the UN Climate Conference has raised eyebrows internationally. Pacific Island nations, particularly those most vulnerable to rising seas and extreme weather, have expressed disappointment.

Images such as Tuvalu’s Foreign Minister giving a climate speech while standing waist-deep in seawater have become emblematic of the stakes involved. According to Dr Dehm, “Approving more coal and gas projects… undercuts Australia’s climate credentials and presents Australia as… a destructive player on climate change.”

What Needs to Be Done

Experts agree that urgent action is needed to prevent irreversible damage to the Murujuga rock art and to bring Australia’s climate policy in line with global expectations. Technological solutions exist: selective catalytic reduction can eliminate NO₂ emissions, and shifting from gas to electric heat processes can dramatically reduce pollution.

Yet these measures were not made prerequisites in the approval of the North West Shelf extension.

If no further action is taken, not only does Australia risk losing one of the most important cultural sites in the world, but it also jeopardises its standing as a responsible global citizen in the fight against climate change. The time for delay is over—both Murujuga and the climate cannot afford complacency.

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