Two years of comprehensive fieldwork and detailed analysis by the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program has supported the development of the interim environmental quality criteria for ensuring the ongoing protection of rock engravings on the Burrup Peninsula and Dampier Archipelago in northern Western Australia.
PHOTO (credit Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation): Elder Jimmy Horace, Professor Ben Mullins and Ranger Chloe Ramirez watched Rock Art Monitoring Ranger Kasziem Bin Sali using a permeameter.
The program – led by Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) and delivered by a team of scientists working with Murujuga Elders and specialist Rangers – is the most extensive scientific study to date to examine the potential impact of industrial air emissions on the engravings, which are one of the world’s oldest and densest records of human interaction with a cultural landscape.
The program’s Year Two report, published today, enabled interim thresholds of safe air quality, known as Environmental Quality Criteria (EQC), for the rock art to be established. As the research continues, it will refine and determine final EQC, with monitoring to continue long-term to ensure ongoing protection of the engravings. Key learnings so far include:
- An acid rain/deposition theory proposed by earlier research is not supported by data from the program.
- Air quality data collected by the program generally align with previous modelling and measurements, while showing a reduction in key pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide since 2014.
- The upper layer of granophyre, one of five rock types being investigated, has elevated porosity (open spaces in rocks) in a region close to Dampier. This is likely a response formed over many years that may have been accelerated when estimated industrial emissions were two to three times higher, in the 1970s.
- The processes that lead to elevated rock porosity are complex, involving natural weathering, microbial activity and chemical or chemo-microbial acceleration.
- Assessment against the interim EQC indicate current emissions are below levels that may affect rock art.
Comments attributable to MAC Chairperson Peter Hicks:
“Protection of Murujuga’s cultural heritage, including the rock art, is vital to our Members, and critical to achieving our long-held aspiration to achieve World Heritage Listing for the Murujuga Cultural Landscape.
“The latest findings show that past emission levels may have affected some of the rock types. We are confident that we have got a robust scientific program, that is clarifying these processes so that we can achieve lasting protection of the rock art.
“While research is ongoing, we are excited to be at a stage where we have interim EQC for the first time. MAC will continue to hold government to their commitment to protecting the rock art.”
Comments attributable to MAC Vice-Chairperson Belinda Churnside:
“Murujuga’s rock art depicts the everyday living of our ancestors, and we still have strong connection and cultural ties to it.
“MAC has been involved in every aspect of establishing and implementing the Rock Art Monitoring Program, through our Board and Rangers, guided by the senior, cultural, knowledgeable Elders.
“The collection of data by cultural and scientific experts will allow us to better understand and manage the ngurra (country) today, tomorrow and forever.”
Comments attributable to Program Research Lead, Professor Ben Mullins:
“The first two years of research involved extensive fieldwork on 54 rock art panels across Murujuga and the collection of air quality, rainfall and deposition data from 21 monitoring stations; more than 66,000 rock surface, elemental, porosity and electrochemical measurements, and examination of microbial samples and the physical, chemical and geological composition of sample rocks.
“The data from this program do not support the acid rain or acid deposition theory proposed by earlier research. Measurements of rainfall and wet or dry deposition over the past two years have been found to be neutral or slightly alkaline.
“Colour and photogrammetric monitoring of the rock art is ongoing, however so far, the data have not shown major or systematic change in the rock art surface.
“Further investigations are underway into the processes leading to rock porosity, the potential link to historic emissions and to confirm that the porosity is stable or only changing through natural processes.”
The following documents are available for download from these links:
- Summary – Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program Year Two Research (2 MB)
- Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program Interim Environmental Quality Criteria (2 MB)
- Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program Monitoring Studies Report 2024 (229 MB)
Watch a short video here.
For more information or media inquiries, please contact: communications@murujuga.org.au.