Photo (credit MAC): Aerial image, Murujuga National Park
The Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) has welcomed a declaration that prescribes a range of new measures that will provide even greater protection of cultural heritage that exists in proximity to industry on the Burrup Peninsula in the north west of Western Australia.
The provisions, announced by the Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Senator Murray Watt, give specific, detailed and clear guidance on prohibitions and restrictions to preserve Aboriginal sites, objects and places in declared areas within and adjacent to the World Heritage listed Murujuga Cultural Landscape and to protect heritage from injury or desecration.
Further, the declaration, made under section 10 (1) of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984, recognises the leadership of MAC and its authority to manage the complex heritage and cultural values that extend across the entire Murujuga Cultural Landscape, both in and outside of the recently inscribed World Heritage boundary.
“As the organisation representing the collective wishes and voices of the Ngarda-Ngarli who have been the traditional custodians of the Murujuga rock art for thousands of years, we are pleased to see the Federal Government’s commitment to add a further layer of protection to an area of such great significance to our people,” said MAC Chairperson Mr Peter Hicks.
“This extraordinary landscape has been managed and cared for by our ancestors for more than 50,000 years and is a sacred, spiritual and deeply storied place.
“Its importance to the world cannot be understated and this was acknowledged in July when we were able to secure World Heritage status.
“Now, with this declaration, we have an even clearer way forward and we thank the Federal Government for enacting a critical part of Australia’s legislative framework to ensure that this sacred place is protected in perpetuity.”
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