Burrup Rock Art
Australia is home to a vast array of ancient rock art dating back to the Pleistocene period almost 40,000 years ago. Australian rock art comprises pigmented or pictograph styles (painting, drawn, etched, stencilled or imprinted) and engravings on rock and stone surfaces made by removing material from the surface of the rock through pecking, pounding, abrading or scratching the rock.
Burrup and Maitland Industrial Estate Agreement and Additional Deed
The State Government entered into the Burrup and Maitland Industrial Estates Agreement with the three local Aboriginal groups, the Ngarluma-Yindjibarndi, Yaburara-Mardudhunera and the Wong-Goo-Tt-Oo, in 2003.
The Burrup Agreement authorises industrial development in a clearly limited industry area, which cannot expand in the future, while at the same time establishing a conservation estate over much of the northern Burrup. The Burrup Agreement includes a range of economic and community benefits for the Ngarluma-Yindjibarndi, Yaburara-Mardudhunera and the Wong-Goo-Tt-Oo, including education and training and stake in future land developments.
Under the Burrup Agreement Additional Deed, the Department is overseeing a series of comprehensive heritage surveys of the future industrial land and the monitoring of the Burrup Peninsula rock art.
The implementation of the Burrup Agreement is co-ordinated by the Office of Native Title. Further information can be accessed through the Office of Native Title website
Burrup Heritage Surveys
The land set aside for future industrial use is currently undergoing a series of comprehensive cultural heritage surveys with participation by members of local Aboriginal groups. The surveys will identify heritage material of significance that may need particular protection in the event of industrial development. They will also provide information for the State’s industrial and infrastructure planning for the area to ensure that industry and heritage can co-exist.
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Program
As an input to the long-term management of the cultural and natural features of the Burrup Peninsula, the Western Australian Government commissioned a monitoring program to assess whether there was any change to the rock engravings over and above that due to natural weathering.
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee
The then Minister for State Development, Clive Brown, established the independent Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee in August 2002 to oversee the monitoring studies. The Committee's Terms of Reference and a current list of Committee members is provided below. Also provided is an overview of the rock art monitoring studies commissioned by the Committee and an information sheet on the Committee and study results, to date.
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee - August 2007 Update (PDF 195Kb)
Members of Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee (PDF 13Kb)
Terms of Reference for Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee (PDF 34Kb)
Overview of Proposed Rock Art Monitoring Studies (PDF 66 Kb)
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Results
The preliminary results of the CSIRO and Professor Graham O'Hare studies undertaken on behalf of the Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee are available below.
To ensure the reports were of the highest quality, the reports were sent to the most eminent scientists in the relevant fields in the United States and Europe. The names of these scientists will not be released to provide anonymity and to ensure that they feel free to be open in their opinion.
Summary of interim report Burrup Peninsula air quality monitoring: July 2007 (PDF 284Kb)
Burrup Peninsula air pollution study: August 2004 - September 2005 (PDF 5.1Mb)
Monitoring of microbial diversity on Burrup rock surfaces: September 2006 (Word 692Kb)
SKM Atmospheric Modelling Report - Burrup Rock Art: June 2003 (PDF 2.5Mb)
Dampier Workshop
Consultation with the broader community on the development and progress of the monitoring program was facilitated through a range of community forums which began in late March 2003 with the Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Research Workshop in Dampier.
Presentations given at the workshop are provided below.
Atmospheric modelling - Owen Pitts, SKM (PDF 179Kb)
Chemical processes - Dr Ivan Cole, CSIRO (PDF 1.4Mb)
Geology of the Burrup - Dr Mike Donaldson, GSWA (PDF 2.6Mb)
Industrial development on the Burrup - Roger Dean, DMP (PDF 2.3Mb)
Industrial emissions deposition - Dr Greg Ayres, CSIRO (PDF 915Kb)
National standards and current air quality - Dr Ken Rayner, WRC (PDF 299Kb)
Microbiological aspects of rock art deterioration - Dr David Sutton, University of WA (PDF 184Kb)
Microclimatology - Professor Tom Lyons, Murdoch University (PDF 383Kb)
Microtopography of petroglyphs - Jochen Franke, Curtin University (PDF 590Kb)
Public reporting on monitoring study - Professor Frank Murray (PDF 167Kb)
Rock surface characteristics - Professor Steve Thurgate, Murdoch University (PDF 401Kb)
