National Heritage List
The National Heritage List, administered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, is a list of places of outstanding natural, indigenous or historic heritage value to the nation.
The Department provides information, in conjunction with other State agencies, during the assessment of places nominated for the National Heritage List.
Western Australia has a number of places currently under assessment for the National Heritage List. Details on these places and further information on the listing process, criteria and implications can be found on the Department for Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website.
Dampier Archipelago and Burrup Peninsula (Murujuga) National Heritage Listing
On 3 July 2007, almost 370km2 of the Dampier Archipelago, Burrup Peninsula and adjacent mainland of the Western Australian Pilbara coast were included on the National Heritage List under the provisions of the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The listing reflects the area’s outstanding National Heritage values.
The listing covers 99% of the Dampier Archipelago land area where National Heritage values are found to occur. The rock art located within the remaining 1% of land where National Heritage values are found to occur continues to be managed and protected under Western Australian legislation. The National Heritage listing reinforces the region’s value to all Australians and adds Commonwealth support to the strong protection already provided by the Western Australian Government.
The State has been engaged in on-going discussions with the Commonwealth, industry, heritage interests and the indigenous community regarding an approvals bilateral agreement and a management arrangement for the Dampier Archipelago. The intent is to develop a management arrangement that provides a sufficient level of protection for the rock art values to enable Commonwealth accreditation of State processes for the majority of actions that would otherwise require approval under the EPBC Act.
