The Burrup Peninsula already houses several industrial plants amid more than a million rock carvings, some more than 40,000 years old, which have been nominated for a UNESCO World Heritage listing. There are two liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants run by Woodside Energy Group and fertiliser and explosives plants run by Norway's Yara International in the industrial zone.
"We take the necessary steps to manage our impacts,
including in response to credible new information," a Woodside
spokesperson said, adding that research to date on the impact of
emissions on rock art has not been conclusive.
A spokesperson for Yara Pilbara, the Australian unit of Yara
International, said that as a company, "we acknowledge and
respect the cultural significance of Murujuga" and that Yara is
working with the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation to preserve
cultural heritage.
Australia last month formally nominated the Murujuga
Indigenous cultural landscape for a UNESCO World Heritage
listing. Woodside, Yara and Perdaman, which plans to build a urea
plant on the peninsula, all said they supported the World
Heritage listing and were working with the traditional
custodians to protect their heritage.
The Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, the traditional owners'
representative, led the preparation of the World Heritage
nomination.
Save our Songlines has disagreed with the group over the
industrial development and has raised doubts that a World
Heritage listing would protect the ancient landscape from
industrial damage.
(Reporting by Praveen Menon. Editing by Gerry Doyle)