Saving WA’s Burrup Rock Art?

20,000 rally & WA Government drops opposition to heritage listing

A ‘Save our Heritage’ campaign supported by activist website GetUp! Action for Australia, and many others, is celebrating this morning after a rally of over twenty thousand people has this week helped ‘turn the tide’ to protect an area of priceless heritage many didn’t even know existed: the ancient Indigenous rock art on the Burrup Peninsula.

GetUp!’s email this morning says, “In a stunning backflip, both the Western Australian Government and Woodside have just dropped their opposition to heritage listing. This is a huge step towards saving the remaining rock art from destruction, and making Burrup what it should be – one of the world’s most well-known and safely-visited heritage sites. The West Australian reported, “…Woodside director Keith Spence said yesterday the company had changed its position after being influenced by public opinion…””.

However…..!
There is still a need to keep the pressure up to drive the campaign home, says GetUp, as Woodside is asking for their proposed Pluto mining site to still be allowed as a condition for their support for heritage listing.

GetUp! asks if this is ‘good enough’ when experts from all sides of politics, heritage and industry agree further development should be moved to other suitable sites, and all the remaining rock art saved.

“Support the change in direction, but tell them we’re watching, and want real heritage protection – including boundaries that ensure all further development occurs elsewhere!” they say.

The grassroots CAN make a difference!