In April, GetUp traveled to WA as politicians, conservation groups and industry leaders gathered for intense negotiations over the future of one of Australia’s most unique, but little-known, heritage sites: our prehistoric rock carvings on the Burrup Penninsula.

In that crucial week, Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull also visited the Burrup for the first time - and finally committed to a heritage listing!

Scroll down to see pictures and video as we explored this unique area and shared your voices and concerns where they can make a lasting difference.

GetUp members should be proud of the crucial role they have played in protecting one of our country’s greatest heritage sites. Together, we have cracked open a debate that for decades has been confined to small groups of industry and government boardrooms.

42,000 personal messages were lodged with Woodside's Directors at their Annual General Meeting. Following shareholders questions at the AGM, Director Don Voelte finally admitted that the State Government had directed them towards developing amidst the rock art and that they had accepted.

Former Labor Western Australian Premier, Carmen Lawrence and former Liberal Head of Industry and Resources, Colin Barnett, made it clear to us that the current state government still has the power to re-negotiate the rest of Woodside's development to the already destroyed land.

Photos:
Robin Chapple taking the GetUp petition into Woodside’s Annual General Meeting



Woodside's Community Relations and Environment Managers accept the petition.

At some point it will be necessary to build a world-class industrial site located on flat and suitable land, such as at Maitland, where future industry can continue extracting the gas from offshore. This development should begin now.

The WA Government's heritage advisor received the GetUp petition but the Premier could not make a personal meeting. His senior policy team formally promised to send a letter to GetUp detailing the state's position on future management of the Burrup following the Federal Minister's announcement. You'll be able to download it from here as soon as we receive it.

We were fortunate to hear the stories and perspective of representatives from the traditional custodian groups themselves. The vast majority of the local Indigenous community are against any further development on the Burrup. We found out that songlines stretching as far as the Northern Territory and South Australia feature the Burrup. It was a major meeting place and probably the conduit to Indonesia, South-East Asia and the rest of the world. It made our spines tingle.

Our final step is to make sure Minister Turnbull comes through on his promise by drawing up a meaningful heritage listing that puts Commonwealth funds towards effectively protecting all of the remaining carvings. The accompanying management plan must ensure safe, respectful visitation and allow for world-class scientific study over the long term: all in close consultation with local Indigenous groups and the broader local community, so we can properly come to terms with the significance of this site.

If you are in WA, follow to this link to personally write to the Premier here.
If you are anywhere else in Australia – particularly in Turnbull’s Sydney east coast electorate, follow this link to write to the Environment Minister here.

If you haven’t already done so, go back to the campaign page and add your message to the petition. We will deliver the collection straight to Canberra before Turnbull signs off on the future of this priceless world treasure.



Photo slideshow




Video Preview (30 secs)




Footage of GetUp’s media coverage, presentation at the AGM and time at the Burrup. (6 mins)

Thanks to the National Trust (WA), ABC, Woodside, Robin Chapple and Robert G. Bednarik for availability and use of their photos and other audiovisual material.