Rock art heritage listing to attract eyes of the world

Environmentalists and traditional owners who fear industrial pollution is harming ancient rock art hope World Heritage status will attract global scrutiny to the issue.

The Murujuga rock art landscape in Western Australia was listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a heritage site on Friday following lobbying by the federal government.

The inscription recognises the First Nations cultural value of the more than one million engravings in WA's northwest, some of which are thought to be more than 50,000 years old.

The site was previously put forward to UNESCO for World Heritage listing in 2023 but Australia's application was referred back in May.

UNESCO recommended state and federal governments address concerns that nearby acid emissions were degrading the art, including those from Woodside's Burrup gas hub, which was recently granted provisional approval to operate for another 40 years.

Federal and state governments and the Murujuga Cultural Landscape have been celebrating the win.

But other traditional owners in Paris for the decision have been left disappointed after failing to secure protections from industry.

"Global scrutiny will now be applied to what is happening at Murujuga," Mardathoonera woman and Murujuga traditional custodian Raelene Cooper said.

"You cannot have industry and culture coexist. It's never happened. It never works," she said.

Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said the "world is now watching" and urged the federal environment minister to reject Woodside's gas project extension.

Environment Minister Murray Watt said his government was committed to protecting the site now and for future generations.

"It has been a great privilege to support the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Murujuga to see this globally significant cultural landscape included on the World Heritage List," Senator Watt said.

Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation chair Peter Hicks said it was an "exceptionally proud moment".

"It is recognition of the hard work that MAC has put in to progressing this nomination, but it is also recognition of the way our ancestors have managed this extraordinary landscape for over 50,000 years," he said.