The ancient Indigenous rock art on Western Australia's Burrup Peninsula has been deservedly listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Register.
But the spectacular Murujuga petroglyphs remain under threat.
Extensive scientific evidence reveals that pollution from the adjacent Woodside gas export terminal has seriously damaged the engravings.
Scientists warn that unless the acid gas emissions from the terminal are curtailed, the rock art will be destroyed, regardless of the World Heritage listing.
"The tragedy is that Woodside's gas development does not need to be at Murujuga," said Stephen Long, Senior Fellow at The Australia Institute, who produced The Fight to Save Murujuga documentary.
"The gas from the proposed extension will be shipped in from offshore gas fields hundreds of kilometres away."
Despite the warnings from scientists, in late May, Environment Minister Murray Watt provisionally approved a 50-year expansion of the gas project, claiming the approval was subject to strict conditions to protect Murujuga.
However, those conditions remain a secret. The Australia Institute last week wrote to Minister Watt requesting the conditions be made public.
"Keeping the conditions secret prevents public scrutiny and undermines public trust and accountability," said Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor at The Australia Institute.
"Minister Watt claims he has imposed 'strict conditions' to protect Murujuga. Australians deserve to know what conditions the government is imposing on Woodside to protect this ancient treasure."
