UNESCO just added this WA landmark to its World Heritage list

It’s over 47,000 years old, more remote than Uluṟu, and finally recognised as one of the most significant cultural sites on Earth.

Western Australia is now home to the world’s newest UNESCO World Heritage listing. The Murujuga Cultural Landscape, located in the remote Pilbara region near Karratha, has officially been inscribed as a Cultural World Heritage site, joining the ranks of Budj Bim, Uluṟu and Kakadu. It’s a moment First Nations Custodians have fought for over decades, and a decision that comes with both celebration and concern.

The listing was confirmed on 11 July 2025 at UNESCO’s 47th World Heritage Committee meeting in Paris.

A spiritual and cultural win

Murujuga Cultural Landscape rock art — Murujuga has been inscribed as a Cultural World Heritage site. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Murujuga – home to one of the world’s oldest and largest known collections of engraved rock art – was recognised for its outstanding cultural and spiritual value, inscribed for bearing exceptional testimony to one of the world’s oldest continuing cultures. The petroglyphs that cover the peninsula depict everything from thylacines and turtles to early human life and ancestral stories.

“Our rock art tells the stories of our people, and maintains our songlines and bloodline connection to our ngurra (Country)," said Raelene Cooper, a Murujuga custodian of the Mardudhunera people and founder of Save Our Songlines , who travelled to Paris to witness the announcement.

Murujuga Cultural Landscape rock art Turtle petroglyphs — The rock art tells ancient stories. (Image: Save our Songlines)

The inscription has been decades in the making, led by the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) and supported by the WA Government.

“This is an exceptionally proud moment for us," MAC chair Peter Hicks said.

“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. We are proud to continue that legacy."

However, concerns remain. The site is surrounded by heavy industry, including Woodside’s North West Shelf gas project, and decades of emissions have raised alarms among scientists and custodians alike.

Is Murujuga still at risk?

Murujuga Cultural Landscape rock art platform aerial — The decision comes with both celebration and concern. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

In a rare move, the inscription came with an official amendment calling for “continued research and monitoring" of industrial impacts on the site.

Recent research by Bonn University and a report from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) – UNESCO’s own advisory body – have warned that industrial emissions are accelerating the degradation of the rock surfaces, potentially erasing thousands of years of history. Some argue that the Australian Government downplayed this data in their executive summary to UNESCO.

“The final decision today falls well short of the protections that expert body ICOMOS has recommended," Cooper said.

“But comments from World Heritage Committee members today send a clear signal to the Australian Government and Woodside that things need to change to prevent the ongoing desecration of Murujuga by polluting industry."

Murujuga Cultural Landscape rock art kangaroo petroglyph — Scientific data demonstrated the advanced weathering of the Murujuga petroglyphs. (Image: Save our Songlines)

Ben Smith, Professor of Archaeology (World Rock Art) at the University of Western Australia, said that the scientific data clearly demonstrated the advanced weathering of the Murujuga petroglyphs from pollutants from the Woodside gas processing facility.

“One only hopes that Murujuga’s listing as a World Heritage Site spurs the government to no longer shirk their responsibility to conserve and protect this globally significant rock art site, and we see proper measures put in place to stop the polluting gas industry from degrading our First Nations cultural heritage," Smith said.

In May, Environment Minister Murray Watt granted conditional approval for Woodside to extend its gas processing operations on the Burrup Peninsula until 2070. The conditions are yet to be made public.

How to visit with respect

Murujuga Cultural Landscape aerial — Visitors can join cultural tours run by Traditional Custodians. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

The Murujuga Cultural Landscape is accessible via Karratha, and visitors can join cultural tours run by Traditional Custodians through the MAC , which provide insight into the ancient stories, Dreaming and deep connections that shape this living landscape.

WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

“Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

1. Mimbi Caves

You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

“That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour . “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves. — Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Kalbarri National Park

Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

“I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge. — Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

3. Hamelin Bay Wines

Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Almost.

Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

“Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

Spectacular views.

A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset. — Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour .

Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden. — Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

5. Hoochery Distillery

Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour .

People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia. — Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

6. Geraldton

The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park — Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

7. El Questro

Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro. — Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

8. Lake Argyle

Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour , where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra. — Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.