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.

This remote corner of Australia is one of the world’s last frontiers. This is how to see it properly.

Vast, rugged and deeply spiritual, the Kimberley coast in Australia’s North West feels a world away from everyday Australia – and there are countless ways to explore it. But if you want to reach ancient rock art, hidden gorges and lonely waterfalls, it has to be by boat. Whether you’re aboard a nimble expedition vessel or a luxury yacht with all the trimmings, exploring by the water brings exclusive experiences, shows unique views and makes travel easier than any other mode. And that’s just the beginning of Australia’s North West cruises.

The True North Adventure Cruise in between sandstone cliffs. — Adventure starts where the road ends.

1. Discover Broome, and beyond

Explore your launchpad before you set sail: Broome. Here camels and their riders stride along the 22 kilometres of powdery Cable Beach at sunset. That’s just the start.

At Gantheaume Point, red pindan cliffs plunge into the turquoise sea, whose low tide uncovers fossilised dinosaur footprints. Broome’s pearling history runs deep. Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Aboriginal divers once worked these waters, and their legacy lives on in boutiques where South Sea pearls still shine.

If the moon’s right, you may catch the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay. Or simply kick back with a cold beverage and a film under the stars at Sun Pictures , screening since 1916.

Ride a camel along Cable Beach as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean, casting golden light across the sand and sea. — Ride a camel along Cable Beach. (Image: Nick Dunn)

2. Unmatched access to The Kimberley

Once you’re onboard, expect a backstage pass to some of the most isolated places on Earth. No roads. No ports. No phone reception.

At Horizontal Falls/ Garaanngaddim, 10-metre tides surge through twin gorges like a natural waterpark ride that’ll make your palms sweat. Then there’s Montgomery Reef/ Yowjab: a giant living platform of coral and seagrass, where the sea pulls back to reveal waterfalls, sea turtles and ospreys.

Up north, King George Falls/ Oomari rage 80 metres down red cliffs. Zodiac boats often nudge in closer so you can feel the spray on your sun-warmed cheeks. You might even fly in to reach Mitchell Falls/ Punamii-unpuu, a four-tiered cascade where you can swim in freshwater pools above the drop.

Come spring, some itineraries veer west to Rowley Shoals: an atoll chain of white sand and reef walls. Then it’s up the winding Prince Regent River to King Cascade/ Maamboolbadda, tumbling over rock terraces, and into a Zodiac to view the Gwion Gwion rock art, whose slender, ochre-painted figures are older than the pyramids.

A cruise drifts beneath King George Falls, where sheer sandstone cliffs frame the thunderous plunge into turquoise waters. — Get closer to the Kimberley than ever before.

3. Taste the Kimberley with onboard hospitality

You might spend your days clambering over slippery rocks or charging past waterfalls. But when you’re back on the water, it’s a different story. Meals are chef-prepared and regionally inspired: grilled barramundi, pearl meat sashimi, mango tarts, and bush tomato chutney. One night it’s barefoot beach barbecues with your shipmates; the next, alfresco dining on the ship.

Small expedition ships each have their own personality, but many carry just 12 to 36 guests, making being out on the water a whole other experience. You might sink into a spa on the foredeck or sip coffee in a lounge while watching crocodiles cruise by. It’s choose-your-own-relaxation, Kimberley style.

4. Expert-led excursions through the Kimberley

These voyages are led by people who know the Kimberley like the back of their sunburnt hand. Attenborough-esque naturalists might gently tap your shoulder to point out rare birds or tell the story beneath a slab of rock. Historians can explain exactly how that rusted World War II relic came to rest here.

If your ship has a helipad, you might chopper straight to a waterfall-fed swimming hole. If not, you’ll still be hopping ashore for that wet landing at a secret creek.

Then come the evenings: songlines shared by Traditional Owners under the stars, or astronomy sessions that link what’s overhead with what’s underfoot and what’s within.

A small group glides through Kimberley’s rugged coastline by boat, passing ancient cliffs. — Explore with naturalists and historians by your side.

5. Relax in luxurious lodgings

Just because you’re off-grid doesn’t mean you have to rough it. These Kimberley vessels are small in size, but mighty in luxury. True North’s ships come with their own helicopters and a no-sea-days policy, so you’re always in the thick of it. Try the luxurious offerings from Ocean Dream Charters for exploration in style. Kimberley Quest offers a fast boat for easy, off-ship adventures. On the larger end of the scale, Coral Expeditions has open-deck bars and curated wine cellars. And then there’s Ponant’s luxury yachts – sleek and incredibly stylish French sailing yachts.

A helicopter soars above the sea, with a sleek cruise ship gliding in the distance. — See the Kimberley from sky to shore.

6. The adventure continues with pre- and post-cruise experiences

You’ve already come this far – so, why not go further? Broome makes it easy to ease in before you board, or wind down when your voyage ends, and there is no reason to stop there.

Head an hour and a half south to Eco Beach to stay off-grid and off the clock. Join a Yawuru guide for a mangrove walk or ocean forage. Dive even deeper into Broome’s pearling past at Willie Creek or Cygnet Bay, where divers and craftspeople still pull the seawater-slicked gems from the deep.

If you’re still craving adventure, it’s time to go further. Soar over the Buccaneer Archipelago, or detour inland with a 4WD trip along the Gibb River Road. Book a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles. Or – because you never know when you’ll be back – do all three.

aerial of people walking on eco beach in the kimberley western australia — Stay off grid at Eco Beach. (Image: Tourism WA)

Find out more about your trip to Australia’s North West at australiasnorthwest.com .