Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Program
As an input to the long-term management of the cultural and natural features of the Burrup Peninsula, the Western Australian Government commissioned a monitoring program to assess whether there was any change to the ancient rock art (or petroglyphs) over and above that due to natural weathering.
Page Index
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring – Interim Results
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring – Latest Results
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee - Final Report
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee
In August 2002 the Western Australian Government established the independent Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee (“the Committee”). The Committee oversees studies that are being conducted to establish whether industrial emissions could affect the petroglyphs. The Committee's Terms of Reference; a current list of Committee members and an overview of the rock art monitoring studies commissioned by the Committee are provided below:
Terms of Reference for Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee (PDF 34Kb) Current List of Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee Members – January 2009 (WORD 18Kb) Overview of Proposed Rock Art Monitoring Studies (PDF 66 Kb)
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring – Interim Results
The preliminary results of the CSIRO and Professor Graham O'Hara studies undertaken on behalf of the Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee are available below.
To ensure the reports were of the highest quality, the reports were sent to the most eminent scientists in the relevant fields in the United States and Europe. The names of these scientists will not be released to provide anonymity and to ensure that they feel free to be open in their opinion.
Summary of interim report Burrup Peninsula air quality monitoring: July 2007 (PDF 284Kb)
Burrup Peninsula air pollution study: August 2004 - September 2005 (PDF 5.1Mb)
Monitoring of microbial diversity on Burrup rock surfaces: September 2006 (Word 692Kb)
SKM Atmospheric Modelling Report - Burrup Rock Art: June 2003 (PDF 2.5Mb)
Dampier Workshop
Consultation with the broader community on the development and progress of the monitoring program was facilitated through a range of community forums which began in late March 2003 with the Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Research Workshop in Dampier.
Presentations given at the workshop are provided below.
Atmospheric modelling - Owen Pitts, SKM (PDF 179Kb)
Chemical processes - Dr Ivan Cole, CSIRO (PDF 1.4Mb)
Colour by use of chromameter and spectrometry - Professor Mervyn Lynch, Curtin University (PDF 657Kb)
Geology of the Burrup - Dr Mike Donaldson, GSWA (PDF 2.6Mb)
Industrial development on the Burrup - Roger Dean, DMP (PDF 2.3Mb)
Industrial emissions deposition - Dr Greg Ayres, CSIRO (PDF 915Kb)
National standards and current air quality - Dr Ken Rayner, WRC (PDF 299Kb)
Microbiological aspects of rock art deterioration - Dr David Sutton, University of WA (PDF 184Kb)
Microclimatology - Professor Tom Lyons, Murdoch University (PDF 383Kb)
Microtopography of petroglyphs - Jochen Franke, Curtin University (PDF 590Kb)
Public reporting on monitoring study - Professor Frank Murray (PDF 167Kb)
Rock surface characteristics - Professor Steve Thurgate, Murdoch University (PDF 401Kb)
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring – Latest Results
Reports on various studies conducted on the rock art, have been endorsed by the Committee and are provided below, together with an updated rock art flyer with information on the Committee and a summary of results.
1. Burrup Peninsula Aboriginal Petroglyphs: Colour Change and Spectral Mineralogy – September 2008 (CSIRO) (PDF 3,316Kb) 2. Burrup Peninsula Air Pollution Study – September 2008 (CSIRO) (PDF 5,754Kb) 3. Monitoring of Microbial Diversity on Rock Surfaces of the Burrup Peninsula – September 2008 (Murdoch University) (PDF 1,294Kb) 4. Burrup Rock Art: Revised Modelling – January 2009 (SKM) (PDF 2,417Kb) 5. International reviewers comments on the reports (PDF 35Kb) 6. International Reviewers comments on the BP Air Pollution Report-Nov2008 (PDF 28Kb) 7. Burrup Rock Art Flyer – February 2009 Update (PDF 212Kb) 8. Summary of study reports (PDF 317Kb)
The Committee will produce a final report and recommendations on the four-year studies for consideration by Government during the first half of 2009.
Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee - Final Report
This report and recommendations of the Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee provides a summary of its findings following the four years of the study.
CSIRO Burrup Peninsula Aboriginal Petroglyphs: Colour Change and Spectral Mineralogy Report (2004-2008) – March 2009
This report covers the 5-year period (2004-2008) of the Colour Change and Spectral Mineralogy rock art monitoring conducted by CSIRO.
