Traditional owners have expressed outrage over the start of construction of a new fertiliser plant on WA’s world heritage nominated Burrup Peninsula.

April 26, 2023

Construction of a new fertiliser plant has started on Western Australia’s world heritage nominated Burrup Peninsula, amid an outcry from traditional owners.

Multinational petrochemical company Perdaman is building a $6 billion facility to produce urea about 20 kilometres northwest of Karratha.

It’s the first industrial construction in more than a decade on the rock art-rich peninsula that was formally nominated for UNESCO’s world heritage list in February.

“This important project represents a significant investment in the Pilbara and WA, underlining the region’s role as the engine room of Australia’s economy,” Premier Mark McGowan said on Wednesday.

“It is estimated the project will create thousands of jobs within the state and generate a total revenue of $77 billion over its life.”

The plant will convert natural gas from Woodside’s Scarborough Gas Project into an estimated 2.3 million tonnes of urea for domestic sale and export per year.

Resources and Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King said the project would produce fertiliser for Australian farmers and support food security in the region.

“Ultimately it will help feed a great many people,” she said.

Urea is expected to be supplied to the market from mid-2027 when construction is completed.

Incitec Pivot Fertilisers chief executive Jeanne Johns said the plant would ensure a secure, long-term supply of urea for Australian agriculture.

“Global market conditions and security of supply are growing challenges for farmers and the agriculture sector in Australia and globally,” she said.

Murujuga traditional owners said the announcement would lead to the removal of Indigenous rock art from the site despite cultural heritage assessments not being completed.

“I am so angry and hurt right now. It is a sad, sad state of affairs,” Josie Alec said.

“The free, prior and informed consent has still not been given to Perdaman to remove these rocks – not all traditional custodians have been consulted on this.”

Mardudhunera woman Raelene Cooper took aim at the premier alleging he lacked respect for Indigenous people.

“McGowan sat on Murujuga (in 2016) with a multitude of people beside him signing a document pertaining to the world heritage nomination because of the Burrup’s unique universal value which is globally noted,” she said.

“However, today, McGowan stands there quite proudly with a shovel to dig into the ngurra, the ground, giving the green light to go ahead and destroy the very rock art that holds the world heritage values of our country.”

Greens Senator Dorinda Cox agreed, saying it was hypocritical to nominate the peninsula’s cultural landscape for world heritage listing and allow industry to “destroy” it.

Murujuga is among the world’s most significant rock art sites with up to two million petroglyphs.

It contains evidence of continuous traditional culture over at least 50,000 years.

Traditional custodians have campaigned against industrialisation which threatens the preservation of the petroglyphs.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has previously said a proposed world heritage boundary of almost 100,000 hectares of land and sea has been negotiated.