Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999
Notice under Section 315
I, Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water, give notice under section 315 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), that the property described in Schedule A was submitted to the World Heritage Committee for inclusion in the World Heritage List on 27 January 2023 (paragraph 315(1)(a)) and included in the World Heritage List on 11 July 2025 (paragraph 315(1)(e)).
Dated: 4 / 9 / 2025
Murray Watt
Minister for the Environment and Water
Schedule A
The nomination dossier for the Murujuga Cultural Landscape was submitted to UNESCO on
27 January 2023. The nomination of Murujuga Cultural Landscape was led by the Ngarda-Ngarli, the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Murujuga, and was developed in partnership with the Australian and Western Australian Governments. The Ngarda-Ngarli are represented by the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation. The area known as Murujuga Cultural Landscape, specified in the map below, was inscribed in the World Heritage List at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee on 11 July 2025.
Murujuga is a deeply storied land and seascape located in northwest Australia. It encompasses the Burrup Peninsula, the Dampier Archipelago, surrounding marine areas and the submerged landscape. Murujuga is shaped by the Lore—rules and narratives put in place to create the Country—and the enduring presence of the Ngarda-Ngarli, Traditional Owners and Custodians of the site. The property holds profound cultural and spiritual significance, reflecting over 50,000 years of continuous care and management by Traditional Law that has adapted to the changing needs of country over periods of dramatic climatic and environmental change. Murujuga is renowned for its dense concentration of archaeological and spiritual sites that reflect the interaction between people and place over thousands of generations. Its extraordinary rock art assemblage records a complex system of Lore and Traditional Law, features unique motifs and demonstrates artistic and technical mastery.
The geographical coordinates near the centre of the nominated property are: 20° 33’ 54’’ S116° 40’ 6’’ E. This contiguous nominated property is comprised of 99,881 hectares in the north-west coast of Western Australia, including 8356 hectares of the Burrup Peninsula, 42 islands of the Dampier Archipelago and adjacent marine areas. The area generally consists of:
- Murujuga National Park
- Dampier Archipelago conservation estate
- Western Australian unallocated Crown land and other Crown reserves
- Local government land
- Dampier Archipelago waters
- Port lands and waters
- Industrial leased land
- Department of Defence leased land
Overview
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) was enacted by the Australian Parliament to address the need for a comprehensive framework to protect the environment, particularly in the context of biodiversity and heritage conservation. This Act provides mechanisms for the protection of the environment from significant impacts, including the regulation of activities that may affect world heritage properties. The Act empowers the Minister for the Environment and Water to submit properties to the World Heritage Committee for inclusion in the World Heritage List, as demonstrated in the recent submission and subsequent inclusion of the Murujuga Cultural Landscape in the World Heritage List on 11 July 2025. The policy objective underlying this legislative framework is to ensure the preservation of significant natural and cultural heritage sites, recognising their importance to both the nation and the global community. The nomination of the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, led by the Ngarda-Ngarli Traditional Owners and Custodians, in partnership with the Australian and Western Australian Governments, exemplifies the collaborative approach the Act encourages in protecting and managing significant heritage areas.
Scope and Application
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 applies to a broad range of persons, entities, industries, and transactions across Australia, with a particular focus on actions that may impact on matters of national environmental significance. The Act provides the legislative framework for the protection of the environment, including World Heritage properties, and the conservation of Australia's biodiversity. The Act applies to actions that may have a significant impact on World Heritage properties, which include the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, as described in the schedule to the notice. The geographic reach of the Act is national, applying across the Commonwealth, states, and territories. The Act extends its application through subordinate instruments, which may include regulations and guidelines that further define the scope and operation of the Act. The Act provides for exclusions, exemptions, and thresholds in certain circumstances, such as for activities that are already regulated under other Commonwealth, state, or territory legislation.
Key Provisions
The primary operative sections of the legislation are found in sections 315I and 315 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth). Section 315I requires the Minister for the Environment and Water to give notice to the public under section 315 of the Act, specifically detailing the submission and inclusion of a property in the World Heritage List. This notification was given on 27 January 2023 when the nomination dossier for the Murujuga Cultural Landscape was submitted to UNESCO (section 315(1)(a)), and subsequently on 11 July 2025, when the property was officially inscribed in the World Heritage List (section 315(1)(e)). The legislation underscores the importance of the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, a significant site in northwest Australia, and its recognition by the international community.
The obligations and requirements imposed by this Act on the parties involved include the necessity for the Minister to formally notify the public of the submission and inclusion of the Murujuga Cultural Landscape in the World Heritage List. This notification ensures transparency and public awareness of the property's nomination and inclusion. Furthermore, the Act highlights the collaborative effort between the Ngarda-Ngarli, the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Murujuga, and the Australian and Western Australian Governments in the development and submission of the nomination dossier. The involvement of the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation represents the Ngarda-Ngarli and ensures their active participation in the process.
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) does not explicitly outline specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for breach in this context. However, the Act generally provides for enforcement mechanisms, including compliance notices, fines, and other regulatory actions for breaches of environmental protection and biodiversity conservation laws. The penalties for non-compliance can vary significantly depending on the nature and severity of the breach, but they can include substantial financial penalties and, in some cases, imprisonment. The Act aims to protect and conserve the environment and biodiversity, ensuring that nominated properties like Murujuga Cultural Landscape are managed sustainably and respectfully.