KC Hill
Dexter
Cibbuano
Paladin
Craig Hill
Oracle of DelphiBob Brown lobbies to save Burrup Rock Art
July 13th 2006 06:15
ABC News Online reports that the national leader of the Greens will today spend a second day at the Burrup Peninsula, in north-west Western Australia, to help raise awareness of the area's Aboriginal rock art.
The State Government has recently released a plan which would leave 40 per cent of the Burrup open for further industrial development.
Greens' leader Bob Brown says the State Government does not see the importance of the rock art, which dates back more than 20,000 years.
Senator Brown says further damage to the internationally renowned site is inevitable.
"How would the world react to 40 per cent of the Mona Lisa being given over to sale by the French Government?" he said.
"What an absurdity for the Western Australian Government, which has other sites for industrial development in this region, to be giving away 40 per cent of one of the world's greatest rock art provinces."
For those overseas visitors to the site, Australia is home to a vast array of ancient rock art dating back to the Pleistocene period almost 40,000 years ago.
Australian rock art comprises pigmented or pictograph styles (painting, drawn, etched, stencilled or imprinted) and engravings on rock and stone surfaces made by removing material from the surface of the rock through pecking, pounding, abrading or scratching the rock.
The Pilbara region of Western Australia (WA) is one of several locations in Australia where rock art occurs. This region is noted for its extensive and ancient rock engravings exhibiting a diverse range of styles. It is estimated that the rock art of the Burrup Peninsula has more than 10,000 engravings with over 500 sites that have been officially recorded.
In my opinion, it would be a real tragedy if such priceless art were to be lost forever.
The State Government has recently released a plan which would leave 40 per cent of the Burrup open for further industrial development.
Greens' leader Bob Brown says the State Government does not see the importance of the rock art, which dates back more than 20,000 years.
Senator Brown says further damage to the internationally renowned site is inevitable.
"How would the world react to 40 per cent of the Mona Lisa being given over to sale by the French Government?" he said.
"What an absurdity for the Western Australian Government, which has other sites for industrial development in this region, to be giving away 40 per cent of one of the world's greatest rock art provinces."
For those overseas visitors to the site, Australia is home to a vast array of ancient rock art dating back to the Pleistocene period almost 40,000 years ago.
Australian rock art comprises pigmented or pictograph styles (painting, drawn, etched, stencilled or imprinted) and engravings on rock and stone surfaces made by removing material from the surface of the rock through pecking, pounding, abrading or scratching the rock.
The Pilbara region of Western Australia (WA) is one of several locations in Australia where rock art occurs. This region is noted for its extensive and ancient rock engravings exhibiting a diverse range of styles. It is estimated that the rock art of the Burrup Peninsula has more than 10,000 engravings with over 500 sites that have been officially recorded.
In my opinion, it would be a real tragedy if such priceless art were to be lost forever.
| 42 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
