The National Trust of Australia is backing a move to have the Burrup
Peninsula in Western Australia registered on the list of the 100 most
threatened monuments in the world.

The Burrup is home to the largest and oldest collection of man-made rock
engravings in the world, and experts want proposed industrial developments
relocated to another site nearby.

The Burrup is also the base for Woodside Energy's gas network and the
first of five new developments is expected to begin in March.

Robert Bednarik of the International Federation of Rock Art Research says
the National Trust has written to the New York-based World Monument Fund
offering support for the listing.

"Most certainly we are not opposed to the development, we quite realise
that the development is very important to the state of Western Australia,
all we want is the development to be relocated in such a place where it
doesn't pose a threat to the rock art," he said.

The National Trust of Western Australia says even though Aboriginal groups
have agreed to the developments, it is still not right.

Thomas Perrigo says the rock art is the oldest in the world and it
represents the heritage of people around the world.

"It's a funny one, everyone's kept in the dark a bit now, and again I get
back to my original comment - nobody's got the right to sell that
heritage, that's not theirs, it's not theirs to sell, it belongs to the
people of Australia and to the world and that's why we've proceeded to
support the endangered world list," he said.

The Minister for Indigenous Affairs says 60 per cent of the Burrup
Peninsula will be protected in conservation reserve.

Alan Carpenter says developers will still have to seek clearance under the
Aboriginal Heritage Act before undertaking any site works.

The State Government says a study is being conducted into the possible
effects of potential air emissions from new industries on the rock art.