We launched a second legal challenge to the North West Shelf extension!

Friends of Australian Rock Art has just launched a Federal Court challenge against Woodside’s North West Shelf extension in a further bid to prevent ongoing damage to the Murujuga rock art. 

This case will run concurrently with our ongoing WA Supreme Court challenge to the North West Shelf state approval!

We need your support to fund the costs of two legal challenges to Woodside, the WA government and the Australian government.

Our lawyers will argue that the federal environmental approval provided by Environment Minister Murray Watt under the EPBC Act was invalid, because the Minister failed to properly take into consideration the economic and social harms that would result from ongoing damage to Murujuga heritage.

In the Statement of Reasons released with the approval, the Minister acknowledged that the proposal will result in ongoing impacts on the heritage values, yet the Minister considered these impacts were acceptable when the economic benefits claimed by Woodside were taken into consideration.

Susan Swain, a co-convenor of Friends of Australian Rock Art, said outside court yesterday: 

“The Murujuga rock art and cultural heritage is unique in the world. It is priceless. The UNESCO World Heritage site contains the oldest and most extensive rock art on the planet.

“Both the state and federal governments have let us down here. As Australians we have a responsibility to ensure this site is protected for future generations, and to hold our governments to account when they do not properly follow laws that are designed to protect heritage sites."

Judith Hugo, a co-convenor of Friends of Australian Rock Art, added: 

“It is clear that Woodside’s North West Shelf extension will cause ongoing and irreversible impacts to the heritage values, but the Minister has been willing to sacrifice Murujuga for the sake of economic benefits claimed by Woodside.”

“FARA has been fighting for protection for Murujuga for many years. We cannot stand by while governments sacrifice irreplaceable heritage, especially when they have failed to follow due process.”

This is the second legal challenge to the North West Shelf extension initiated by FARA. A Supreme Court challenge to the Western Australian state government approval for Woodside’s North West Shelf extension will be heard next on 21 November 2025 in Perth.

Can you help us to fund these vitally important cases to hold governments to account and uphold the law?