Whose Songlines? Tensions Rise Over Murujuga Rock Art and Industry Ties
On the remote, rugged Burrup Peninsula—called Murujuga by its Traditional Custodians—the sandstone sings. Etched into the rocks are more than a million images: thylacines, human figures, ceremonial symbols, and spirits that have watched over this country for tens of thousands of years. It’s the largest, oldest and most densely packed collection of Aboriginal rock art in the world. Some of it predates the pyramids. And now, it sits in the shadow of Woodside’s sprawling Pluto LNG plant—and its controversial $16.5 billion Scarborough expansion.
For many custodians, scientists and campaigners, the gas giant’s expansion plans spell disaster for this priceless cultural landscape. Emissions and chemical residues from the plant, they argue, are accelerating the weathering of rock surfaces, fading ancient petroglyphs beyond repair.
Into this firestorm walks Peter Hicks—a Ngarluma man, a respected business leader, and the current chair of the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC), the body tasked with protecting this sacred country. Hicks also owns and runs Hicks Civil and Mining, a Pilbara contractor that in 2023 won a haulage contract from Bechtel for the Pluto expansion.
It’s this dual role that’s raising eyebrows—and voices—among Traditional Custodians and heritage campaigners.
This is from Woodside’s website: Local business spotlight: Hicks Civil and Mining
| Hicks Civil and Mining was selected to deliver aggregate haulage works for the Pluto Train 2 batch plant, operated by local Karratha business Mobile Concreting Solutions – as part of Bechtel’s project delivery program. This is a significant achievement, demonstrating how local businesses can benefit from large-scale projects in the region. Owner, Peter Hicks, is a Ngarluma man born and raised in the Pilbara, bringing more than 40 years of experience into his business. The company has gone from strength-to-strength over the last decade and is now executing major earthworks and civils contracts for the resources industry. “It is truly rewarding when businesses can come together and work harmoniously to bring about mutually beneficial outcomes. We celebrated this award with our teams, knowing this is just the beginning of something great.” – Peter Hicks, Hicks Civil and Mining. With support from Woodside Energy, Bechtel, and Mobile Concreting Solutions, Hicks Civil and Mining created a new a haulage service with their business with the purchase of a new triple road train to deliver their aggregate haulage works for Pluto Train 2. The company to this day continues to be run by the four founding family members with a key focus on staged growth to create long-term success. |
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“The Chair Should Not Wear Two Hats”
Mardudhunera woman Raelene Cooper, a former chair of MAC and current convenor of the grassroots group Save Our Songlines, is among those calling for Hicks to stand down.
“Realistically, it is a conflict of interest,” she said. “This man is the Murujuga chairperson. These are queries and questions that members need to be asking—and I am a member of Murujuga.”
Her concern is echoed by Friends of Australian Rock Art co-convener Judith Hugo, who said she was “shocked” to learn of Hicks’ contract with Bechtel. “We still feel he has a conflict of interest accepting it, as he is also meant to be helping preserve his people’s cultural heritage from destruction.”
At stake, they argue, is the independence of MAC itself, a body charged not only with implementing the Murujuga Rock Art Strategy alongside government agencies but with acting as a voice for the land’s first guardians.
For legal reasons, it must be stated clearly: we do not suggest that Mr Hicks has any actual conflict of interest. We are reporting concerns raised by some Traditional Owners and cultural advocates.
“Hicks Civil and Mining was established in 2010 by Peter and Lisa Hicks. Peter is a Ngarluma man who was born and raised in the Pilbara region and has been working professionally in the mining and construction industry since the age of 17,” says Hicks Civil and Mining website. Hicks clients include BHP and Rio Tinto.
A Different Perspective
Lawyers representing Hicks strongly reject the suggestion of any conflict.
They argue that his roles in Hicks Civil and Mining and as chair of MAC are “different in nature” and do not overlap. “Mr Hicks (in his role as chairman of MAC) cannot and has not influenced the review being undertaken by MAC (in regard to any effect of emissions on the heritage rock art) at all,” they said.
They added that Hicks had properly disclosed the contract and committed to “scrupulously” advising the MAC board of any perceived or potential conflicts in future.
“There is no basis to suggest the contract would influence him in his role at MAC,” they stated. “The board will be informed of any relevant circumstance (if any) and is able to make an informed judgment on any matter, moving forward.”
In a statement of his own, Hicks said the contract had enabled the creation of a new haulage division and praised the collaborative spirit of the deal. “It is truly rewarding when businesses can come together and work harmoniously to bring about mutually beneficial outcomes,” he said.
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Business As Usual?
MAC itself isn’t just a cultural body. Through its subsidiary, Murujuga Commercial Limited, the corporation has ambitions to grow Indigenous enterprise across the Pilbara. That arm is financially backed by major industrial players—Woodside among them—as well as the fertiliser company Perdaman.
Annual reports show the subsidiary was established with the explicit goal of setting up local businesses with seed funding from MAC and its corporate partners. Critics argue that this creates a structural entanglement between heritage protection and industrial expansion—a marriage of convenience that places priceless cultural legacy in potential jeopardy.
The Land Remembers
Murujuga is no stranger to industrialisation. The island was joined to the mainland in the 1960s as Rio Tinto laid tracks for iron ore exports. Since then, it has become a hub for heavy industry. Woodside’s original LNG plant landed in the 1980s. Yara’s ammonia plant and other developments followed. But the rock art remains, silent and steadfast—for now.
A 2022 federal inquiry found clear evidence that acid emissions, dust, and industrial pollution were degrading the surface of Murujuga’s ancient art. Researchers called for stricter environmental controls and better consultation with Traditional Owners. Instead, expansion approval was waved through.
The result is a growing rift between those who support economic development and those fighting to protect what can never be replaced.
As one elder told us off the record: “We don’t want jobs on a graveyard.”
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Is Gas for Export Worth More than Ancient Art?
The situation on the Burrup Peninsula is delicate. Some see hope in business partnerships that include Indigenous stakeholders. Others see a dangerous compromise that threatens the very songlines these corporations claim to honour.
At the heart of this story is a profound question: can you safeguard sacred heritage while profiting from the industries that endanger it?
For many on Murujuga, that question has yet to be answered. But the rock art, older than memory, bears quiet witness. And it doesn’t forget.
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