PORT HEDLAND COUNCIL ALLEGEDLY DAMAGES KARIYARRA HERITAGE AT TWO MILE RIDGE

BY TANGIORA HINAKI AND CONRAD MACLEAN

Petroglyphs at Two Mile Ridge were allegedly damaged by the Town of Port Hedland. Credit: Supplied.

The Kariyarra Aboriginal Corporation has said sacred sites were damaged in Port Hedland earlier this month. 

Two Mile Ridge is home to Indigenous petroglyphs which are protected under the Aboriginal Heritage Act. 

Kariyarra Aboriginal Corporation CEO Nic Green said the heritage sites were damaged during work by the Town of Port Hedland and the Water Corporation. 

Nic Green. Credit: Kariyarra Aboriginal Corporation (KAC)

Mr Green said his organisation wants to collaborate with authorities to prevent this sort of damage reoccurring. 

Mr Green said: “We’ve reached out to both the Town and the Port to say, ‘Lets do a management plan. Even though there has been a terrible error made for whatever reason and we’ve pulled you up on it you can do some work to help us protect and manage that site going into the future.’

“So we learn from the mistake that has happened. We have a collaborative approach to a solution. We end up having an opportunity for local people and Aboriginal people to share in that cultural knowledge so that these things don’t happen again.”

The Department of Planning Lands and Heritage told Ngaarda Media is running an investigation in to the incident, according to a spokesperson.

The Town of Port Hedland said in a statement: “The Town of Port Hedland is continuing an internal investigation into an incident last week at a West End heritage-listed site, to determine what may have happened. 

“The Town is also willing to cooperate with any external investigation.

“Given this, it would be inappropriate to comment further until the outcome of any and all investigations is known.”