PLANNED ROAD DEVELOPMENT PROMPTS CULTURAL HERITAGE FEARS

Eastern Guruma country. Credit: Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation.

GERARD MAZZA

Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation has expressed fears for around 45 cultural heritage sites that could be directly impacted by a planned haul road through Eastern Guruma country.

WA Main Roads are planning more than 300 kilometres of upgrades and multiple new bridges on Nanuturra-Munjina Road, Hamersley Mount Bruce Road, and Karijini Drive, according to the ABC. These roads would service Hancock Prospecting’s Hardey iron ore mine.

Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation Chief Operating Officer Aaron Royner told Ngaarda Media an area around the Hammersley Ranges and Karijini National Park would be affected.

“The Hammersley Ranges contain many sacred sites, not just for the Eastern Guruma people, but for lots of Aboriginal people living in the Pilbara,” Mr Royner said.

“There are men's business sites, ceremonial sites, rock engraving sites, burial sites, big artefact sites. So we calculate, just on the small amount of information that we’ve been given from Main Roads and from Hancock, that it's about 45 sites that will be directly impacted.”

Mr Royner said representatives from Hancock Prospecting had one meeting with Eastern Guruma Elders to present plans for the development. The Elders rejected the proposal and were told by Hancock representatives it would not go ahead.

According to Mr Royner, a few weeks later Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation received a letter from Main Roads which said the project was now under its control and was progressing.

Mr Royner said Elders were “understandably very angry”.

“They think Hancock should learn some respect. Eastern Guruma Elders work with big mining companies on that country. There's seven big mines. They’re used to working with big mining companies on their projects.“

“They just feel like Hancock has just crashed in and told them what's going to happen and that they need to get used to it.”

A spokesperson for Main Roads told Ngaarda Media the proposed upgrade of Nanutarra–Munjina Road is in the early planning stages only, and there is currently no funding allocated for the upgrade.

 The spokesperson said Main Roads has commenced early engagement with three Traditional Owner groups in the area to gain an understanding of the Aboriginal heritage sensitivities which will inform the planning process.

They said Main Roads has responded to a letter from one of the Traditional Owner groups and offered to meet with them.

 Hancock Prospecting did not respond to Ngaarda Media’s request for comment.