The groups have appealed for an emergency national heritage listing for the “Dampier Rock Art Precinct” which encompasses the Dampier Archipelago, near Karratha, including the Burrup Peninsula and West Intercourse Island.

Despite around 20% of the areas artwork being destroyed by industrial development in the 1960’s and 80’s the Burrup region is still home to the world’s oldest and largest collection of petroglyphs.

The Burrup Peninsula is also home to Australia's most important industrial area, the Burrup Industrial Precinct, which includes Woodside Energy, Hamersley Iron, Dampier Salt, Burrup Fertilisers and the Port of Dampier, Australia's highest-tonnage port.

WA Minister for State Development Clive Brown has waded into the debate claiming the government and developers have already undertaken significant measures to protect the rock art.

"Not only have we set aside two thirds of the Burrup as a conservation estate, we have established an expert committee to monitor industrial emissions on the Burrup and we have placed new industry in areas where the rock art is the least dense,” Brown said.

"It is possible for rock art and industry to co-exist and the three traditional owners recognised this in their Native Title agreement with the State Government.”

Federal Environment Minister David Kemp will reach a decision on the emergency heritage listing by Wednesday.