West Intercourse Island will be transferred to its Traditional Owners, after Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation Chair Peter Hicks and Premier Roger Cook signed the commitment at a ceremony at the Dampier Lookout on Sunday.
Lying about 1,300 km north of Perth, the island will be transferred to the Dampier Archipelago Islands reserve network and be jointly managed by the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA).
The island is included in the Murujuga Cultural Landscape and has been nominated for inclusion on the World Heritage List.
The Traditional owners and Custodians of Murujuga, the Ngarluma; Mardudhunera; Yaburara; Yindjibarndi; and Wong-Goo-Tt-Oo peoples, are collectively known as Ngarda-Ngarli, and have managed the land and been part of the cultural landscape for tens of thousands of years.
Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Kim Wood said MAC members, comprising more than 1200 Traditional owners and Murujuga custodians, would welcome West Intercourse Island being transferred from future industry use to part of the reserve network.
"Covering around 2,300 hectares, West Intercourse Island is a highly significant location in the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, both for its size and its exceptional cultural and heritage values. These include hundreds of recorded rock art engravings as well as shell middens, standing stones and other evidence of continuous occupation over millennia," Mr Wood said.
"For the Ngarda-Ngarli who have strived for years to have their ongoing governance and care for Country placed at the heart of decision making and management of Murujuga, this is a great day and an important step forward."
Murujuga, meaning "hip bone sticking out" in the Ngarluma-Yaburara language, consists of a narrow peninsula of land near Dampier, as well as over 40 islands off the coast. The world famous Murujuga National Park is home to over one million recorded petroglyphs—the world's largest concentration of ancient rock art.
The WA government said the transfer would allow for future promotion, preservation, and protection of the island through a joint management arrangement with the Ngarda-Ngarli.
"Murujuga is a hugely significant area to the Traditional Owners who have looked after this land for over 50,000 years," Premier Cook said.
"We are proud to work with the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation to jointly manage West Intercourse Island and enable the Traditional Owners to be a partner in the ongoing management of Country and pursue economic and tourism opportunities.
"This transfer represents a mutually beneficial outcome that supports the protection and conservation and promotion of the proposed Murujuga Cultural Landscape World Heritage area."
WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti said Murujuga "has immeasurable cultural, spiritual, and archaeological significance to Aboriginal people"
"Returning this island to the Traditional Owner's management continues our government's commitment to ensuring positive outcomes for Aboriginal people and their communities," Dr Buti said.
