Five years after the destruction of a 47,000-year-old sacred rock shelter by Rio Tinto, efforts are underway to rebuild the site. The project draws inspiration from prehistoric art in France. Burchell Hayes, a member of the Puutu Kunti Kurrama people, is currently in France, studying intricate carvings from the World Heritage-listed Lascaux and Chauvet caves.

Hayes and other traditional owners from Western Australia’s Pilbara region are captivated by the vivid artwork depicting horses, stags, and aurochs. However, their visit is overshadowed by the memory of the Juukan Gorge rock shelter, which was destroyed in a mining blast in 2020. This event, sanctioned by the Western Australian government, sparked global outrage.

"It was just like losing that connection to country, like losing a child," said Hayes, who chairs the Puutu Kunti Kurrama (PKKP) Land Committee. "There was a void there in our hearts."

The Lascaux and Chauvet caves, which were discovered in 1940 and 1994 respectively, are now protected from public access. Replicas of these caves were created with great care to preserve the originals. Hayes and his group were shown the meticulous process behind these replicas to inform their own restoration project.

The goal is to recreate the Juukan rock shelter at its original site, located 1,500 kilometers north of Perth. This initiative, led by traditional owners and funded by Rio Tinto, aims to build over the remains of the original shelter. The new structure will incorporate rubble from the destroyed site, designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the Pilbara region.

"The important thing is we need to do it right, proper, the first time because we may not get a second chance at this," Hayes emphasized. He described the art he has seen in France as "nothing short of extraordinary."

The Juukan rock shelter had been a significant cultural site for Indigenous people for thousands of years before its destruction. The rebuilding project represents a crucial step in restoring a vital connection to their heritage.