The collection of ancient Aboriginal rock art on the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia's north-west has been listed as one of the world's most threatened monuments.

It is the first time an Australian location has been included on the top 100 sites listed by the World Monuments Fund.

The International Federation of Rock Art Organisations lobbied the fund to include the collection, saying the Burrup hosts rock carvings of a size and quality not found anywhere else in the world.

Federation president Robert Bednarik says the shameful listing could have been avoided.

"In this case there is no need for it," he said.

"Most major threatened monuments are in places where there might be circumstances such as war or earthquakes or whatever, in our case it's simply mismanagement by the Government."