Many of the surviving Aboriginal rock art and occupation sites that have been recorded in the Hornsby Shire are located within Berowra Valley National Park – the area having been occupied by the ‘Benowie Aboriginal tribe’. The sites include engravings on sandstone ridges, rock shelters with cave paintings, open campsites and grinding grooves. The Aboriginal occupation of the Berowra Valley is thought to have been predominantly in the last 6,000 years (until European colonisation pushed them out), as the valley was deeper and steeper prior to the last ice age.
Small overhang in Berowra Heights, with charcoal motifs including a snake.
- Number of motifs: 4
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1983
Eleven red ochre hand stencils in a rock shelter near Alan Road (partially destroyed in 1985)
- Number of motifs: 11
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Partially Destroyed
- Year first recorded: 1985
A significant Aboriginal engraving site, which has a group of figures engraved on a small rock platform near the walking track.
- Number of motifs: 9
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1989
- Originally recorded by: Warren Bluff
Barnetts Shelter (SWA) has a small number of charcoal motifs in a sandstone overhang in Berowra Valley National Park.
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2021
An unusual Aboriginal engraving site on a vertical rock surface, which includes a Baiame and Daramulan figure.
- Number of motifs: 6
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1895
- Originally recorded by: R.H. Mathews, Stanbury and Clegg, Jo McDonald
- View site sketch
A very weathered Aboriginal engraving of an eel (and axe grinding grooves) above a waterfall near the Berkeley Trail
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1975
Wide and deep shelter above Berowra Creek, which has an Aboriginal hand stencil and charcoal drawings.
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2021
A long rock shelter near Franks Gully in the Berowra Valley National Park contains a number of cave paintings, and a shield engraved above the cave
- Number of motifs: 5
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good, Graffiti damage
- Year first recorded: 1984
- Originally recorded by: Jo McDonald
- View site sketch
The three Shark Rock Aboriginal engraving sites near Berowra Waters include a shark and eel, a kangaroo, and a human figure on a vertical rocks.
- Number of motifs: 14
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good, Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1961
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy, Ian Sim
- View site sketch
An Aboriginal engraving site near Berowra Waters, with an arm on a vertical rock surface.
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1982
- Originally recorded by: Warren Bluff
A small Aboriginal Shelter with Art near Berowra Waters. There is a panel with a series of men in charcoal, and two red ochre motifs.
- Number of motifs: 15
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1982
- Originally recorded by: Warren Bluff
An Aboriginal engraving site on a vertical rock near Berowra Waters, with two fish and a figure which may be a seal.
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 2.5/5
- Condition of art: Good, Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1982
- Originally recorded by: Warren Bluff
Multiple fish engraved on a vertical rock surface near Berowra Waters, including a fish within a larger fish.
- Number of motifs: 4
- Quality: 2.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1989
- Originally recorded by: Jo McDonald
An Aboriginal rock art site near Berowra Waters with what appears to be the lower part of a human figure, and multiple fish.
- Number of motifs: 5
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2018
- Originally recorded by: C. Douchkov
An Aboriginal rock art site near Berowra Waters with three charcoal shields in a low shelter.
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1982
- Originally recorded by: Warren Bluff