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.
A small and shallow shelter with Aboriginal rock art in Mount Colah, with three weathered figures in charcoal.
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 1/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 2023
Weathered Aboriginal cave art in red ochre, in a shelter near Lyrebird Gully in Mount Colah
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 1.5/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 2023
Aboriginal rock art including charcoal drawings and red ochre hand stencils in a long shelter below the old Pacific Highway
- Number of motifs: 6
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good, Graffiti damage
- Year first recorded: 2021
Grooved water channel and axe grinding grooves on a rock platform near the Pogson Trig Firetrail.
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2021
A tall overhang above Pyes Creek, which contains eight Aboriginal charcoal drawings. Some of the figures appear clothed, suggesting this may be a post-contact site.
- Number of motifs: 8
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1984
- Originally recorded by: Jo McDonald
- View site sketch
A signposted site next to Quarter Sessions Road has an Aboriginal engraving depicting a pair of leaping kangaroos.
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 2.5/5
- Condition of art: Partially Destroyed, Re-located
- Year first recorded: 1958
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy, Jo McDonald, 1st Hornsby Scout Group
- View site sketch
An Aboriginal engraving of an emu and a smaller (indeterminate) figure at Refuge Rock in Cherrybrook.
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2024
One of the most spectacular Aboriginal rock art sites in Sydney's north, with a large panel of red ochre and charcoal drawings.
- Number of motifs: 20
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 2021
A shallow overhang above Sams Creek with Aboriginal rock art depicting what appear to be a shield and animals.
- Number of motifs: 7
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2021
An Aboriginal rock art site above Sams Creek in Mount Ku-ring-gai, with a very detailed drawing of an echidna.
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2021
Two adjacent shelters with Aboriginal rock art above Sams Creek in Mt Ku-ring-gai; the figures include a large kangaroo, headless emu and kangaroo tracks.
- Number of motifs: 16
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2021
Very weathered site with an unusual feathered emu, as well as multiple kangaroos and axe grinding grooves
- Number of motifs: 15
- Quality: 1/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1958
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy
- View site sketch
Washtub Gully near Berowra Waters has a number of Aboriginal engravings in a creek bed
- Number of motifs: 26
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1944
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy
- View site sketch
Ochre drawings of fish in a shelter below Washtub Gully, near Berowra Waters
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Graffiti damage
- Year first recorded: 1989
- View site sketch