There are thousands of Aboriginal engraving and shelter art sites recorded around Gosford and across the Central Coast region. These rock art sites include animals, birds, sea creatures, bird tracks, human footsteps, male and female figures, hunting weapons and ancestral beings. Many sites are protected in the national parks of the Central Coast, but a surprisingly large number of recorded sites are on rural properties and industrial estates.
Many of the sites were documented by W. D. Campbell in 1899, and later by Fred McCarthy and Ian Sim. The Central Coast Original Recordings page lists all the publicly documented Campbell, Sim and McCarthy sites.
An article by Coast Magazine (Ancient Art Galleries of the Central Coast – download PDF or read online) covers some of the significant rock art sites of the Central Coast area.
Aboriginal rock art sites by park: Bouddi NP / Brisbane Water / McPherson SF / Popran NP / Strickland SF
- Number of motifs: 6
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1965
- Originally recorded by: Bob Pankhurst
- Number of motifs: 16
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Fire damage
- Year first recorded: 1965
- Originally recorded by: Bob Pankhurst
- Number of motifs: 11
- Quality: 4.5/5
- Condition of art: Good, Partially Destroyed, Siltation
- Year first recorded: 1944
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy, Ian Sim
- View site sketch
- Number of motifs: 6
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Graffiti damage
- Year first recorded: 1976
- Originally recorded by: Ian Sim
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 2.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1970
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1969
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy, Ian Sim
- View site sketch
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 2.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1977
- Originally recorded by: Ian Sim
- Number of motifs: 5
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 2005
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1975
- Originally recorded by: Ian Sim
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 3/5
- Year first recorded: 1975
- Originally recorded by: Ian Sim, Bob Pankhurst
- Number of motifs: 10
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good, Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1976
- Originally recorded by: Ian Sim, Warren Bluff, Bob Pankhurst
- Number of motifs: 7
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1979
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy, Ian Sim
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 1/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1979
- Originally recorded by: Jo McDonald
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1976
- Originally recorded by: Ian Sim
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 1/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1976