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
An Aboriginal shelter with art above the Eastern Commission Trail in Lower Mangrove, which has 18 hand stencils.
- Number of motifs: 18
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good, Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1988
- Originally recorded by: Warren Bluff
Two Aboriginal engravings on Elephant Rock near Patonga, including an intriguing carving of an ant, spider or "indeterminate bag-like object"...
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1966
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy, Ian Sim, Bob Pankhurst
An Aboriginal engraving of a male figure on a long rock platform near Elephant Rock.
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 2.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2018
- Originally recorded by: Ian Sim
Faint charcoal art in a low shelter above Ellem Gully, in McPherson State Forest
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 1/5
- Condition of art: Re-grooved
- Year first recorded: 2023
Axe grinding groves and remarkably well-preserved engravings of two fish alongside Hominy Creek near Emerald Pool
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1996
- Originally recorded by: Warren Bluff
A small overhang, the Flannel Flower Shelter in the McPherson State Forest has a number of Aboriginal drawings in charcoal.
- Number of motifs: 8
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1988
An Aboriginal engraving site along Flat Rocks Ridge in Gunderman, which has multiple wallabies, boomerangs and a pelican.
- Number of motifs: 18
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1961
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy
- View site sketch
Group 10 is the largest of the Flat Rocks Ridge Aboriginal engraving sites, which also has highest number of figures (145) as well as grinding grooves.
- Number of motifs: 149
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1961
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy
- View site sketch – Series 1, 2 & 6 / Series 3 / Series 4 / Series 5
A small Aboriginal engraving site along Flat Rocks Ridge in Gunderman with an echidna and three mundoes.
- Number of motifs: 4
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1961
A Flat Rocks Ridge (Gunderman) Aboriginal engraving site which features a gigantic kangaroo, as well a woman, two smaller kangaroos and two dingoes.
- Number of motifs: 9
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1961
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy
- View site sketch
A complex Flat Rocks Ridge (Gunderman) Aboriginal engraving site, Group 3 includes an enormous female ancestral figure and a large emu and swordfish among the 29 motifs. There are also 40 grinding grooves.
- Number of motifs: 29
- Quality: 4.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1961
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy
- View site sketch
Flat Rocks Ridge Group 6 is one of the most significant Aboriginal engraving sites of this area. The vast rock platform includes a large Baiame and stingray, as well as hunting scenes and and animal tracks.
- Number of motifs: 80
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1895
- Originally recorded by: R.H. Mathews, F.D. McCarthy
- View site sketch
An Aboriginal engraving site along Flat Rocks Ridge in Gunderman; it has over 50 axe grinding grooves and 12 figures including two large kangaroos.
- Number of motifs: 12
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1961
One of the larger Aboriginal engraving sites along Flat Rocks Ridge in Gunderman, Group 9 has 30 engravings (including a large Baiame and his wife).
- Number of motifs: 4
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1961
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy
- View site sketch
A low, long shelter below Flat Rocks Ridge with Aboriginal rock art (mostly charcoal figures) and axe grinding grooves.
- Number of motifs: 36
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1988
- Originally recorded by: Warren Bluff