The Greater Blue Mountains incorporates a number of national parks and is full of cultural significance, with six Aboriginal groups having connections to the area. There are over 3,000 recorded Aboriginal heritage sites in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, but the rugged and remote topography means that for every known site there are likely to be at least two more yet to be “discovered” or recorded. The parks in this area include include:
- Blue Mountains National Park, which protects many important cultural sites of the Dharug and Wiradjuri people, has a number of easily accessibly and signposted Aboriginal rock art sites.
- Wollemi National Park is the traditional home of the Wiradjuri, Dharug, Wanaruah and Darkinjung people. Evidence of their occupation includes ceremonial grounds, stone arrangements, grinding grooves, scarred trees and rock engravings.
- Yengo National Park which is home to the Darkinjung and Wonnarua People, has 640 Aboriginal cultural sites recorded in the park and nearby areas.
- Gardens of Stone, the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people, has many shelters with rock art and hand stencils in its countless valleys and overhangs.
A significant Aboriginal rock art site in the MacDonald River district, Spirits Cave was extensively documented by Ian Sim. The shelter contains 186 motifs, including multiple deity figures and what was thought to be a Rainbow Serpent.
- Yengo National Park
- Number of motifs: 186
- Quality: 4.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1969
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy, Ian Sim
- View site sketch
A very weathered Aboriginal rock art site near Springwood Ridge, with charcoal motifs.
- Blue Mountains National Park
- Number of motifs: 4
- Quality: 1.5/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 2024
A shelter near Springwood Ridge with at least five weathered Aboriginal hand stencils in red ochre .
- Blue Mountains National Park
- Number of motifs: 5
- Quality: 1.5/5
- Condition of art: Graffiti damage, Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1995
An isolated shelter in Sun Valley (Valley Heights) which protects over 20 Aboriginal stencils in red ochre, including a boomerang motif.
- Number of motifs: 24
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1958
A tall and shallow overhang in the Blue Mountains, the rock art in the Sunshine Shelter consists of parallel lines in red ochre.
- Blue Mountains National Park
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2022
- Originally recorded by: William Moon
A small Aboriginal rock art shelter near Tari Creek in the Wollemi with a single charcoal figure.
- Wollemi National Park
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 2012
- Originally recorded by: William Moon
A spectacular Aboriginal rock art site near the Terraborra North Ridge, with a long panel containing over 30 charcoal figures.
- Parr State Conservation Area
- Number of motifs: 36
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2019
A shelter near the Terraborra North Ridge, which has multiple charcoal figures (including two kangaroos)
- Parr State Conservation Area
- Number of motifs: 12
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2019
A shelter below a weathered cliff-line near the Terraborra North Ridge has figures in both charcoal and white.
- Parr State Conservation Area
- Number of motifs: 12
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2019
Two adjoining Aboriginal engraving sites near the Terraborra North Trail, depicting an emu, bird and anthropomorphic figure.
- Parr State Conservation Area
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 2.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1966
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy, Ian Sim
- View site sketch
Tesselate Hill (or Tesselated Pavements) has an Aboriginal engraving and many grinding grooves over the large rock surface.
- Wollemi National Park
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1976
- Originally recorded by: Ian Sim
A small Aboriginal rock art site along a low cliff line above the Wollangambe River, which has multiple hand stencils and a stone axe.
- Wollemi National Park
- Number of motifs: 7
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 2024
The Circles Aborginal rock art site along the Oaks Trail has an unusual engraving of concentric circles and a set of axe grinding grooves. An Aboriginal stone arrangement has been destroyed.
- Blue Mountains National Park
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good, Partially Destroyed
- Unknown recording date
The Gallery consists of two faded galleries of Aboriginal art near the Oaks Trail - one with red ochre figures and the other charcoal.
- Blue Mountains National Park
- Number of motifs: 10
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good, Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1958
- Originally recorded by: Eugene Stockton
A series of Aboriginal grinding grooves sites and an engraving site along The Pinnacle on the Mount Hay Range.
- Blue Mountains National Park
- Number of motifs: 5
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1989