Maroota is located to the north-west of Sydney, just south of the Dharug and Yengo National Parks. It has a high concentration of (known) Aboriginal sites, with 12 engraving sites being located in one square kilometre at Maroota south of the Hawkesbury River; significantly higher than the nearby Mangrove Creek valley which has also been systematically sampled. Many more Aboriginal heritage sites are located in the adjoining Marramarra National Park. The original inhabitants of this area were the Darug people.
An Aboriginal engraving site in Maroota depicting a kangaroo hunt, the figures include a man, two kangaroos, three koalas and two eels.
- Number of motifs: 16
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1959
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy
An Aboriginal engraving site below Blake Ridge (in Marramarra NP), which depicts a group of five eels.
- Number of motifs: 5
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2021
An Aboriginal engraving of a fish hooked on a line, on a vertical rock along Calabash Creek.
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1976
- Originally recorded by: R.H. Mathews, F.D. McCarthy
- View site sketch
Very weathered Aboriginal rock engravings of a kangaroo and an indeterminate object on a rock platform next to the Calabash Trail.
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 1/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 2012
Weathered Aboriginal engravings on a rock platform next to the Calabash Trail, including an eel-like figure.
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 1/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 2021
- Originally recorded by: C. Douchkov
The Canoelands 2 Aboriginal site has about 50 motifs in charcoal, yellow and red ochre, including a large kangaroo and many hand stencils. Nearby are three axe grinding grooves.
- Number of motifs: 50
- Quality: 4.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1981
- View site sketch
Canoelands is one of the most significant Aboriginal sites around Sydney, and would have been of great importance in the ritual and mythology of the local tribe. The site includes cave art in different pigments dating over six periods, rock engravings and axe grinding grooves.
- Number of motifs: 130
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1961
- Originally recorded by: F.D. McCarthy, Stanbury and Clegg, Jo McDonald
- View site sketch – shelter art / rock engravings
Rock outcrop in Canoelands (Marramarra NP) with a kangaroo, emu and fish engravings.
- Number of motifs: 5
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 2001
- Originally recorded by: Warren Bluff
Weathered charcoal and red ochre Aboriginal drawings in a small shelter in Canoelands (Marramarra NP)
- Number of motifs: 6
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Unknown recording date
- Originally recorded by: Warren Bluff
A small and somewhat unusual Aboriginal cave painting site, in a shelter at the base of a tall cliff near the significant Canoelands 1 site.
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1980
A mundoe is on a small rock in front of a low shelter, which contains some very weathered Aboriginal cave art.
- Number of motifs: 5
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 1956
A small shelter in Canoelands, which contains several charcoal and one white painting. Nearby is a grooved water channel.
- Number of motifs: 8
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2016
The Coat of Arms Cave or Koh shelter in the Canoelands area contains considerable Aboriginal rock art, with over 50 figures in red ochre, white and charcoal.
- Number of motifs: 55
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 1977
A shallow shelter at the base of very tall cliffs on a spur off the Coba Ridge. The Aboriginal charcoal art drawings are very weathered.
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 1.5/5
- Condition of art: Weathered
- Year first recorded: 2020
An Aboriginal engraving of a Daramulan figure and a bird, on a long but narrow rock platform near the Coba Ridge walking track.
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Year first recorded: 2019