Red Hands Cave in Glenbrook

Australia, NSW, Western Sydney & Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains National Park
Dharug, Gundungara Aboriginal Land

Summary: An impressive display of red, yellow and white Aboriginal hand stencils in a long shelter. The Red Hands Cave is reached via 1km return walk from the end of REd Hands Firetrail or a longer 8.2km bushwalk along Campfire Creek.

Art type/s: Cave Painting, Stencil - Hand, Stencil - Other
Number of motifs: 80
Motif/s: Hand
Quality: 4.5/5
Condition of art: Good
Year first recorded: 1913

The Red Hands Cave in Glenbrook in the Blue Mountains is one of the most well-preserved and accessible Aboriginal rock art sites in the area. It is one of the few Aboriginal sites to which tourist visits are encouraged, and has been described as a “ceremonial cave for the initiation of young warriors”.

The back wall of the long shelter has many red, yellow and white hand stencils, as well as some outlined and infilled motifs drawn in red ochre. The stencils are thought to be have been created between 500 and 1600 years ago.

AWAT9942 LR yre Red Hands Cave in Glenbrook

Red Hands Cave, Glenbrook (Blue Mountains)

Although the site has been vandalised, it’s now protected by a steel mesh. While a necessary measure to protect the art, it also detracts from the experience: as Jon Rhodes describes in his thought-provoking book Cage of Ghosts, “the painted red hand in its perspex cage has become impenetrable to vandals and viewwe alike”.

Getting to the Red Hands Cave

The easiest way to reach the Red Hands Cave is from the end of the Red Hands Firetrail, which is accessed from The Oaks Firetrail (an unsealed road suitable for all vehicles – but it crosses a causeway near the start which may be impassable after heavy rain). From the parking area at the end of the Red Hands Firetrail, it’s a fairly easy 1km return walk along a well-formed path. You can return the same way, or do a 4km loop walk (which also passes some Aboriginal axe grinding gooves).