Sams Creek Aboriginal Art Shelter

Summary: One of the most spectacular Aboriginal rock art sites in Sydney's north, with a large panel of red ochre and charcoal drawings.

  • Site type: Cave Painting
  • Number of motifs: 20
  • Motif/s: Goanna, Indeterminate figure, Kangaroo, Man
  • Quality: 4/5
  • Condition of site: Weathered
  • Year first recorded: 2021

Within a large and rarely-visited shelter along a cliff-line in Mt Ku-ring-gai above Sams Creek is what would have been one the most spectacular Aboriginal rock art painting sites in Sydney’s north, before the drawings deteriorated through natural weathering.

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Next to a charcoal figure is a larger figure (resembling a man) drawn in red ochre.

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Most of the artwork is in charcoal, with the largest panel containing multiple motifs.

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The charcoal drawings (as well as one red ochre motif) continue along most of the back wall of the sandstone shelter, and depict a number of different animals.

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Unlike many other shelters around Mt Ku-ring-gai, there is no graffiti and no evidence of recent habitation.

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