West Head Hand Stencils – a contemporary site?

Summary: An unrecorded Aboriginal rock art art site at West Head, which may be contemporary. It has multiple stencils in red ochre.

  • Site type: Cave Painting
  • Number of motifs: 6
  • Motif/s: Foot, Hand
  • Quality: 3.5/5
  • Condition of site: Good

Near the Centre Trail at West Head is an intriguing shelter, which contains what appears to be genuine Aboriginal stencils in a natural shelter (the rock art is thought to be contemporary). The shelter has significant European stonework around it.

IMG 1512 LR West Head Hand Stencils - a contemporary site?

All of the Aboriginal rock art is on one panel, which includes a small (child’s) foot and multiple adult hand stencils in red ochre.

IMG 1517 LR West Head Hand Stencils - a contemporary site?IMG 1517 LR yre West Head Hand Stencils - a contemporary site?
IMG 1518 LR West Head Hand Stencils - a contemporary site?
IMG 1517 LR yre 1 West Head Hand Stencils - a contemporary site?
IMG 1519 LR West Head Hand Stencils - a contemporary site?
IMG 1519 LR yre West Head Hand Stencils - a contemporary site?
IMG 1521 LR West Head Hand Stencils - a contemporary site?
IMG 1521 LR yre West Head Hand Stencils - a contemporary site?

The shelter is along a low cliff-line, but has some interesting sandstone formations.

IMG 1513 LR West Head Hand Stencils - a contemporary site?
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Aboriginal Sites by National Park

Aboriginal Rock Art – Blue Mountains National Park
Red Hands Cave, Glenbrook (Blue Mountains)
The Blue Mountains National Park (and surrounding areas along the Great Western Highway) is thought to have over a thousand indigenous heritage sites, although much of the park has not been comprehensively surveyed. The Aboriginal rock sites in the Blue Mountains include grinding grooves, stensils, drawing and rock carvings.
Aboriginal Rock Art in the Greater Blue Mountains
The Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area protects over 3,000 known Aboriginal heritage sites, and many more which are yet to be recorded. This area includes the Blue Mountains National Park, Gardens of Stone, Wollemi National Park and Yengo National Park.