While there are tens of thousands of indigenous rock art sites in Australlia, some are hard to access, some are on private land – and many are deliberately kept hidden to prevent damage. The list of Aboriginal rock art sites below are either officially signposted or already in the public domain.
Have a look at Aboriginal Rock Art around Sydney for more information on rock art in the greater Sydney area, and a more comprehensive list of sites.
An engraving of a whale around six metres in length, within the tail of which there is faded, but just-visible man.
- Australia, North Sydney, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Sydney Harbour National Park
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 2/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
An enormous Aboriginal engraving site, which was the first to be visited by Europeans in 1788. There are over 100 figures representing different scenes.
- Australia, Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Garigal National Park
- Number of motifs: 116
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
The Basin Aboriginal Site is a significant, signposted rock engraving site along the Basin Track. It has 53 figures, and interpretative signage.
- Australia, Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, West Head
- Number of motifs: 53
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
An Aboriginal engraving of a turtle at Ben Buckler Point - the only remaining figure from a small site which had five carvings.
- Australia, NSW, Sydney - East
- Number of motifs: 5
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good, Partially Destroyed, Re-grooved
- View site sketch
A short side-track off the Bobbin Head Trail to a signposted Aboriginal engraving site, which has a broad range of motifs.
- Australia, Ku-ring-gai, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Bobbin Head, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP
- Number of motifs: 37
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
A small but sigificant Aboriginal engraving site in Bondi, these engravings are located within the Bondi Golf Course. Controversial re-grooving of the site in the 196os means that most of the engravings are still very distinct.
- Australia, NSW, Sydney - East
- Number of motifs: 66
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good, Re-grooved
- View site sketch
The Bulgandry Art Site Aboriginal Place is one of the most-visited engraving sites around Sydney. It's named after the prominent Bulgandry Man engraving.
- Australia, Central Coast, Kariong, NSW
- National Park: Brisbane Water National Park
- Number of motifs: 28
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch (main site)
Aboriginal rock carving of a kangaroo in the middle of the Centre Trail at West Head.
- Australia, Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, West Head
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
The Daleys Point Aboriginal Site is signposted site with pver 20 rock engavings (incuding five shales), cave paintings and axe grinding grooves.
- Australia, Bouddi area, Central Coast, NSW
- National Park: Bouddi National Park
- Number of motifs: 28
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good, Weathered
Accessible by four-wheel drive (or by walking), this deeply spiritual site is located along the Boree track and includes the spirit footprints of Biame.
- Australia, Hunter, NSW
- National Park: Yengo National Park
- Number of motifs: 113
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
The Elvina Aboriginal Site is easily accessed from the Elvina Track at West Head. This significant site contains over 50 figures, including an enormous six metrs high deity figure.
- Australia, Ku-ring-gai, Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, West Head
- Number of motifs: 56
- Quality: 4.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
The signposted Finchley cultural walk provides access to the Finchley Aboriginal Site, considered one of the best Aboriginal engraving sites in Australia.
- Australia, Hunter, NSW
- National Park: Yengo National Park
- Number of motifs: 137
- Quality: 4.5/5
- View site sketch
A signposted Aboriginal rock art site in Blackdown National Park, the Ghungalu Art Site is along the Goon Goon Dhina Trail. It has mostly hand stencils in red ochre.
- Australia, Central Queensland, Queensland
- National Park: Blackdown Tableland National Park
- Number of motifs: 20
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
The Gibberagong Track has a signposted site with an Aboriginal engraving (of a single human figure, fish ane shield) and a number of axe-sharpening grooves.
- Australia, Ku-ring-gai, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Bobbin Head, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View of site sketch
The Girrakool Aboriginal site has a carving of a man located on a rock platform along the Girrakool Loop walking track.
- Australia, Central Coast, NSW, Somersby
- National Park: Brisbane Water National Park
- Number of motifs: 1
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
Located along the popular Spit to Manly bushwalk, the Grotto Point Aboriginal Site included boomerangs, fish, sharks and a large kangaroo. The engravings are about 1,000 years old and have interpretative signage.
- Australia, Mosman, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Sydney Harbour National Park
- Number of motifs: 17
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
The Howe Aboriginal Area is one of the most important ceremonial Aboriginal rock engraving sites in the Sydney area. Figures includes an enormous Daramulan and three Rainbow-Serpents.
- Australia, Central Coast, NSW, Somersby
- National Park: Howe Aboriginal Area
- Number of motifs: 24
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
A significant, signposted Aboriginal engraving site in the Royal National Park, the Jibbon Head Engravings are a short walk from Bundeena. The carvings can be seen from an elevated boardwalk with interpretive signage.
- Australia, NSW, Sydney - South
- National Park: Royal National Park
- Number of motifs: 11
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
The ledges along Keep River were a wet season shelter for the Miriwoong people, with the rock art remaining as evidence of their presence.
- Australia, Northern Territory
- National Park: Keep River National Park
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
Traversed by the Milyerra Road Fire Trail, a large, tesselated rock platform contains a number of weathered engravings
- Australia, Central Coast, Kariong, NSW
- National Park: Brisbane Water National Park
- Number of motifs: 44
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
Minerva Pool in the Dharawal National Park is a sacred women's place for the Aboriginal Dharawal People.
- Australia, Illawarra, NSW
- National Park: Dharawal National Park
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
A significant Aboriginal cultural site, the Moon Rock Aboriginal Site was declared an Aboriginal Place in 2016. The site has over 50 engravings, including tools and weapons used and to catch animals that were eaten in the area.
- Australia, Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Garigal National Park
- Number of motifs: 86
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
An extensive group of engravings, the Mooney Mooney Aboriginal Area includes many kangaroos, two rainbow serpents and many other figures.
- Australia, Central Coast, NSW, Somersby
- National Park: Brisbane Water National Park
- Number of motifs: 45
- Quality: 5/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch [PDF]
An impressive collection of motifs in red, white and black at the Mungana Rock Art site (one of two publicly accessible Aboriginal art sites in the Chillagoe area). The art surrounded by high limestone cliffs.
- Australia, Far North Queensland (FNQ), Queensland
- National Park: Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park
- Number of motifs: 40
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
A large whale engraving next to the Peats Crater Trail in Muogamarra Nature Reserve. Nearby is a wallaby and two circles (which may represent squid or food for the whale).
- Australia, Hornsby, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Muogamarra Nature Reserve
- Number of motifs: 5
- Quality: 4/5
- View site sketch
A signposted site next to Quarter Sessions Road has an Aboriginal engraving depicting a pair of leaping kangaroos.
- Australia, Hornsby, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Berowra Valley National Park
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 2.5/5
- Condition of art: Partially Destroyed, Re-located
- View site sketch
One of the best showcases of Aboriginal art in the area, the singposted Red Hands Cave at West Head has multiple red ochre handprints.
- Australia, Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, West Head
- Number of motifs: 3
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
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.
- Australia, NSW, Western Sydney & Blue Mountains
- National Park: Blue Mountains National Park
- Number of motifs: 80
- Quality: 4.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
The signposted Resolute Track Aboriginal Engraving Site is a short walk from the Resolute Picnic Area. It has several figures, including a man with a club across his waist.
- Australia, Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, West Head
- Number of motifs: 9
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
Sacred Canyon in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park has Aboriginal engraving on the walls of the gorge representing camp sites, springs and water holes.
- Australia, South Australia (SA)
- National Park: Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park
- Number of motifs: 15
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
At the end of the Slade Lookout Track is "fake" engraving of an emu or waterfowl, and a lizard that is almost directly underneath the bird.
- Australia, Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Duffys Forest & Terrey Hills, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP
- Number of motifs: 2
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
- Australia, Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Duffys Forest & Terrey Hills, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP
- Number of motifs: 24
- Quality: 3/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
The Wheeler Heights Aboriginal Site is large site documented by W.D. Campbell in 1899, who described it as “one of the finest groups the Writer has come across”. The scenes include two men fighting and a successful kangaroo hunt.
- Australia, Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney - North
- National Park: Red Hill Reserve
- Number of motifs: 142
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
- View site sketch
The Wullumba Rock Art site is one of two publicly accessible Aboriginal art sites in the Chillagoe area. The art is on the base of a high limestone outcrop.
- Australia, Far North Queensland (FNQ), Queensland
- National Park: Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park
- Number of motifs: 8
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good