Aboriginal rock art is an essential part of Australia’s First Nations culture. Most of the artworks include paintings (pictographs), engravings (petroglyphs) and stone arrangements of which date back over 30,000 years. They depict a wide range of cultural narratives, spiritual beings and ancestral stories. And thankfully, they are being preserved for us to see today.

If you would like to discover and learn about the First Nations People of Australia, seeing and learning the stories behind the rock art will provide a great insight into the culture.

Significance and meaning of Rock Art

Rock art is of great significance to Aboriginal people. It is not only a historical record but it was a way to communicate knowledge through the art. Some of the rock art sites are considered sacred sites. They show a deep connection between Aboriginal peoples and the land. 

Best Places to See Aboriginal Rock Art in Australia

There have been some 100,000 or so Aboriginal rock art sites recorded across the Australian continent. Significant concentrations of rock art can be found in the Northern Territory (Kakadu and the MacDonnell Ranges), Western Australia (Burrup Peninsula and the Golden Outback), Queensland (Quinkan Country), Victoria (Grampians National Park), and New South Wales (Blue Mountains).

I’m not an expert on Aboriginal rock art, but during my travels around Australia I have seen a few of the rock art sites. Here are some of the best places to see Aboriginal rock art in Australia.

Northern Territory

Kakadu National Park, about a 3 hour drive from Darwin has one of the greatest collections of rock art in the world. There are two main locations, Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) and Ubirr.

They say the landscape of enormous plateaus in Kakadu are three billion years old. Hard to fathom! Nourlangie Rock is an imposing feature of Kakadu and is covered in rock art. One of the most impressive is of The Lightning Man, who brings storms and life-giving rain to the region.

Ubirr is another plateau that towers over the Nabab floodplain of the East Alligator River. It provided a safe shelter to the indigenous people’s for thousands of years. While heading to the lookout over Kakadu you will pass the ‘main gallery’ showing images of Barramundi, Goannas, Mullet, Catfish, Turtles and the now extinct, Tasmanian Tiger. 

The images are quite detailed showing anatomical details.

Although you can visit Kakadu NP independently, one of the best ways to visit is on a tour. This is how I visited. I went on a 3 day tour of Kakadu. It included visiting the rock art in Kakadu. If you would prefer to go on a tour that includes transport, accommodation, some meals and visiting the best sites in Kakadu including the rock art, then check out this tour through GetYourGuide.

Other areas in the Northern Territory to see rock art are at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and Arnhem Land.

Queensland

About a 13 hour drive inland from Brisbane and then a 6km hike you will find yourself in Carnarvon Gorge National Park. Apart from wonderful hikes, there are some amazing examples of rock art. At ‘Art Gallery’ and ‘Cathedral Cave’, you can see stencilling artwork that’s considered the most sophisticated of its kind in the world.

Much of the rock art is painted with ochre. The images show tools, weapons, animals and ceremonial objects belonging to the first people.

Victoria

Over 80% of Victoria’s rock art is found in and around the Grampians National Park (Gariwerd). One of the most significant is at Bunjil Shelter, also known as Bunjil Cave. Bunjil is known as the creator of our land, people, the plants and animals and the laws by which Aboriginal people live. Bunjil Cave is one of the most significant cultural sites in south-eastern Australia. You can find Bunjil Shelter in the Black Range Scenic Reserve near Stawell. Stawell is a Victorian country town along the A8 highway linking Adelaide to Melbourne.

Bunjil Cave near Stawell

New South Wales

The Blue Mountains National Park are world-renowned and many people visit on a day trip from Sydney. Home not only to the famous Three Sisters (with their own Aboriginal story), it is home to an estimated 1,000 Aboriginal rock art sites. The most well known is Red Hands Cave. You can reach it by walking an 8km loop from Glenbrook. Believed painted between 500 to 1600 years ago, it will be worth the walk!

Western Australia

The ancient rock art in Western Australia is often overlooked by the more famous Kakadu NP and the Grampians NP rock art. However, Western Australia has some extensive rock art in The Kimberley region with some sites only accessible by boat or helicopter.

Tasmania

Tasmania’s rock art is primarily found on its northwest coast. Sites like Preminghana (Mount Cameron West) and Sundown Point State Reserve are prominant. So if travelling Tasmania you might want to incorporate a visit to see rock art as well as all the other wonderful things to see and do in Tasmania.

Are You Ready to See Australia’s Rock Art?