Cave Hill & the Seven Sisters Creation Story

Posted December 3, 2010 By admin

A 'bonsai' White Cedar on the top of Cave Hill

The day after our trip to Mt Conner we were booked with the same company (SEIT in partnership with the indigenous owned Desert Tracks), for a trip to Cave Hill.

Cave Hill is in the Musgrave Ranges, around 100km south of Uluru, but the country remains within Pitjantjatjara lands.  When we learned that Cave Hill had the most significant art site within central Australia, we were sold on the tour, especially given that the tour provided the only way for us to visit.

(more…)

Categories: Aboriginal Rock Art, Northern Territory, South Australia, Travel Blogs

Uluru

Posted November 28, 2010 By admin

Uluru rolls out the Parakeelya carpet

We visited Uluru in September 2009, and like everyone else we were awed by its presence.  Nothing has changed on that front in a little over a year – seeing Uluru again up close still took our breath away.  But the countryside around Uluru has been transformed, and it is now surrounded by wildflowers and wildlife.  Its waterholes have been flushed clean and topped up; there are even frogs and tadpoles in Kantyu Gorge, a wonderful sign that its previously polluted waters are healthier now.

(more…)

Categories: Aboriginal Rock Art, Australian Wildlife, Northern Territory, Our Favourite Places, Reptiles, Scenery, Travel Blogs, Wildflowers

Friends visit Alice Springs – we show them the Red (or was that Green) Centre

Posted October 3, 2010 By admin and has no comments yet.

Field of wildflowers beside Binns Track, south east of Alice Springs

Our friends Christopher and Janice from Canberra made a flying visit to Alice Springs last weekend.  It was Janice’s third time here this year, and Christopher’s second.  They almost consider themselves to be locals now.

Their visit had been planned for a couple of months, and we were hoping the area would still be as pretty as we assured them it was.  All year we kept reporting flowing rivers, regular rainfall, wildflowers and abundant wildlife.  In the end I think they visited just to shut me up!

(more…)

Categories: Aboriginal Rock Art, Birds, Northern Territory, Reptiles, Scenery, Travel Blogs, Wildflowers

Wanna Munna Aboriginal Rock Art Site – Pilbara region WA

Posted September 19, 2010 By admin

The main waterhole at Wanna Munna. The rock art covers the surrounding rock faces and boulders.

In mid 2009 we explored the Pilbara region of Western Australia, travelling from the Pilbara coast to the Rudall River National Park in the Pilbara’s far east.  On our way from the famous and beautiful Karijini National Park to the mining town of Newman, we stopped at the Wanna Munna Aboriginal rock art site.

(more…)

Categories: Aboriginal Rock Art, Western Australia

Aboriginal Rock Art of the Burrup Peninsula

Posted June 27, 2010 By admin and has 6 comments.

 

j8dampier-burrup-peninsula-233

The Burrup Peninsula, about two thirds of the way up the enormous Western Australian coastline, is home to the world’s most extensive concentration of rock art, yet is relatively unknown.  Although there has never been a full inventory of the petroglyphs in the region, bodies such as the National Trust of Australia (WA) suggest that there could be up to 1 million individual works.  I am astounded that a place of such cultural significance is not World Heritage listed.  But read on, and you will learn why.

(more…)

Categories: Aboriginal Rock Art, Western Australia

Wandjina – Rock Art of the Kimberley

Posted May 23, 2010 By admin

Wandjina. Munurru art site, King Edward River, the Kimberley.

INTRODUCTION

Visiting a Wandjina site is, without doubt, the most dramatic experience in rock art.  The Wandjina is an ancient, powerful, mysterious and deeply spiritual symbol.

(more…)

Categories: Aboriginal Rock Art, Western Australia

Aboriginal Rock Art – A Brief Introduction

Posted May 19, 2010 By admin

Wandjinas. Wunnumurru Gorge, Barnett River, the Kimberley

Over the years, we have heard many (white) Australians comment that they love travelling to Europe because there is so much more history there.  We have probably been guilty of that ourselves.

But the reality is that Australia is home to the oldest living culture in the world, and some of its rock art is so ancient it pre-dates the last ice-age, and possibly the one before that.

(more…)

Categories: Aboriginal Rock Art
Tags: ,