Kakadu’s rock art is world class – it’s one of the reasons for thier World Heritage status. The paintings provide a fascinating record of Aboriginal life over thousands of years. With paintings up to 20,000 years old, this is one of the longest historical records of any group of people in the world.
The main rock art galleries are at Ubirr, Nourlangie and Nanguluwur. Look for naturalistic paintings of animals, traditional x-ray art, and paintings of early contact with European people.
The local Aboriginal word for rock art is gunbim. For us, art is an expression of cultural identity and connection to country. The act of painting is generally more important than the painting itself so many older paintings are covered by younger ones.
