"Over four thousand rock art motifs across twenty thousand years, in a landscape at the centre of creation"
Grampians National Park
Shire of Northern Grampians, Victoria, Australia
In western Victoria, sandstone ranges rise from the surrounding plains — a landscape the Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung peoples have known as Gariwerd for more than 30,000 years. Within these ranges, approximately 200 rock art sites hold over 4,000 individual motifs, some dating back 20,000 years. This is more than 80 percent of all rock art in Victoria, concentrated in a single landscape that remains central to Aboriginal creation stories.
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Quick Facts
Location
Shire of Northern Grampians, Victoria, Australia
Tradition
Site Type
Year Built
1984
Coordinates
-37.2109, 142.3980
Last Updated
Mar 9, 2026
Learn More
Gariwerd has been home to the Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung peoples for more than 30,000 years. The rock art, spanning 20,000 years, represents the richest concentration of Aboriginal art in southeastern Australia.
Origin Story
Bunjil, the creator being, shaped this landscape during the Dreaming. His painting at Bunjil's Shelter — depicted with his two dingo companions — is one of the most significant cultural heritage images in Australia. The ranges, waterfalls, and rock shelters are expressions of Bunjil's creative act and remain his Country.
Key Figures
Bunjil
Creator being in Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung Dreaming, whose painting at Bunjil's Shelter is among the most significant cultural heritage images in Australia
Spiritual Lineage
The Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung peoples maintain continuous connection to Gariwerd despite the disruptions of European colonisation from 1840. The Brambuk Cultural Centre represents a contemporary expression of ongoing custodianship.
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