Australian rock art has been dated to around 30,000 years ago, although there are possibly much older sites on the continent. The first humans arrived in Australia between 65,000 and 80,000 years ago. More than 5,000 are located in the Northern Territory’s Kakadu National Park alone. Researchers estimate that there are more than 100,000 significant rock art sites around Australia. Petroglyphs (rock engravings) and pictographs (drawings) are a key component of rock art.
Across Australia rock art is an integral part of First Nations life and customs, dating back to the earliest times of human settlement on the continent. Rock art is the oldest surviving human art form.
