Ubirr

Our first night in the van was a comfortable one. This was no surprise really as we were so tired that we could have slept on the floor of a pin factory during an earthquake. 

The next morning we were first at the gate, waiting for the Ubirr Rock Art site to open.  We followed, on foot, a circular track amongst rocky sandstone outcrops that passed several Aboriginal rock art sites. We learnt that this was a favoured Aboriginal camping place during the wet season for the Bunidj, Manilagarr, Murrwan and Mandjurlngunj clans, and that the rock faces at Ubirr have been painted and repainted for millennia. Apparently there are over 24 layers of paintings in some areas. What was almost unbelievable was just how long these paintings have survived. 

The drawings were mainly of animals, presumably of whatever was the good food sources in the area, and also of human and spirit characters acting out stories. The act of an Aboriginal person painting can have spiritual significance, rather than focusing on the image produced the focus is on the act of painting. A relatively recent image of a Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) extinct for over 5000 years in this area, gives an indication of the longevity of some of these art works and demonstrates a changing ecology. The sequence of rock art at Ubirr has been studied and classified based on the changing style and subject matter into three paleoenvironmental periods: 

- Pre-Estuarine - when this area was much colder and closer to the sea (60,000–6000 B.C.),

- Estuarine (6000 B.C.–500 A.D.) - as sea levels rose and marine species in the area decreased, and

- Fresh Water (500 A.D.–present). 

I don't think we will ever know exactly why some of the pictures were painted. Maybe an artist just enjoyed painting!  The purpose of many of these painted stories was to pass on lessons to fellow clans and the next generation. What I find intriguing is that it is deemed by the Aboriginal people that white people should not know the full detail of the stories depicted in the rock art as we 'do not need to know'.

Another exciting find occurred with a rustling in the thorny bushes nestled in the rocky outcrops. Out popped our first sighting of marsupials! They were Rock Wallaroos which are only found in this part of the Northern Territory. They were quite small with mottled grey and sandy fur and dark tips. They are shaped like a cut and shunt of a mega-rabbit back and a fawn like front. They must be incredibly hardy to survive here, bounding around on these baking rock outcrops.

This man is fishing, he carries a spear and spear thrower

Kangaroo of Wallaby painted in a semi x-ray style so you can see some of the bones, organs and cuts of meat

A selection of favourite foods adjourn this rock wall including long-neck turtle, barrumundi and mullet. The hand prints in the top left are some of the earlier styles of rock art. The white figure in the bottom right is an early image of a white visitor, note with his hands in his pockets!

Rock Wallaby or Wallaroo

Mullet with its head snapped back to stop it leaping back into the water once caught

A great view from up on the escarpment

Everything is awesome!!

Turtle 

This dancing figure has swollen joints - this is allegedly claimed to be due to wandering in an area in the east of Kakadu where high levels of heavy metals and natural uranium can be found. The area was traditionally avoided by the local people unless they were desperate for food or water.