Elvina Aboriginal Engraving Site

The Elvina Aboriginal Engraving Site is one of the most significant cultural heritage locations within Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, north of Sydney. It provides a glimpse into the lives, beliefs, and traditions of the Guringai (Kuringgai) people, the traditional custodians of this area, who created extensive rock engravings across the sandstone plateaus of the park. The Elvina site is one of the larger and more accessible examples, where visitors can view numerous petroglyphs carved into the flat sandstone surfaces.

History and Cultural Significance

The engravings at Elvina are part of a much wider Aboriginal cultural landscape in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, which contains more than 1,000 documented engraving sites. The images were pecked into the sandstone using stone tools, creating grooves that outline human figures, animals, and fish. At Elvina, you will see a rich array of figures: kangaroos, wallabies, fish, and anthropomorphic figures, some of which appear to be involved in ceremonies or dances.

These engravings were more than just decoration. They carried spiritual and cultural meaning, representing Dreaming stories, clan totems, teaching tools, and possibly initiation sites. Some figures may depict ancestral beings or animals that were central to hunting and survival, while others illustrate connections between people, country, and the spiritual world.

Because of their cultural importance, the engravings are protected and should always be viewed respectfully. Visitors are asked never to touch, chalk, or walk on the engravings, as the grooves are often shallow and can erode easily.

Access

Reaching the Elvina Aboriginal Engraving Site requires a short but rewarding bushwalk. The main starting point is from the Elvina Track, which begins off West Head Road inside Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.

Track length: Around 250m one-way (500m return).
Time required: Approximately 15 to 30 minutes return, longer if you linger at the site.
Grade: The walk is considered easy to moderate, with mostly flat terrain across dry sandstone heathland. Some uneven rock surfaces are present.
Parking: There are small roadside parking areas on West Head Road near the Elvina Track trailhead. National Park entry fees apply when driving into the park.
Signage: The site is well signposted. A side track leads to the engraving platform, which is open and flat, giving good visibility of the figures. This side track is not well sign posted and is easy to miss. During our visit it was overgrown.

Because the engravings are best seen under low-angle light, early morning or late afternoon visits are recommended. In bright midday sun, the shallow grooves can be difficult to distinguish, but at sunrise or sunset, the shadows highlight the shapes beautifully.

What You Can Expect to See

At the Elvina site, the sandstone platform holds a large concentration of engravings, making it one of the best spots in the park for visitors interested in Aboriginal rock art. Some of the most recognisable motifs include kangaroo and wallaby figures, fish and other marine creatures and geometric shapes.

The engravings are spread across a wide, relatively flat rock platform, allowing you to wander carefully and view them from different angles.

The Walking Experience

The walk itself is enjoyable and offers a taste of the park’s natural beauty. You’ll pass through typical Ku-ring-gai Chase vegetation, including heathland, wildflowers in spring, and low eucalypts. The track is generally dry underfoot, though sandstone can be slippery after rain. Birdlife is common, and you may also glimpse reptiles sunning themselves on the rocks. We saw an eastern water dragon sunning itself.

Once off the main track, the path is narrow and overgrown, although during our visit spring wildflowers were in bloom, making the area very colourful.