Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00002:front:0:p37
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00002
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 109097–111927

management plan. Cultural data and information is continuing to be uploaded into it. The system can be used to schedule and prioritise future work as needed.

Figure 8 illustrates the line of sight for this section of the plan.

       Figure 8: Line of sight for Section 5.1: Looking after culture

Rock Art

Outcome

    * Priority rock art sites are managed to mitigate impacts from threatening processes

Performance indicator

    * A reduction in the overall impact of weathering, fire, plants, animals, insects and human activities on priority rock art sites

Background

The stone country of Kakadu holds one of the world's greatest concentrations of rock art sites: over 5,000 rock art sites have been recorded and it is thought there could be 10,000 to 15,000 art sites in total. The images, estimated to range in age from 20,000 years to the recent present, constitute one of the longest historical records of any group of people in the world. They tell a story of a changing environment, changing species and changing lifestyles within the Kakadu region and also illustrate objects, animals and activities familiar to people today, providing an important tangible record of chronological change as well as artistic tradition.

Rock art sites are an important storehouse of traditional knowledge and a place where people can learn about law and other aspects of cultural life, and are highly significant for Bininj/Mungguy. Strong associations exist between these sites and their living traditions and beliefs, and rock art serves as a reminder of the old people that have passed on and the responsibilities for looking after country.

   'Through these paintings the old people were teaching the young generation ... and passing on stories.'
Traditional owner

Mimi spirits were the first of the Creation Ancestors to paint on rock. They taught some Bininj/Mungguy how to paint and other Bininj/Mungguy learned by copying Mimi art. At the end of their journeys, some Creation Ancestors put themselves on rock walls as paintings and became djang (dreaming places). Some of these paintings are andjamun (sacred and dangerous) and can be seen only by senior men or women; others can be seen by all people (Chaloupka 1993).

Public access is provided to three major rock art sites within the park including Burrungkuy (Nourlangie Rock) and Nanguluwurr in the Nourlangie region, and Ubirr in the East Alligator region. Walking tracks, boardwalks and interpretation materials have been provided at these sites.

Values and condition

Rock art within the park:

    * represents one of the world's great rock art provinces, containing a vast number of sites, with over 5,000 known sites and possibly 10,000 to 15,000 in total

    * represents a continuous tradition over tens of thousands of years

    * provides a