The Burrup Peninsula is one of the richest sites in the world for prehistoric rock engravings. This ancient outdoor art gallery is decorated with more than 20,000 Aboriginal engravings dating back over 40,000 years, making it one of the best places in Australia to see ancient Indigenous art.
You can access the Burrup Peninsula from the town of Dampier on the Pilbara coast, and with daily flights from Perth airport to nearby Karratha airport, Dampier is easily reached within a few hours from Perth. But there’s a more leisurely and far more enriching way to get there, by following the Warlu Way through the Pilbara and Kimberley – a 2,480 kilometre drive revealing the mysteries of the Warlu and other Indigenous legends.
The motifs and stone features found on the Burrup Peninsula are believed to be connected to the stories, traditions and ceremonial practices of local Aboriginal tribes. Many depict people, animals and birds, including creatures that are known to have been extinct for some 3,000 years.
If you’re visiting between May and October, don’t miss this opportunity to witness the extraordinary optical illusion of the Staircase to the Moon at nearby Hearson's Cove.