28 Aug 2024

Ancient Rock Art Discoveries in Swift Bay

Australia’s Kimberley coast turned on another stunning day for expedition cruising as we made our way to the Wollaston Island art site. Landing our Zodiacs at a lovely little beach with some fascinating features including huge sandstone boulders, lots of hermit crabs scuttling across the white sand and interesting rock pools to explore.

The highlight being a large overhang with impressive indigenous rock art, this Wandjina rock art is up to 5,000 years old. Our guides share the story of the Wandjina, the ancient creator spirits, and the site has many varied paintings including, turtles, kangaroo, witchetty grubs and other food sources as well many different Wandjina ancestral beings.

In the afternoon Heritage Adventurer repositioned to Swift Bay where we have the opportunity to visit two more art sites. The first is another Wandjina site with some different art compared to the morning’s site, while the second site which is a bit of a scramble up a steep hill has Gwion Gwion rock art of which there are several styles, painted at different times over thousands of years.

It is incredible, and hard to fathom, that some of this art has survived so intact for so long and, as we admire the drawings, we imagine who these people were and the life they lived. A small cave nearby lead to some exciting spider and insect discoveries.

This evening we have a short briefing as there is a delicious BBQ outside accompanied by serenading from our multitalented crew as the sun set on another spectacular day of adventure.

Images © Stephen Bradley Photography, Heritage Expeditions