Napwerte / Ewaninga Rock Carvings Conservation Reserve, NT

Napwerte / Ewaninga Rock Carvings Conservation Reserve protects petroglyphs: rock engravings made by the early Arrernte Aboriginal people. The 6-hectare reserve is 39km south of Alice Springs via sealed roads, and offers visitors a new understanding of an ancient culture.

Stay on the 680m marked walking track to view the best petroglyph sites. Time your visit for early morning or late afternoon, when shadows make the shallow engravings more obvious. These are also the coolest times of the day for walking during the summer.

The petroglyphs feature a range of different symbols or motifs, the meanings of which are sacred. The exact age of the petroglyphs is not known.

The small claypan in which the petroglyphs were carved is a natural bowl that traps and holds scarce rains, making it a suitable site for longer stays by early nomads. After rain there would be water and game here, which meant time to tap a record of important beliefs into the soft sandstone.

Arrernte custodians ask visitors to respect the site - do not climb over the rocks, touch or interfere with the petroglyphs in any way or film/photograph them.

The Arrernte custodians ask that Arrernte women and children do not enter this site.