Address & Contact
Rowes Road
Hawker SA 5434
Phone: N/A
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Site is now closed to the public and has been since 2014.
Yourambulla Caves Aboriginal Painting Site is one of seven accessible Aboriginal Painting sites in the
Flinders Ranges region.
Yourambulla is the name that is derived from the words "yura bila" which means two men in the language of the Adnymathanha people of the
Flinders Ranges. Yourambulla refers to the two peaks to the East of
the caves which represents two ancestral companions who camped at this place while traveling in the Dreamtime, or time of creation in Aboriginal mythology. This story describes how the Adnymathanha moiety or kinship system came into being. This follows two matrilineal lines of descent, Arraru and Mathari. The northern peak represents the Arraru man and the southern peak the Mathari.
Aboriginal paintings occur in caves, shelters and overhangs in the southern part of the Yappala hills. The age and purpose is not known but they are thought to relate to the dreaming or ceremonies associated with the site. Most paintings were made with manganese, charcoal, red or white ochre. A range of colours such as red, yellow, white, black and purple can be produced by mixing of pigments such as ochre, pipe clay, bird lime, charcoal and manganese. The painting was applied with lumps of manganese or painted with finders dipped in ochre mixed with animal fat.While
the caves were probably visited regularly, there is no evidence that they were inhabited. However, these caves and the area surrounding them remain an important part of the Adnymathanha peoples' culture and
heritage.
The caves and
Aboriginal Paintings are located 11 km south of
Hawker off the main
Quorn road. Yourambulla Caves Historic Reserve has a walking trail, which leads to the stairs at the base of the
cave. Once inside, there are
Aboriginal paintings on rocks inside the
cave to see. There is also an interpretive
sign showing the meaning of the painted symbols used. Two other smaller caves are located in a few hundreds meters from the main
cave. Allow 1 - 2 hours to visit all three sites.