The Mulgowan (Yapa) Aboriginal art site is one of the best in NSW. It’s closest to the town of Bourke, though possible as a day trip from Cobar if you’re following one of the more common Outback NSW road trip routes.
Though small when compared to some of the huge galleries in other states, the paintings are varied and still very vivid. They are in a remote location, so it’s a quiet peaceful spot where you’d be unlikely to encounter anyone else, which definitely adds to the atmosphere. It’s the sort of place that inspires you to linger longer than you might have originally intended.
The walk to reach the overhang where the paintings are located is short and easy, though still offers a taste of that quintessential outback scenery.
Here’s what to expect when visiting the Mulgowan (Yapa) Aboriginal art site.
The access road
Before we get started on the site and the walk to get there, it’s worth noting that to reach the car park you need to travel for 24km along a dirt road. The road closes when it’s been wet. For us it was dry and in great condition. It was suitable for any car as long as you don’t mind a few bumps along the way.
It’s well graded and flat, however, if you plan on coming in a smaller car, then it is worth checking with the NSW parks service before setting out as roads like this can deteriorate over time, especially after wet weather.
The other thing to watch out for is the wildlife, which is prolific even in the middle of the day. Hundreds of goats line the highway into Gundabooka National Park and sometimes like to run onto the road.
In Gundabooka itself we saw dozens of kangaroos (reds, greys and wallaroos) and emus, the emus in particular enjoyed darting out across the road in front of us. Exercise caution and drive slowly.
It’s a fabulous red dirt road so driving slowly is not a hardship. It was the first moment on our Sydney to Broken Hill road trip that we really felt like we were in the outback and we loved it!
The Mulgowan (Yapa) Aboriginal art site walk
The stats
Distance: 1.4km return
Elevation gain: 40m
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Mulgowan Art Walk car park
The trail
From the parking area you’ll follow a wide dirt path between the parched yellow grass and gum trees. It’s a flat trail and the dirt is a deep red so you have outback vibes right from the off.
After 110m you’ll reach a rock platform and start climbing very gently uphill.
The rock is perfectly grippy when dry and small reflectors mark the way. After 130m the path will flatten again and it’s now a mix of dirt track, paved track and some rocks.
It feels so incredibly remote and the only sounds are that of the breeze in the trees or the odd bird. It’s a perfect introduction to Outback NSW.
Approximately 530m into the walk you’ll begin heading noticeably downhill and it’s a little rocky (but not difficult).
You’ll then cross the dry creek bed and climb slightly uphill to the viewing platform, which is 650m from the car park.
The Mulgowan (Yapa) Aboriginal art site
The paintings are located on the underside of a large overhang and are protected by a fence. The wire fence still allows for a good viewing experience, though the art is best viewed by sitting on the platform as so much of it is higher up in the cave.
The paintings are the work of the Ngemba and Paakandji people, the traditional custodians of the land. Though there is no information available as to the age of the paintings, it’s thought they could be thousands of years old.
The overhang is sheltered from the elements so the paintings are remarkably well preserved.
It’s one of the most varied sites we’ve seen in NSW, with paintings of people holding boomerangs in a warrior stance, the Rainbow serpent, kangaroos, emu, fish, hand stencils and many more we weren’t confident identifying.
The longer you look the more you will see as they are scattered throughout the cave.
It’s my current favourite rock art site in NSW, despite the fact we also visited Mount Grenfell which is more widely celebrated.
If you love Aboriginal rock art it’s worth going out of your way to visit.
Facilities at the Mulgowan (Yapa) Aboriginal art site
You’ll find covered picnic benches and long drop toilets beside the car park at the trailhead. There was no running water when we visited.
Getting to the Mulgowan (Yapa) Aboriginal art site
The Mulgowan (Yapa) Aboriginal art site is located in the Gundabooka National Park, 49km south of Bourke (approx one hour) or 112km north of Cobar (approx 1 hour 30 minutes). As mentioned, the last 24km of the road to the car park is a dirt road and not accessible if it’s been wet.
There’s a large car park beside the trailhead.
Outback safety
There is little to no phone signal around the national park and it is very remote. Make sure you’re carrying some extra food and water incase of emergencies. We personally take a PLB with us on any outback road trip just to have that extra bit of security.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, that we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. This helps towards the costs of running our website. Thanks for your support.
