JJUf] Ihr rictorw,, \'<ituralis! 21 



ABORIGINAL PAINTINGS AT THE FLAT ROCK 

 SHELTER 



Ky A. Massola* 



During a recent visit to the painted rock shelters in the Grampians 

 the writer was fortunate, under the ahle guidance of Mr. I. K. 

 McCanu, of Stawell, a keen naturalist and a tireless walker, to visit 

 the recently discovered Flat Rock shelter, on the northern flank of 

 Flat Rock, the hill just south of Mt. Zero. As this site is as yet 

 undcseribed, it is my purpose in this paper to give a preliminary 

 description of this latest addition to the numher of known "Art 

 Galleries" in this State. 



It is situated in a cave-like shelter formed by the erosion of the 

 sandstone scarp which is such a prominent feature of this particular 

 hill and of the Grampians generally. The shelter itself is roughly 

 seventy feet long and ahout ten feet wide, and it follows the contour 

 of the hill. Because of its elevated position it is half way up the hill 

 — it commands a heautiful northerly view over mile upon mile of 

 country dotted with lakes (the Green Lakes). It is possible that 

 from it aborigines of long ago witnessed the progress of Major 

 Mitchell's paity coming from the north-east, and closely observed 

 all the great explorer's movements on July 20, 1836. when he 

 ascended nearby Mount Zero, 



Along the wall and ceiling ui the shelter are seen several groups 

 of drawings done in red ochre. They are beautifully preserved and 

 some are quite fresh looking, possibly because of the relatively dark 

 position they are in. Certainly neither sun nor rain can reach them, 

 and as yet they are free from those disfiguring proofs of visits by 

 unthinking people. There are no names scribbled over them. 



The designs include Emu or bird tracks, several parallel strokes 

 (as in the Red Rock at Glen Isla). three designs of unknown signi- 

 ficance which with a little immagination could be mistaken for the 

 letters H, E and O. One figure approaches in shape the Langi 

 Ghiran "snake", and there are several human hands. These hands 

 are not stencilled, as in the Cave of Hands at Glen Isla, but thev 

 look as if the maker had immersed his hand in the red ochre and 

 stamped it on the wall. In each there is a little unpaintecl region in 

 the centre of the palm, which, of course, is just what would happen 

 if the hand were pressed against a flat surface. 



As stated, the designs form small groups some distance away 

 from each other. On entering the shelter from the left side and 

 walking to the right, or north, one sees first a few parallel strokes 

 on the ceiling. About three feet away, on the wall, comes a group 

 of Rum tracks. A foot away is a "snake" about thirty inches long, 

 with several human hands below and a group of strokes above it. 

 Another three feet away, on the ceiling, is a large bird track, and 



* Department (> f Anthriipoloj.'} . National Museum uf Victuria. 



