Guide 04 Western Australia independent information
Aboriginal art in Western Australia
Aboriginal art is the oldest and one of the most visible strands of art in Western Australia. This guide gives an orientation, names a few well documented places and points to respectful ways to engage.
Murujuga: Aboriginal rock art in Western Australia on a very long timescale
Murujuga, on the Burrup Peninsula and the Dampier Archipelago in the Pilbara, holds an enormous body of rock engravings. Estimates of the number of images run to the millions, and Traditional Owners and researchers say the engraving tradition stretches back tens of thousands of years. In July 2025 the Murujuga Cultural Landscape was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, covering almost 100,000 hectares of land and sea country.
The listing recognises Aboriginal cultural values, and it also brought public debate about industry nearby and its effect on the rock surfaces. If you plan to visit, use the guidance and tours that Traditional Owners and the site's managers provide.
Aboriginal artists in Western Australia: painting from the Kimberley and the Pilbara
In the East Kimberley, Gija artists working through Warmun Art Centre are known for paintings in natural ochre, in which flat fields of colour describe country, stories and events. Rover Thomas is one of the best known names. In 1990 he and Trevor Nickolls were chosen for the Australian pavilion at the Venice Biennale, described in several sources as the first Aboriginal artists to represent Australia there, in a project organised from Perth.
In the Pilbara, Martu artists connected with Martumili Artists paint desert country in bold colour, while elsewhere in the state Noongar artists in the south west work in painting, weaving, printmaking and sculpture.
Engaging respectfully
Learn the artist's name and community, the story the work is allowed to tell and the language group it belongs to. Cultural protocols can restrict what may be shown or photographed, so follow signs and ask first. A common question is whether non-Aboriginal people may paint in these styles: stories and designs belong to families and language groups, so copying them without permission is widely seen as disrespectful, and the safer path is to learn, and to buy from artists and art centres. Many artists and families prefer that you buy through an art centre or an authorised dealer.
For where to see this work in person, read about regional galleries and art centres and the state collection in Perth.