About seventy thousand tourists come to see ancient Aboriginal paintings in central Queensland. But some of the paintings are being damaged, which is worrying the local Aboriginal people.


BERNICE SIGLEY: Carnarvon Gorge is unique. It's just like a small oasis in the middle of very, very open area and it's just off the main highway as well.

MEGAN MAGILL: The Carnarvon National Park covers almost 300-thousand hectares of inland central Queensland. Nestled in ranges between Roma and Emerald, Carnarvon Gorge is the park's most popular spot. It attracts about 70-thousand tourists a year. Many come specifically to learn about Australia's cultural heritage.

MARK ALBURY: Most of the stuff you see in here is just, it's of the dominant male. It's all the weapons he's got to protect the females that come to the area so that if they're touched, this is what he's got to defend his tribe with.

MEGAN MAGILL: Mark Albury is a descendant of the Garingbal people. He believes the ancient artwork was created by his ancestors. Like the thousands of visitors who are attracted to these historic sites, he's disappointed with their desecration.

MARK ALBURY: Well look it's actually on the internet now you know and they show these great pictures but they don't show right the way through and show the graffiti and that.

MEGAN MAGILL: Although Aboriginal paintings like these are scattered throughout the central highlands, very few are open to the public. This particular site is one of the most detailed pieces of Aboriginal art in the world.

Despite its value, the sacred site continues to be vandalised by people etching into the soft sandstone.

MARK ALBURY: I would like to see Aboriginal guides or Aboriginal rangers actually employed in the parks to try and protect the area. And traditional Aboriginals from that area so they can give a good response on what the artwork means and what it means in cultural value.

MEGAN MAGILL: This week, Aboriginal elders met with the Environmental Protection Agency at Springsure to discuss ways of protecting and preserving what's left of their past.

ELDER MARGARET LAWTON: Things like that are priceless to us and it really hurts to see that happen.

MEGAN MAGILL: Representative of the Garingbal people Margaret Lawton, wants to see more fines imposed on people breaking the law.

MARGARET LAWTON: They shouldn't be going off the boardwalk. They should be standing behind the rails and looking at it from a distance.

MEGAN MAGILL: Rangers already have powers to fine vandals up to $225,000. The problem is catching them in the act. There are 12 staff employed to cover the entire national park, with only seven based at the Gorge.

BERNICE SIGLEY: The whole management of the park is quite complex, so it's very difficult to pull away two or three rangers every day just to solely focus on protection of those sites.