Malakunanja II

Malakunanja II is a rock shelter in Arnhem Land featuring sandstone walls covered with hand-painted artworks. The site contains multiple layers of deposits with tools, animal bones, and other objects preserved from ancient times.

People lived at this location roughly 65,000 years ago, as revealed by excavations beginning in the 1970s. These discoveries made it one of the oldest known sites of human occupation in the region.

The site is known by its Aboriginal name Madjedbebe, displaying over 1,000 rock art motifs depicting human figures, geometric patterns, and local animals. These artworks show the deep connection between people and the land that has existed here for countless generations.

The location sits 50 kilometers from the coast within traditional Mirarr clan lands, directly next to Kakadu National Park. Visitors should expect that access can be difficult between certain areas and proper planning ahead is important.

Excavations uncovered more than 100,000 objects, including tools and animal bones scattered throughout the site. This large quantity of items shows how long and intensely people occupied this location.