Gamilaroi and Wiradjuri Carved Trees

Carved trees are created as a kind of artistic and spiritual expression by some Aboriginal peoples, to mark significant places like burial sites.

Carved trees of some Aboriginal Australians are mainly found in New South Wales, and are the work of Gamilaroi and Wiradjuri artists. They were created to mark sites of ceremonial significance, such as initiation or burial sites. They are known as arborglyphs, dendroglyphs, and teleglyphs.

During the 19th century, sections of these trees were removed and put in museums. There's a movement now to return these trees to their land of origin and to revive the practice of carved trees.

Scarred trees are found among mature native trees, especially box gum and red gum, along rivers and lakes and at sacred sites.