Australian Capital Territory · Attraction
Birrigai Time Trail and Rock Shelter
25,000 years of Ngunnawal story
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
The Birrigai Rock Shelter is one of the oldest known inhabited rock shelters in Australia, with archaeological evidence of Ngunnawal occupation dating back more than 21,000 years, a period when ice-age temperatures averaged around 7 degrees Celsius colder than today. The 3-kilometre Birrigai Time Trail links the Tidbinbilla Visitor Centre to the shelter via a largely flat loop through open grassland and woodland, with interpretive signage tracing both Ngunnawal heritage and early European settlement of the valley. The word Birrigai means laughter in the Ngunnawal language.
Excavations carried out in 1984 uncovered stone tools fashioned from quartz, fragments of red ochre, bone-scraping implements, and a hearth dated to around 16,000 years before present, painting a vivid picture of life in the highlands during the last Ice Age. The shelter itself is formed by a large block of stone leaning against another, creating a space that could accommodate up to 12 people, a natural refuge used across tens of thousands of years of occupation.
The trail is rated Grade 3 (moderate) and takes approximately one hour to complete, beginning at the Tidbinbilla Visitor Centre. Signage along the route introduces visitors to the ecology of the grasslands, the pastoral history of Tidbinbilla Station, and the layers of Ngunnawal cultural connection to this valley. Visitors are asked to observe the shelter respectfully and to remain on the marked track throughout.
Scenic views
