Located south of Alice Springs along the old Ghan railway line near Ewaninga siding, these rock engravings are protected by a small, six hectare reserve. Outcrops of sandstone beside a small claypan, set among spinifex-covered sand dunes, form natural galleries for petroglyphs featuring a great variety of symbols or motifs. It is easy to imagine the small claypan as a natural bowl, trapping and holding scarce rains and making this a favourite site for longer stays. Originally rock shelters beside the claypan provided camping places protected from the elements, but the roofs of these have now collapsed in a mass of sandstone blocks.
Anthropologists believe the carvings pre-date present day Aboriginals and were made by some other indigenous race who occupied the area over 50 thousand years ago, though their age is not known. Modern Aborigines do not recognise the engravings as part of their culture in that they cannot interpret their meaning and the engravings do not conform to most known examples in Australia. There are two main areas of engravings, both with a maze of motifs on a series of large red sandstone blocks. Some of the engravings are in such inaccessible positions, they could only have been placed there prior to the movement of the sandstone blocks. The motifs are mainly non-figurative, comprised of simple concentric and barred circles, wavy and meandering lines, spirals and pecked-out hollows. There are also animal tracks.
Arrernte custodians are happy for people to visit the site but ask that they don't climb over the rocks, touch or interfere with the petroglyphs in any way. The Aboriginal custodians ask that Arrernte women do not enter this site. Ewaninga Rock Carvings site is 35 kilometres south of Alice Springs on the unsealed Old South Road.