Etched into the sheer sand-stone of Red Rock within the vast Grampians region is thousands of years of Aboriginal history.
Unlike vivid rock-art found in Australia's north, the Grampians work is subtle and sometimes difficult to detect.
But according to Traditional Owner from the Barengi Gadjin Land Council, Ron Marks, it's no less culturally significant or profound.
"It warms the heart to know that for thousands of years stories have been written on rock on sites such as this."
But Parks Victoria ranger Ryan Duffy, who works within the greater Grampians region, says examples of deliberate and accidental graffiti or vandalism are increasingly being identified.
"More and more we're encountering where people have actually written graffiti, and sometimes even writing over rock art. They either write in charcoal, sometimes they scratch with rocks, sometimes they write with paint. So that not only deteriorates the site, it's very disrespectful to the Traditional Owners of this landscape."
Mr Duffy says art conservators have been enlisted to provide specialist advice, and volunteers spend hours on the painstaking graffiti removal.
"All we were using is, basically, water and cotton wool to remove the charcoal from over the rock art. So, that way we are removing the graffiti without any adverse effects to the rock art."
Aboriginal presence in the region has been estimated to date back 22-thousand years, so the etchings and paintings are believed to be between one and 22,000 years old.
Of the 130-odd rock-art sites across the vast Grampians area, 35 were re-discovered in just the past five years, and there's an expectation many more are set to be identified.
That's welcome news to Ron Marks and his sister Sandra, who are actively engaged in sharing Indigenous culture.
Mr Marks says it's a right his generation was largely denied.
"We weren't encouraged, we weren't allowed to maintain practice. So, we're getting that back now through Barengi Gadjin (Land Council) and we are now finding our souls again."
Ron Marks says he encourages all people to walk through, climb and use the National Parks - but to also respect the thousands of years of history that lie within.
"If they know they are and they deface them then they should face the brunt of the law."
