Vandals attack Aboriginal heritage site in Tasmania

An Aboriginal heritage site has been vandalised just months after it was handed back by Tasmania to the Aboriginal Land Council.

Damage to the hand stencils at the nirmena nala cave site in the Derwent Valley was discovered this week when members of the Aboriginal community were kayaking in the area.

Land council chair Clyde Mansell is calling for a police investigation and better legislative protection for heritage sites.

Former Greens leader Bob Brown backed calls for an investigation on Wednesday night.

The rock shelter in southern Tasmania dates back thousands of years and was handed to the Aboriginal Land Council by the state government in December.