Vandals have defaced "priceless" Indigenous rock art believed to be up to 8,000 years old in Tasmania's Central Highlands.

A group of Indigenous people reported on Tuesday that ancient ochre paintings in a rock shelter had been scratched at with rock.

The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) has not revealed the exact location of the paintings, only that they are in a rock overhang near a dammed part of the River Derwent.

The hand stencils in the rock shelter were made from red and yellow ochre.

TAC heritage officer Adam Thompson said the artwork was priceless.

"They're several thousand years old, priceless and hugely important to the Aboriginal community," he said.

"And somebody has recently gone in their and scratched away the images with a rock to try and deface them."

The rock shelter was handed back to the TAC late last year.

"The area is within the territories of what was known as the Big River tribe," Mr Thompson said.

"But we know the area was also frequented by bands of the Oyster Bay tribe."

He described the damage as devastating.

"We're not sure if it's new people moving into the area that have done this, or it's just idiots that have gone in there and done this," Mr Thompson said.

The TAC notified Tasmania Police, which is investigating.

Premier mulls harsher penalties for vandals

Mr Thompson said the State Government should increase penalties under the Aboriginal Relic Act 1975.

"Because these penalties are so low under the existing legislation, there's very little deterrent to stop people from going and doing these activities, he said.

The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre claims vandals damaged hand-stencil art near Hobart. ( Supplied )

Mr Thompson said similar ochre paintings in a nearby rock overhang were destroyed when Hydro flooded the River Derwent in the 1960s.

"Its priceless and hugely important to the Aboriginal community," he said.

Premier Will Hodgman, who is also the Aboriginal Affairs Minister, condemned the vandalism in a statement.

"It's difficult to imagine what could motivate someone to undertake such a senseless act, but that will hopefully come to light following a police investigation," he said.

He said the Government was reviewing the Aboriginal Relic Act but did he did not commit to tougher penalties for vandals.

"The Government knows the 1975 legislation is outdated and inadequate and Minister Groom is liaising closely with the Aboriginal Heritage Council on the best options to address the deficiencies in that Act," Mr Hodgman said.

Damage to Indigenous sites has been a contentious issue in Tasmania.

Four-wheel-drive tracks in the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area were closed in 2012 to protect Aboriginal middens, hut depressions and rock engravings.

The State Government tried to reverse the decision and court action is ongoing.