Collection of Engraving and Cave Art Sites, Wakehurst Golf Course

Strategy for protecting some of the sacred sites

Wallaby engraving

Note the advice on the sign

Lichen taking hold on engraving site

View toward one of the engraving sites

Protection of Cave Art site(s)

Wakehurst Golf Course holds many engraving and cave art sites. It is evident that some have been protected well and sadly, others not so well. The engravings here seem to be much younger than those on the western side of Wakehurst Parkway. 

Unusual Symbol Engraving, Strickland State Forest

View of engraving site

Unusual Engraving near others

This rock platform is difficult to reach yet only 20 minutes walk downhill from the wetern side of Mangrove Rd, Narara. This is in the general location of of an engraving of a man pictured in a "running profile" with one leg crossing his body, and another site that depicts a feint wallaby. This place is about 150 metres west of the known Black Cockatoo nesting places. This unusual symbol was under 35-40 mm of mud and about 1.5 metres from the fallen tree.

Indeterminate Engraving & Mundoes, Eastern side Mountain Bike Trail, Wakehurst Parkway

Single Mundoe

Two Mundoes

There are several engravings to be found on and near the Manly Dam Mountain Bike Trail on the eastern side of Wakehurst Parkway. These include some mundoes and another indeterminate engraving near the signboard on the trail that swings off to the east toward Wakehurst Golf Course.

 

Feint Wallaby Engraving - Strickland State Forest

Feint Wallaby Engraving

This feint wallaby engraving is located on a rock platform about a very rough 20 minute walk on the western side of Mangrove Road, Narara. The shape of the head and chest are recognisable. This may be a very young engraving and perhaps unfinished.

Spear Sharpening Place - Strickland State Forest

Spear Sharpening Place

Whilst there are many engraving and axe sharpening sites within and around Strickland State Forest, there are some spear sharpening places. This site is only a 15 minute walk west of Mangrove Road, Narara. Sites such as this one are sometimes confused as representing "unusual bird tracks".

Bulls Hill Quarry (North) - The Missing Group of Engravings

W.D.Campbell recorded this group back in 1899 around the same time that he recorded another similar group some 400 metres to the north east. F.D.McCarthy included this group with the other group (1st Series) but used the same co-ordinates to identify both sites. There are some similarities between the two: the same man and a canoe (recorded as a whale) with emu tracks at one site rather than an  emu itself. 

Man and Mundo, Waratah Track, Ardern Trig, Kuringai National Park

View of rock platform midway to Ardern Trig

What is left of Ardern Trig

Man-like engraving

Mundo pointing back toward Topham Trig

Stone Arrangement

The side track from the Waratah Track to Ardern Trig is worth the trip - not recommended if raining! The "man engraving" is an unusual one - similar in ways to one at Topham Trig (lower) but in very simple-figurative style in terms of the arms and fingers - similar to one other at Cowan, one in Berowra and one other in the Central Coast.

Man and Shield, Koolewong Trail, Brisbane Waters National Park

View from Platform

Man engraving

Cave

Shield-like engraving

W.D.Campbell described a series of cave art sites near this location in 1899. He missed these engravings in the vicinity of the Koolewong Water Tower.

Engraving Platform, Mt Kuringai (2)

What's left of Mt Kuringai Site (2)

Sadly, the sister site of Mt Kuringai (1) located on the western side of the railway line north of Mt Kuringai Train Station hasn't been protected adequately. Visitors to Mt Kuringai (1) would be familiar with the figures of Baiame, two of his wives and the long trail of mundoes. Most people might not realise that the Sister Site of this engraving platform is located a short distance north-north-east of the main site. It once featured a group of men amongst other engravings. It is separated by NSW's main northern train line.

The presence of this site is acknowledged by a NSW Railways "Environmentally Sensitive Sign" that is tied to the railway corridor fence (F3 side) and is visible whilst travelling by train from Berowra to Mt Kuringai. It would seem that some inconsiderate persons (contractors or employees) sought fit to dump a range of rocks, cement and earth on top of the platform - an amazing sense and example of environmental sensitive practices. 

The only legal access to this buried engraving platform is via the F3/M1 Motorway i.e. park in an emergency bay and bush-bash it in. Maybe it was treated the way it has been as "they" figured that no-one would come back to find it. Watch out for Brown Snakes here!

Wallaby Engraving, Topham Trig

Wallaby Engraving, Topham Trig Area

This wallaby engraving is located on one of the many smaller rock platforms that curve around the lower SSE part of Topham Hill.

Mooney Mooney Point (East), Hawkesbury River

Indeterminate Banded Engraving

This indeterminate banded engraving is located east of Mooney Mooney Point , north of Spectacle Island in the Hawkesbury River. This site is accessible via water only.

Kingfish Engraving Site, Spectacle Island, Hawkesbury River

Kingfish #1 on vertical rock wall

Pair of large Kingfish on vertical rock wall

Large Kingfish #2 on vertical rock wall

Appears as a human head with two eyes adjacent to the Jewfish

This set of engravings is located on a vertical rock wall on Spectacle Island in the Hawkesbury River not far from the Hawkesbury River road bridge and accessible via boat or kayak at high tide.

Baiame and Rainbow Serpent, Christmas Tree Hill, Cottage Point

Lower detail of Baiame

One of two shields

2nd Shield of Baiame

Appears as a woomera

Lower half of rainbow serpent

Initiated Man

Upper half of Rainbow Serpent

Appears as an additional shield

View over engraving platform

A number of significant sites are located on Christmas Tree Hill (Taber Trig). Of particular significance is the presence of Baiame, an initiated man, and the very rare engraving of a rainbow serpent. The rainbow serpent is a very, very rare engraving in the Sydney / Hawkesbury District. The rainbow serpent is present in one other place in Kuringai National Park, at Somersby, Mangrove Mountain, Gunderman and Cattai.

Whale Site - Ellis Trig Cliff Line, Kuringai National Park

Fish Engraving

Fishing Line that connects the fish engraving

Large Whale Engraving

There are several engraving sites located along the western cliff line, watch your step, that joins Ellis Trig. This particular site, perhaps one of at least three recorded by W.D.Campbell in 1899, will not be visible for much longer. This platform is bleached and appears as a white patch of rock.

Cowan Point, Kuringai National Park

Two large fish on the slope of a large rock on the southern side

Large Fish Engraving

Main Engraving Platform

Banded Eel

Example of engraving being covered by moss.

Snake engraving

Fish marker on waterline that points to the track up to the waterline.

The Cowan Point engraving site is surrounded by many middens and collapsed rock platforms. It is only accessible by boat or canoe. Few of the previously recorded engravings are visible. It is understood that a number of stone axes have been found and taken from this place by members of a prestigious University in Sydney, NSW.