Terrey Hills Aboriginal Engravings

A short bushwalk in Terrey Hill leads to a couple of well-hidden Aboriginal engraving sites. The walk to the first rock platform is pretty easy, with the trail winding through eucalyptus trees and long grass.

Terrey Hills Hunting Site

Although the walking trail to the “Hunting SIte” is unmarked, a blue sign in front of the rock platform states that this is a protected Aboriginal site. It was first described in 1940 by Fred McCarthy, who describes it as a hunting scene: “the hunter, wearing a rayed forehead band, is shown beside a large and small kangaroo, a doe and its young or a buck and doe. His footsteps (it should `be noted that one is reversed) lead down the middle of the rock to his shield, which he had apparently dropped. His two wives are engraved on the eastern side of the rock”.

Hunter and kangaroos

A man (described as the hunter) is carved above a leaping kangaroo, which has been speared. Below the larger kangaroo is a doe (a female kangaroo).

Woman

One of two women, described as the hunter's wives

Woman

One of two women, described as the hunter's wives

Mundoe

One of eight mundoes across the site

Mundoe

One of eight mundoes across the site

Mundoe

One of eight mundoes across the site

Stanbury & Clegg in their Field Guide to Aboriginal Rock Engravings also refer to this area as the “Hunting Site”, suggesting that it denotes a successful kangaroo hunt.

The site may have been used for an “increase ceremony”, designed to promote the fertility of particular plants or animals. There’s also an argument that because the man has a large penis, and is wearing a head-dress, the site might be associated with creator spirits such as Baiame (Ray Norris). The line of mundoes (footprints) may represent the steps taken by the hunter as he stalks his prey (there are 8 between the man and the creek).

Terrey Hills Lyrebird Site

It’s a bit tricker to reach the second site, which is on the other side of a small creek. A rough and sometimes indistinct trail heads down to the clear and picturesque (unnamed) stream, which flows into Kierans Creek.

Further up the hill on the other side is a long series of rock platforms, one of which contains a number of engravings.

Lyrebird

Large kangaroo

The largest kangaroo is almost two metres in height, and shown standing upright.

Leaping kangaroo

Two leaping kangaroos are shown in file.

Leaping kangaroo

Two leaping kangaroos are shown in file.

Flying phalanger

A "flying phalanger" (a lemur-like tree-dwelling marsupial which is part of the possum genus).

In the middle of the site is a lyrebird, after which the site is named (the tail feathers indicating it’s male bird). It’s the “most important feature of the group and the finest portrayal among the few known of this bird” (McCarthy).

Other engravings on the rock include kangaroos (or wallabies) and a flying possum (below) as well as two echidnas and twelve arrows around the site, which may represent lyrebird tracks.

Not far away are some interesting rock formations and a sandstone cave, with a large column that’s been sculpted by the wind and rain.

On the ceiing of the cave is what appears to be another Aboriginal carving. I was initially advised it may have formed part of a larger drawing (the remainder having been damaged or eroded over time), and later discovered that it’s complete: “the head and arms are on the lower right with the body stretched around with the legs on the left”.

It’s a well-preserved site, especially considering its relative ease of access.