I’ve met a few avid bushwalkers over the last few weeks, who have shared with me some of the Aboriginal heritage sites they have discovered: today I’m heading out to Berowra to meet Matt Niven, and Matt Urmenyhazi. Matt U, a Sydney tour guide, is showing me around his “office”! The start of the short, off-track walk starts with a nice view over Berowra Creek.
The route soon drops below some magnificent sandstone cliffs…
…where huge caves and overhangs tower above us, weathered by thousands of years of wind and rain.
The walk goes under and through a number of low overhangs and caves, whch probably provided shelter to the local Aboriginal people for thousands of years.
Matt points out a native wasp nest near the ground, made by one of the 35 native species of paper wasp found in Australia. The nest is constructed from a delicate papery material that the wasps form by scraping tiny shavings of wood from old fence posts and rotten branches, which is then mixed with saliva. The queen wasp lays a single egg in each chamber or cell.
There’s more caves and low shelters, with Matt pointing out where evidence of previous Aboriginal occupation can still be seen.
It’s only a short walk and we’re soon back at the car – but it’s a nice reminder of how lucky we are to have such beautiful places in our backyard!
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