NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is part of Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. NPWS manages more than 870 NSW national parks and reserves, covering over 7 million hectares of land.
The Site of the Emus (or Bird Cave) in McPherson State Forest, a shelter with Aboriginal rock art, gets its name from three emus drawn in red ochre.
A low but long shelter with Aboriginal rock art along Ellem Gully, which has over 100 motifs in charcoal and red ochre. The figures include many kangaroos and some hand stencils.
Faint charcoal art in a low shelter above Ellem Gully, in McPherson State Forest
The Royal National Park in Sydney’s south protects about 650 recorded indigenous heritage sites, including many rock engravings and cave paintings.
A deep and shaded swimming hole on Marramarra, The Duckpond is reached via a 5km (one-way) bushwalk, which an includes an off-track bushbash.
A partly off-track bushwalk in Marramarra National Park, which initially follows the Duckponds Ridge Trail (a firetrail). The last bit down to The Duckpond, a deep pool on Marramarra Creek, has no track.
Bell Trig is a well-preserved trig station offering some great views. It’s on top of Watertrough Hill, just above the Bells Line of Road.
Fairly remote and requiring a demanding bushwalk to reach, the Tootie Cascades is a beautiful small waterfall and large swimming hole on Tootie Creek.
A fairly demanding, off-track loop bushwalk in Wollemi National Park which follows a section of Tootie Creek. There are sweeping views along the steep descent and ascent, and pristine swimming holes along the creek.
Bordered by Wollemi and Yengo National Park, the Parr State Conservation Area has many indigenous heritge sites, including rock engravings, cave pintings and axe grinding grooves.