The area around the Lyre Trig in Kariong has numerous Aboriginal engraving sites. Most were documented by Campbell, Sim and McCarthy, although a few have been recorded fairly recently – and some are no doubt yet to be “re-discovered”.
Lyre Trig Sacred Site
Perhaps the most significant site is the Lyre Trig Sacred Site, also called the “Point Clare site” as its location was originally described by Campbell in relation to the Point Clare railway station. It has 61 motifs, including “interesting and rare figures”.
Man with Fish or Seal
Man with outstretched arms. Touching the man is a fish or seal.
Shark or Whale
A whale or shark: it is nine feet in length, with two fins and two bars across it's body. It's holding a fish in its mouth, of which only the tail end is projecting.
Mundoe
Kangaroo and Fish
A "poorly shaped" kangaroo, with very broad body and posed either standing or leaping. Overlapping the kangaroo are three fish and a gnarl container.
Oval
Oval with two sets of lines (which also looks like a stingray).
Fish
Fish (5' 7" long) with long oval body, pointed head and two fins (dorsal and ventral). A "narrow elliptical figure" is attached to its head, but covered by vegetation.
Eel and Fish
Eel (6' 3" long) with no eyes and fish with broad oval body.
Eel
Eel (4' 6" long) with no eyes
Fish
Fish (4' long) with long pointed head, four dorsal fins and three central fins.
Eel
Fat bodied eel (4' 6" long). No eyes.
Axe Grinding Grooves
Axe Grinding Grooves around a small waterhole
Fish with Eggs
Narrow fish (2' 3" long) with one fin neat large tail. Below the fish is a circle of nine pits "which may represent a clutch of eggs".
Dolphin or Whale
Dolphin or whale (11' long) - it was originally described as a whale). Conical head, two eyes, 2 representing those on the lower jaw of a whale, one long dorsal, pair of pointed teats on ventral surface and Wide tail.
Man with Boomerang
Man (5' 9" tall) with half-oval head, no eyes or neck, right arm straight out and left arm upraised. He is holding a returning boomerang in his right hand and a sword club in his left half. Across his waist belt are two more boomerangs.
Fish
Fish (2' 3" long) with pointed head
The unusual engravings include a man with half-oval head and outspread arms, who is touching a fish or eal, and a second man who is holding a returning boomerang in his left hand and a sword club in his , and in his right hand.
Sim Group 166
Ian Sim described a series of eleven engraving sites across a series of ledges below the Lyre Trig.
Fish (Series 11)
A fish, with "pointed head, oval body, two eyes, two fins opposite one another one of which is attached to the outline, good tail at angle to body, as if swimming".
Tall Man (Series 10)
Tall man with "half oval head, no eyes or neck, straight arms slightly upraised".
Man or Emu Spirit (Series 10)
A "composite emu spirit figure of the Daramulan type" according to McCarthy and oiginally described as a man by Ian Sim. The figure is carved in profile, with a convex head, truncated or open beak, no eyes and a leg bent downward at a right angle close to its body.
Shark or Marine Creature (Series 4)
A shark (Ian Sim) or "marine creature" (Fred McCarthy), with a broad conical head, a pair of conical fins near its head and a round ended dorsal fin. Within the figure is an oval and two mundoes.
Snakes (Series 4)
A snake, with "pointed ends curved outward in opposite directions".
Indeterminate Figure (Series 4)
An indeterminate figure, described as having two ovals (which could be fins or flippers) attached to the junction of its body and tail, and a long elongated body.
Wallaby (Series 6)
A weathed wallaby below the Lyre Trig: it has a "comical face, no eyes, 2 pointed ears, broad neck, broad body with hump over hind quarters... standing with body parallel with the ground as though feeding".
Lyre Trig Shark (S4)
An interesting site with 14 figures, including a shark, later described as a “marine creature”, which has an oval and two mundoes within its body, and a bird above its head. Below the shark / marine creature is an indeterminate figure. Also at this site are three more ovals and a snake.
Lyre Trig Wallaby (S6)
A very weathered engraving of a wallaby, “standing with body parallel with the ground as though feeding”.
Lyre Trig Fish Emu Spirit (S10)
A figure described by McCarthy as a “composite emu spirit figure of the Daramulan type”, which is carved in profile with a convex head. Near this figure is a man, with outstretched arms.
Lyre Trig Fish engraving (S11)
A single fish, drawn as if it were swimming.
Summary of Lyre Trig Aboriginal engraving sites
| Site Name | Reference | No. Motifs | Motifs | AHIMS ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyre Trig Sacred Site | Campbell Plate 27 Fig 1 | 61 | Men, fish, eel, shark | 45-3-0062 |
| Lyre Trig Fish and Oval | Sim Group 166 S1 | 2 | Fish, oval | 45-3-0506 |
| Lyre Trig Dolphin | Sim Group 166 S2 | 7 | Dolphin, roos, emu | 45-3-0498 |
| Lyre Trig Flathead | Sim Group 166 S3 | 1 | Fish | 45-6-0505 |
| Lyre Trig Shark | Sim Group 166 S4 | 14 | Shark, bird, snake | 45-3-0497 |
| Lyre Trig Two Men | Sim Group 166 S5 | 2 | Men (2) | 45-3-0503 |
| Lyre Trig Wallaby | Sim Group 166 S6 | 1 | Wallaby | 45-3-0502 |
| Lyre Trig Shield | Sim Group 166 S7 | 1 | Shield | 45-3-0501 |
| Lyre Trig Eel and Bird | Sim Group 166 S8 | 3 | Eel, bird | 45-3-0499 |
| Lyre Trig Emu | Sim Group 166 S9 | 1 | Unfinished emu | 45-3-0499 |
| Lyre Trig Emu Spirit | Sim Group 166 S10 | 2 | Man, Emu Spirit | 45-3-0486 |
| Lyre Trig Fish | Sim Group 166 S11 | 1 | Fish | 45-3-0487 |
| Lyre Trig Kangaroo | Campbell Plate 27 Fig 8 | 1 | Kangaroo | 45-3-0477 |
| Lyre Trig Two Wallabies | 2 | Two wallabies | 45-3-4621 |
1 Comment
A loop bushwalk via the Gosford Glyphs and Lyre Trig | Hiking the World · July 27, 2022 at 8:19 pm
[…] Brisbane Water – Lyre Trig sites […]