Many of the Myall Trail Aboriginal sites are thought to reflect this area being a fruitful hunting ground for kangaroos and wallabies.
Myall Trail Hunting Site
At the western-most end of the Myall Trail is a long rock platform, which would offer nice views when the scrub is a bit less dense.
A group of Aboriginal engravings on the platform was described by Fred McCarthy (Group 74) as the killing of an emu and the sighting of a pair of kangaroos or wallabies (Myall Trail Hunting Site).
The outlines of the two “leaping kangaroos or wallabies” are still fairly distinct.
Also distinct is the “unusual figure of a man, life-size with long curved hair or headdress, with three fingers on one hand and two large fingers on the other hand”.
Nearby, a long rock shelter contains some Aboriginal cave art.
The charcoal paintings in this shelter are fairly rudimentary, and it’s impossible to discern what they represent.
Myall Trail – two kangaroos
To the east is another pair of kangaroos, one on each side of small rock shelter.
One of them is unique in that it’s drawn with a line of pendants from the stomach, “representing the string of fatty tissues from the intestines”.
The second kangaroo on an adjacent rock is much less distinct.
Myall Trail – Art Shelter
Between the two kangaroos is another rock shelter with art.
As with the previous art shelter, the motifs are in charcoal – and there are a large number along the wall of the cave.
Myall Trail Animal Scene
The Myall Trail Animal Scene is another large engraving site lies which is further to the east. It has figteen animals scattered over the large rock platform. The figures (from left to right below) recorded by McCarthy include “an incomplete animal like a native cat” (1), two kangaroos (2 & 3), a boomerang and kidney-shaped figure (4 & 5), a very small kangaroo or wallaby (6), a bird (7), a headless kangaroo or wallaby (8), another four kangaroos or wallabies, one of which could be a koala (9-12), a wombat (13) and an echidna.
Flat Headed Kangarooo
A flat-headed kangaroo, carved on a steep rock surface. It has "2 conical ears, pointed chin and its head is bent forward on a broad neck; it has a humped shoulder and straight back, it's arm (almost touching the chin) is straight, then bends up and down again to a hand bearing 4 conical fingers".
Two Kangaroos
Pair of kangaroos
Kangaroo
A leaping kangaroo at the eastern end of the rock platform - a "well shaped animal with its body parallel to the ground in a leap, but not animated".
Sword club
A sword club (or boomerang) and kidney-shaped figure.
Small kangaroo
A small and weathered kangaroo is next to what has been described as both a bird and a container.
Curious Kangaroo
A "curious kangaroo or wallaby lacking both tail and hing limb" - which may also be a koala, but it's head is pointed and flat-faced like a kangaroo.
Wombat
Wombat or native cat
Leaping male kangaroo
A "magnificent leaping male kangaroo or wallaby over 8 feet long with unusually well proportioned anterior portion including the neck and head".
Most of the figures are quite weathered, and some are very difficult to make out without the right light.
Although located a short distance away, McCarthy also included in this group a flat-headed kangaroo which is carved on a steep rock surface.
Myall Trail Boomerang
The Myall Trail Boomerang is on a long rock platform, and is fairly indistinct.
Summary of Myall Trail Aboriginal sites
| Site name | No Motifs | Motifs | AHIMS ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myall Trail Hunting Site | 7 | Emu, Kangaroo, Man, Mundoe | 45-6-0216 |
| Myall Trail Shelter with Art | Indeterminate | N/A | |
| Myall Trail – two kangaroos | 2 | Kangaroos | 45-6-0217 |
| Myall Trail Art Shelter | 80 | Indeterminate | 45-6-2346 |
| Myall Trail Animal Scene (2 sites) | 16 | Kangaroos, echidna, basket | 45-6-0218/9 |
| Myall Trail Boomerang | 2 | Boomerang | 45-6-3299 |
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