Along the Resolute Track at West Head are a number of scattered Aboriginal engraving sites. Most of them were recorded by Ian Sim in 1965, and a few by W.D. Campbell much earlier in 1898.
Snake (Sim Group 140 Series 2)
A "headless snake, bent double” and about six feet long.
Man with Club (Sim Group 140 Series 1)
A man with outstretched arms, and what appears to be a massive knob-headed club across his waist.
Leg (Sim Group 140 Series 1)
Directly below the man is the leg of another man.
Eel (Sim Group 140 Series 1)
One of two eels above the Man with Club
Eel (Sim Group 140 Series 1)
One of two eels above the Man with Club
Fish (Sim Group 140 Series 1)
One of three fish on the western side of the platform which is still visible.
Kangaroo (Sim Group 140 Series 1)
A kangaroo and fish 18 feet south-west of the Man with Club, described as “fading though weathering” over a hundred years ago.
Fish (Sim Group 140 Series 4)
One of two fish recorded by Sim; the other one is covered by soil.
Shark (Sim Group 140 Series 4)
A tiger shark, with open mouth.
Eel (Sim Group 140 Series 4)
One of five eels recorded by Sim, next to Resolute Track
Eel (Sim Group 140 Series 4)
One of five eels recorded by Sim, next to Resolute Track
Eel (Sim Group 140 Series 4)
One of five eels recorded by Sim, next to Resolute Track
Eel (Sim Group 140 Series 4)
One of five eels recorded by Sim, next to Resolute Track
Mundoe (Sim Group 140 Series 5)
A line of six mundoes, on an isolated rock platform
Mundoe (Sim Group 140 Series 5)
A line of six mundoes, on an isolated rock platform
Mundoe (Sim Group 140 Series 5)
A line of six mundoes, on an isolated rock platform
Mundoe (Sim Group 140 Series 5)
A line of six mundoes, on an isolated rock platform
Mundoe (Sim Group 140 Series 5)
A line of six mundoes, on an isolated rock platform
Mundoe (Sim Group 140 Series 5)
A line of six mundoes, on an isolated rock platform
Mundoe (Sim Group 140 Series 5)
A line of six mundoes, on an isolated rock platform
The largest Aboriginal engraving site is signposted and easily accessible via the the Resolute Track from the Resolute Picnic Area. Or take the 4km Resolute Loop Trail, which is one of the best bushwalks at West Head – it goes past the sites below, as well as visiting the Red Hands Cave (another Aboriginal site).
Resolute Track Aboriginal Engraving Site (Sim Group 140, Series 1)
The biggest site is the signposted Resolute Track Aboriginal Engraving Site, which has a very clear engraving of a Man with Club and some eels nearby.
At the eastern side of the site are three fish (only one is now visible) and an angular line, which is “perhaps a fin or tail of a whale or shark”.
There’s also a very faded engraving in between the Man with Club and the fish. It’s most likely a kangaroo and fish, documented by W.D. Campbell in 1989 (Plate 17, Fig 1) and already described as very weathered over a hundred years ago. From the eastern end of the sites is a nice view over Pittwater and the Barrenjoey Peninsula.
Resolute Track Snake Engraving (Sim Group 140, Series 2)
Above the Resolute Track on a separate rock platform is the Resolute Track Snake Engraving, a “doubled up” snake about six feet in length.
Resolute Track Snake Engraving (Sim Group 140, Series 4)
The Resolute Track Eel engravings are right next to the Resolute Track, about 80m past the main (signposted) Aboriginal engraving site. The site has five eels and and a tiger shark, all fairly distinct.
One the opposite side of the track and part of the same group are two fish, one of them quite clear and the other covered by soil.
Resolute Track Mundoes (Sim Group 140, Series 5)
The Resolute Track Mundoes is a line of six mundoes above the Resolute Track, pointing south-west.
Resolute Track Whale (Sim Group 141)
As well as an enormous Aboriginal engraving of a whale above the Resolute Track, the Resolute Track Whale site has a small fish and several faint lines which suggest the outline of another whale.
Resolute Track Small Man
A fairly small Aboriginal engraving of a small man, with upstretched arms, was recently recorded just above the Resolute Track.
Resolute Track Hands and Mundoes
Below the Resolute Track is a shelter with a faint hand stencil and a mundoe, and another shelter (Little Hands) which has some very distinct hand prints.
Summary of Resolute Track engraving sites
| Site Name | No. Motifs | Motifs | AHIMS ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolute Track Aboriginal Engraving Site | 9 | Man with belt, fish, eels | 45-6-0142 |
| Resolute Track Kangaroo | 1 | Kangaroo and Fish | 45-6-3772 |
| Resolute Track Snake | 1 | Snake | 45-6-3773 |
| Resolute Track Leaping Wallaby | 1 | Wallaby (not found) | N/A |
| Resolute Track Eels | 8 | Eels, fish, shark | 45-6-3775/6 |
| Resolute Track Mundoes | 6 | Mundoes | 45-6-3774 |
| Resolute Track Small Man | 1 | Man | TBA |
| Resolute Track Whale | 2 | Whale, fish | 45-6-0143 |
| Resolute Faint Hands | 1 | Hand stencil | 45-6-3919 |
| Resolute Mundoes and V Engs | 5 | Mundoes | 45-6-3920 |
| Little Hands | 12 | Hand stencils | 45-6-1764 |
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