Summary: A short detour off the America Bay Track reveals some fascinating Aboriginal rock engravings, including a large whale

The largest Aboriginal heritage site at America Bay (which was previously sign-posted) has a number of overlapping figures. It features a whale in the middle of the group.

engraving plate xix fig1 America Bay - upper site

The large and still very distinct whale was described by W.D. Campbell in 1899: “the group comprises a whale sixteen feet long and three small figures. The whale has a double line at the anterior and posterior portion of the body; the large fin also has a narrow double line near its extremity, and a narrow triple line at its base. In the middle of the body opposite the large fin is a circle with a sword-like projection; this, doubtless, has a mystic meaning.” (Plate 19, Fig 1).

img 4121 lr America Bay - upper site

Overlapping the whale below its posterior band is the figure of a woman.

img 4119 lr 2 America Bay - upper site

Below the large fin and outside the figure of the whale is a goanna.

img 4122 lr America Bay - upper site

The woman depicted within the whale may have entered the whale to seek a cure for an ailment; a similar engraving can be seen at Balls Head.

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Aboriginal Sites by National Park

The Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area protects over 3,000 known Aboriginal heritage sites, and many more which are yet to be recorded. This area includes the Blue Mountains National Park, Gardens of Stone, Wollemi National Park and Yengo National Park.