Summary: Originally recorded as part of four sites in the area, the Bulbous Headed Man near Bundeena is one of only four around Sydney.

One of only four “bulbous headed men” recorded around Sydney, this one is the only such figure in Sydney’s south (the others being at Muogamarra Nature Reserve in Cowan, Patonga and the Mooney Mooney Aboriginal Area). It’s described as “the figure of a man with an elongated penis reaching to his feet. He is wearing a three-pronged headdress and has a band around his waist and across each upper arm” (Sim) and “a man in a sexually excited state performing a ritual” (McCarthy).

Bob Pankhurst also described the figure and some of his unusual features: “The man is wearing a belt and has a large penis with an unusual end on it. There has been theories put forward about this but I think it is a form of initiation known as subincision where the penis is split down the middle. This form of initiation was not carried out in the Sydney Basin”.

The bulbous headed man was documented by Ian Sim (and later Fred McCarthy) as part of a series of four sites across both sides of the road, including one with sunfish and a flower, two whales and another with a single whale.

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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.
Over 40 sites have been recorded within the park; many were located along the river bank and were flooded by the building of the weir in 1938.