Mackerel Trail – Whale

Summary: A whale and bird engraving, and number of “stone circles” formed by thousands of small pebbles arranged in neat circles.

  • Art type/s: Rock engraving, Stone arrangement
  • Number of sites: 2
  • Number of motifs: 3
  • Motif/s: Ibis, Lines, Oval, Whale
  • Quality: 3/5
  • Condition of art: Good
  • View site sketch
  • Year first recorded: 1898
  • Originally Recorded by: W.D. Campbell, F.D. McCarthy
  • Campbell Reference: BROKEN BAY Plate 17 Fig 9 in Aboriginal Carving of Port Jackon and Broken Bay (Download)
  • McCarthy reference: BROKEN BAY Group 97 in Catalogue of Rock Engravings (1983)

A short distance from the Mackerel Trail and protected by thick scrub is an Aboriginal engraving of a large whale, about 25 feet long. Attached to the whale’s upper lip is an oval (similar to the Road to Nowhere whale in Garigal NP).

Whale near Mackerel TrailIMG 8354 LR Highlighted 1 Mackerel Trail – Whale

Near the whale and and also uite weathered is a flying ibis, with its wings sloping backwards and a fringed tail.

IMG 8350 LR Mackerel Trail – WhaleIMG 8350 LR highlighted Mackerel Trail – Whale

On the same rock platform as the ibis is a stone arrangement: “Loose stones have been gathered in patches” (McCarthy).

Large whale and ibis rock engravings and a stone arrangement near the Mackerel Trail
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Aboriginal Sites by National Park

Aboriginal Rock Art in the Greater Blue Mountains
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.