Summary: This Aboriginal engraving site has multiple figures in the bed of a creek, including two unusual male figures and three eels

This Aboriginal engraving site, recorded by Ian Sim in 1966, is located in the sloping bed of an unnamed creek near Tommos Loop firetrail in Kariong.

McCarthy described it as a totemic site:

One of the men, wearing a headdress, is associated with 3 eels, one of which lies across his body with his arms outspread so that he is not holding it, and the other man is in ceremonial attire; probably a totemic site with the men performing a ritual for the eel clan. Both of the figures of the men are unique.

One of the two men is almost in the creek, and the figure is very weathered: he has a “flat ended
triangular shaped headdress projecting at a. right angle from the left side of his head which is tilted to his left” and an eel that extends from beside his left foot to his right shoulder”.

The bottom half of the figure has almost vanished; you can still make out the head-dress and most of the eel.

Next to the man is a second, narrow eel. It is fairly good condition. (A third eel is in middle of the creek bed, and could not be found.)

On the southern edge of the rock and above the creek bed is a second man who has a “half oval head turned to his right, with a slit for his mouth, pointed chin, no eyes, a horizontal but curved line 13″ long extends out from each side of the top of his head”.

McCarthy also noted his unusual hands, with “long conical fingers and thumb bn his right hand and 9 long bar fingers in a set 6 and one of 3 on his left hand”.

Along the creek bed are twelve axe grinding grooves.

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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.
Red Hands Cave, Glenbrook (Blue Mountains)
The Blue Mountains National Park (and surrounding areas along the Great Western Highway) is thought to have over a thousand indigenous heritage sites, although much of the park has not been comprehensively surveyed. The Aboriginal rock sites in the Blue Mountains include grinding grooves, stensils, drawing and rock carvings.