Waratah Track Man, Woman and Fish

Summary: A cerermonial or ritual Aboriginal engraving site below the Waratah Track, with a decorated man and woman, whale and many fish.

  • Art type/s: Rock engraving
  • Number of motifs: 9
  • Motif/s: Fish, Man, Whale, Woman
  • Condition of site: Good
  • View site sketch
  • Year first recorded: 1946
  • Originally Recorded by: F.D. McCarthy
  • McCarthy reference: BROKEN BAY Mankind Group 37 in Catalogue of Rock Engravings (1983)
  • McCarthy in Mankind Vol 3, No. 9 (1946), p. 272. Plate AA, Fig 3

An interesting site on a spur below the Waratah Track, this Aboriginal engraving site was described as a ritual or ceremonial site.

“The exclusive use of fish in close proximity to Coal and Candle Creek, a deep salt-water stream, the association of the man in ceremonial decoration, indicates a ritual significance for this group; it might be connected with fishing magic to ensure a good catch or with increase ceremonies; on the other hand the man and woman may be legendary figures not associated with other figures or associated with them in a myth”

Fred McCarthy

The lifesize man and woman are very distinctive; the man is decorated with parallel and arched lines “in the pattern painted on the body during ceremonies”. Within the woman are some several large, natural punctures.

AWAT0769 LR Waratah Track Man, Woman and Fish

On an adjoining rock further along the spur is a whale, and above the whale one of many fish (a “breamlike fish”).

AWAT0783 LR Waratah Track Man, Woman and Fish
AWAT0784 LR Waratah Track Man, Woman and Fish
AWAT0781 LR Waratah Track Man, Woman and Fish

Inside the whale is a figure, which was described as a fish.

AWAT0790 LR Waratah Track Man, Woman and Fish

To the north of the whale are there more large fish (one of this covered by vegetation) and a shark ray or wobbegong shark (also covered).

AWAT0794 LR Waratah Track Man, Woman and Fish
AWAT0808 LR Waratah Track Man, Woman and Fish

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