Waratah Trail Dancing Man

Summary: An Aboriginal engraving of a "dancing man", axe grinding grooves and a water channel on a long rock platform below the Waratak Trail.

  • Site type: Axe Grinding Groove (AGG), Rock engraving, Water Hole
  • Number of motifs: 1
  • Motif/s: Man
  • Quality: 3.5/5
  • Condition of site: Good
  • View site sketch
  • Year first recorded: 1898
  • Originally Recorded by: W.D. Campbell, F.D. McCarthy
  • Campbell Reference: BROKEN BAY Plate 19 Fig 14 in Aboriginal Carving of Port Jackon and Broken Bay (Download)
  • McCarthy reference: BROKEN BAY Group 111 in Catalogue of Rock Engravings (1983)

On a long rock platform north of the Waratah Trail is an Aboriginal engraving of a man wearing a headdress, described by Campbell as a “man in a dancing pose”.

AWAT2107 LR highlighted 1 Waratah Trail Dancing Man

McCarthy later added a more detailed description, describing the man as having “his body turned to his left and his right leg turned outward in an animated and alert posture. He apparently represents a spirit or a man performing a ritual. A very difficult position to depict, particularly the position of his right leg”.

AWAT2106 LR Waratah Trail Dancing Man

At the northern end of the rock platform are some small rock pools. There is an axe grinding groove above the waterhole, as well as a water channel beside it.

  • AWAT2097 LR Waratah Trail Dancing Man
  • AWAT2099 LR Waratah Trail Dancing Man
  • AWAT2100 LR Waratah Trail Dancing Man
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