Summary: Washtub Gully near Berowra Waters has a number of Aboriginal engravings in a creek bed

A narrow ledge at the foot of Washtub Creek near Berowra Waters has a number of Aboriginal engravings; the creek derives it’s name from European settlers using the circular rockpools to wash clothes.

Washtub Gully near Berowra Waters

There’s many different species of fish, including a line of six bream, a flathead and a narrow mullet (there are 15 fish engravings in total).

The line of bream is being attacked by a bird, described by McCarthy as a shag (cormorant).

Line of bream being attacked by a bird at Washpool Gully (Berowra Waters)IMG 5191 LR highlighted Washtub Gully engravings (Berowra Waters)

A composite image by Sydney Rock Art better captures this scene.

fish bird Washtub Gully engravings (Berowra Waters)
Source: Sydney Rock Art

Above the fish is an animal, described as either a “native cat” (numbat or quoll) or a possum.

IMG 5188 LR Washtub Gully engravings (Berowra Waters)IMG 5188 LR highlighted Washtub Gully engravings (Berowra Waters)
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Aboriginal Sites by National Park

Located to the north-west of Sydney, just south of the Dharug and Yengo National Parks, Maroota has a high concentration of (known) Aboriginal sites. Many more Aboriginal heritage sites are located in the Marramarra National Park. The original inhabitants of the area were the Darug people.
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.
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 a hundred Aboriginal sites have been recorded in the Hornsby region, with many of these in the Berowra Valley National Park and around the suburb of Berowra.