Woy Woy Road Whale and Kangaroos

Summary: A large whale, two fish and three kangaroos across three adjacent rock platforms near Woy Woy Road.

  • Art type/s: Rock engraving
  • Number of sites: 3
  • Number of motifs: 6
  • Motif/s: Fish, Kangaroo, Whale
  • Quality: 2.5/5
  • Condition of art: Good, Weathered
  • View site sketch – whale / fish and kangaroo / two wallabies
  • Year first recorded: 1898
  • Originally Recorded by: W.D. Campbell, F.D. McCarthy, Ian Sim
  • Campbell Reference: PATONGA Plate 27 Fig 6 in Aboriginal Carving of Port Jackon and Broken Bay (Download)
  • McCarthy reference: PATONGA Group 175 / Mankind Group 163 in Catalogue of Rock Engravings (1983)
  • Sim Reference: Mankind 7(1) 1969, Group 263 (Sheet 1, Figs A and B)
  • Sydney Rock Art – Bulgandry

Not far from Woy Woy Road, between the Bulgandry Aboriginal Site and Bulgandry 2 are three small engraving sites.

Whale

The first has a whale on a large outcrop.

engraving PLATE XXVII Fig6 v2 Woy Woy Road Whale and Kangaroos

This engraving was documented by both W.D. Campbell (Plate 27, Fig 6) and later by Ian Sim (Group 163, Series 1). The carving is quite worn, and the lower fin is no longer visible.

AWAT4014 LR Woy Woy Road Whale and Kangaroos

Fish and Kangaroo

Nearby and on the same rock are two fish and a leaping kangaroo. These were not documented by Campbell, but later covered by Sim (Group 163, Series 2).

engraving Mankind Group 163 S2 Woy Woy Road Whale and Kangaroos

The large fish is very faint.

AWAT4017 LR Woy Woy Road Whale and Kangaroos
AWAT4018 LR Woy Woy Road Whale and Kangaroos

The kangaroo – which takes up most of a small rock adjoining the main platform – is quite distinct.

AWAT4032 LR Woy Woy Road Whale and Kangaroos

The rock platform also has a modern or European carving.

AWAT4019 LR Woy Woy Road Whale and Kangaroos

Two Wallabies

Nearby and in thick scrub are a pair of wallabies (Sim Group 163, Series 3).

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