HomeHarbour PartnersAustralian MuseumLandscape of Blue Mountains Rock-Art

The Landscape of Blue Mountains Rock-Art: Wollemi National Park Phase 1

Preliminary results

Grinding grooves are often found near natural holes in rock platforms that fill with rain water.
View larger image

Platforms with grinding grooves usually have spectacular views of surrounding landscape.
View larger image

The initial focus of research is on rock-art and grinding groove sites because of the large range of information they contain. To date, 21 individual sites have been scientifically recorded in detail, from several localities across the Wollemi. Many other sites have been found by us in survey and await documentation during the next phase of research. These sites lie within traditional Wiradjeri, Darug and Darkinjung country. So far 1106 individual motifs have been fully recorded, consisting of 342 stencils, 317 grinding grooves, 221 dry pigment drawings, 203 vertical engravings, 13 paintings and 10 horizontal engravings.

There are three categories of sites we are investigating: the known, the unknown and the reported. Of the 21 sites initially recorded across the Wollemi for analysis, 11 were relatively well known, while 4 were recently discovered and reported by bushwalkers. A further 6 sites were located by us during survey and by New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service staff fighting recent bushfires while the project was ongoing. However, none had been comprehensively documented previously and until now an analysis of imagery and grinding grooves across the Wollemi has not been undertaken. Examples from each category recorded in 2003 include 'Emu Cave', 'Quad Pad' and 'Eagle's Reach', detailed below.

Grinding grooves were fully documented at 12 locations, 6 on their own, 3 in shelters that have pigment art, two on platforms with horizontal engravings and at one location as part of a complex with vertical engravings. Sites where grooves were recorded on their own are close to shelters used for pigment art or vertical engravings. They also are located where commanding views of the local landscape can be seen.

Copyright © Australian Museum, 2002