This week, Roy decided he wanted to do something completely different and when I pointed out to him that we had not looked at Aboriginal Engravings yet, he thought that would be the perfect thing. Luckily there are many Aboriginal sites not too far from home so we could easily find one which he thought would be 'right' for this weeks post. The site we visited is near Woy Woy on the central coast of NSW, and is called the Bulgandry Aboriginal Engraving Site. It is easy to get to (click here for instructions) and is even wheel-chair accessible. Best of all, there is a great walkway with interpretive signs above the engravings to stop them being damaged by people walking on them.
The Aboriginal communities in the Woy Woy area were part of the Guringgai (sometimes called Kuringgai) people, and it is likely that Woy Woy is actually a name taken from their language. It means big lagoon or much water, a good description for the area. Woy Woy would have been a great place for the Aboriginal people to stay because, as the name suggests, there is lots of water, but there is also plenty of food and shelter. They have left evidence of their occupation in the area, not just at the Bulgandry site, but also in caves and on other rock shelves.
The Bulgandry site is actually named after one of the most obvious engravings at the site, Bulgandry Man. Bulgandry Man is probably an Aboriginal ancestral hero and he is one of the biggest engravings at the site. He has a very elaborate headdress and is carrying a round object in one hand (perhaps a shield) and has a woomera or club at his waist. We don't really know a lot more about Bulgandry Man himself, but the site where he is engraved was probably a community site, where a group of Aboriginals lived. There are lots of engravings of people and animals, and one scene, with three wallabies and a person, may even show the Aboriginal group hunting! There are also some grooves near the site which are where the Aboriginal people sharpened and created their tools. If you would like to learn more about the site click here.
If you visit the site, and take photos, it is best to visit early morning, late afternoon or in the wet because the engravings are more easily photographed. You should also be very careful to keep to the walkway. The carvings are very old, and can easily be damaged. Of course, you might say 'they are out in the open anyway, I can't do any more damage', but just walking over the engravings actually speeds up the process of weathering. The engravings have lasted hundreds of years so far, lets make sure they last for many, many more!