HANDS ON THE ROCK ULAN NR MUDGEE - WIRADJURI ABORIGINAL ROCK ART SITE INDIGENOUS CAVES, CAMPING GROUND BUSHWALKING NPWS AUSTRALIA - Mudgee Business Directory & Tourist Guide

Hands On The Rock - Ulan
Aboriginal Rock Art - Wiradjuri Tribe
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Hands on the Rock is an aboriginal rock art site at Ulan near the top of the Great Dividing Range in Central NSW Australia and historic home of the indigenous aboriginal tribe, the Wiradjuri.

Before European settlement, the Wiradjuri were a large self-sufficient group, possibly the largest indigenous tribe in New South Wales, with numbers estimated at over 12,000.

At different times of the year, groups would travel hundreds of kilometres to come together for trading goods, tribal ceremonies and corroborees.

Hands on the Rock is an important part of a ceremonial area and has high cultural significance to it's people.

Walking Trail

As soon as you step from the car, you can see and feel the beauty of the area.

Massive old trees surrounded by native grass trees, edible geebungs and scribbly gums surround you on the 600m walk to the Hands.

The trail twists in and around pagoda rock formations as you climb slightly uphill. It's a relatively easy walk, just take your time (and some water).

Native Wildlife

The area is situated on a large plateau section atop the Great Dividing Range in Central NSW Australia.

The climate is generally hot and dry in summer, with cold windy winters.

You would most likely encounter rock wallabies, kangaroos, possums, wombats, lizards especially goannas, the odd emu, snake, lots of birds including the wedge-tailed eagle, crow and butterflies.

Wiradjuri Totem

The totem for the Wiradjuri Nation is the Goanna - and you may very well see one along the way - most probably waiting up a tree for you to leave.

In the Mudgee clan area, the female totem is the wedge-tailed eagle and the male totem is the crow.

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On my visit to Hands on the Rock on New Years Day 2012, I was lucky enough to come across three different images of the Goanna - the Totem of the Wiradjuri Tribe.

The first goanna was live on a tree; the second was a carving of a goanna in a very large old tree; and the third was an aboriginal ochre wall painting.

Click on Images to Enlarge
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Live Baby Goanna

Goanna tree carving

The totem of the Wiradjuri nation - the goanna (a large lizard)

Goanna Rock Art

This goanna is about two foot long but they grow to about 5-6 feet

A young goanna

The Wiradjuri used their surroundings for food, clothing and shelter and would have hunted sparingly for emus, possums, kangaroos, echidnas, birds and fish in the area,
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Geebung - native berries, Australian bush tucker

Geebung - bush tucker

Click on Images to Enlarge

Nearby Attractions

About 10km past Ulan Coal Mine you will come to a narrow unmarked bridge. Turn right immediately after the Bridge into the parking area of The Drip.

A great place to stop on the way home for a refresher besides the river, or an exhilirating 2.4 kilometre return walk along the creek and amongst spectacular rock and cave scenery.

Directions

From Mudgee's clocktower, travel north over the Cudgegong River bridge onto the Ulan Cassilis Road (the road to Newcastle) for approximately 50 kilometres.

About 10km after Ulan Coal Mine you will come to a narrow unmarked Bridge (Goulburn River). Travel another two - three kilometres and take the first left turn onto Bobadeen Road.

Then travel along for approximately one kilometre on a good gravel road until you come to the bbq and parking area.

The walk is slightly uphill but not difficult and it is approximately 600 metres to the art site.

Considerations

* Wear suitable footwear

* Track is slippery after rain

* Carry warm clothing in vehicle

* Bring drinking water

* No pram or wheel chair
    access

* Mobile phone coverage
   will be poor, if any

*   Help to preserve our precious
    natural and cultural heritage

* Aboriginal sites, places and
   culture are protected

* All fauna, flora and rock
   formations are protected

* Observe total fire bans

* Respect the rights of other
   campers (particularly at night
   with noise)

* Respect the rights of native
   animals (please do not feed
   them)

* Please take your rubbish with
    you
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