Hands on Rock, Mudgee

Isn't it amazing how a tree can prosper on rock like this?

Part of the rock-shelf where there is still some remnant of stencilled-hand prints visible further along..  Wish I'd thought to take a photo to give some perspective of the climb up to this point.

Signage where we'd parked cars, had read in its intro:  Australia is an ancient land - an isolated land of mystery and great extremes.  The Aboriginal people in Australia go back beyond human reckoning and have become part of its soul, its mystique and its spiritual force.  To each individual, to each group, the land itself was the nurturer, the mother, giving of all things needed.  These people did not need to look for change.  Their lives had purpose, substance and joy.

"Hands on Rock" is located within the Wiradjuri nation and was part of an extensive trading network from the north to the south and between inland and coastal groups, including the Wonaruah, Worimi and the Gamilaraay.  It is an integral part of a ceremonial area and is of particular significance to Wiradjuri people.

And in the final paragraph: It is hard to determine how old these hand stencils are.  Some of the artwork is deteriorating so as to cause concern to the local Wiradjuri people.  Mudgee's local Aboriginal community are the caretakers of this and other local sites.