[Stereograph views of Aboriginal sites in NSW], 1896

PXB 1743

fonds

1896

Graphic Materials, Photographs

1006084

6 photographs - stereographs

Six stereo-photographs (12 individual photographs) showing three Aboriginal sites in regional New South Wales, April-October 1896. With original manuscript captions, by unknown photographer.
1. Sandstone Boulder containing the Red Hands. This July – near Rylstone. Ap./96
2. Aboriginal Red Hands. The Gulf near Rylstone. Ap./96
3. Aboriginal Grinding Stone Yagobee [Yagobie], Gwydir River. Oct./96
4. Quartzite Boulder contains Aboriginal drawing. Slaughter House Creek. Oct./96
5. Aboriginal Red Hands on Quartzite Boulder. Slaughter House Creek.
6. Aboriginal Drawings on Quartzite Boulder. Slaughter House Creek nr Horton River. Oct./96

Out of copyright: Created before 1955
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Site 1 – Red Hands Cave

Red Hands Cave is situated in the Blue Mountains National Park near Glenbrook. It was gazetted as an Aboriginal Place in June 2015 and is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register. “Red Hands Cave is significant to the Darug [Dharug] Aboriginal groups and to other local Aboriginal people as being a ceremonial cave for initiations for young warriors. Red Hands Cave was named because of red, orange and white Aboriginal people's hand stencils located within the cave.

According to Aboriginal stories the cave was the abode of Aboriginal ghosts that represented the children left there by the Great Spirit. There are 45 hand markings both left and right and some of these are children. There is also documented evidence that there was a Bora Ring on the top of the cave… “ [State Heritage Register: accessed 8 Dec 2016].

Site 2 - Yagobie

Yagobie was a small village on a property with a rail stop on the Gwydir River west of Gravesend, NSW. The property was owned by the Maidens family. There was an extensive sandstone site at Yagobie used by Kamilaroi people to shape and sharpen stone implements, especially axes. Ethnologist John Fraser described the site in 1882: “Near Yaggabi on the Gwydir, there is a great rubbing place, which must have been used by the tribes around for many generations…Yet over at least two acres of this top there may be seen innumerable hollows made in the stone by the black-fellow when sharpening his axe; for as soon as one groove became too deep he would begin another beside it…” (JRoySocNSW. XVI 1882).

Anthropologist Isabel McBryde visited Yagobie in 1966 but was unable to locate the same stone working site (ibid). A Trove Newspaper search results in articles about lime and cement being excavated from Yagobie for use in building throughout the region after 1896. This photo shows evidence of quarry activity. Removal of the site may have also occurred because of the Moree to Gravesend rail line that was completed in 1900.

Site 3 – Slaughterhouse Creek

Isabel McBryde also described seven large boulders bearing rock art in the form of red ochre paintings at “Bravo” Station eight miles south of Gravesend, near Slaughterhouse Creek. Bravo Station no longer exists. A detailed description of McBryde’s 1966 inspection of the site is provided in her book Aboriginal Prehistory of New England. McBryde states that this was the only example of rock paintings known in the area of the western slopes of NSW – until another site was identified at nearby Graman in 1965.
Reference: Library acquisition file

The photos have an anecdotal connection to R.H. Mathews, surveyor and anthropologist, and it is thought they were sent to him, perhaps as some sort of commission, to inspect as part of his ongoing study of Aboriginal life. [Matthew Fishburn secondhand catalogue, 2016].
R. H. Mathews was the most prolific writer on Aboriginal rock art in NSW at the time and a foundation member of the Anthropological Society of Australasia. It is plausible that Mathews may have had some connection with these photos but none of the sites were referred to in his writings, and a documented link between Mathews and the photographs is not evident.
A concerted effort to document Aboriginal culture, languages and art was begun in NSW by members associated with the Anthropological Society of Australasia beginning in the 1880s. Many rural members were recruited by the Society to assist.
Reference: Library acquisition file