Northmead European Rock carvings is a heritage-listed rock engraving at 226 (rear) Windsor Road,

Northmead Northmead is a suburb of Greater Western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Northmead is located 26 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Parramatta. Northmead is ...

City of Parramatta The City of Parramatta, also known as Parramatta Council, is a Local government in Australia, local government area located west of central Sydney in the Greater Western Sydney region. Parramatta Council is situated between the City of Ryde and ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

History

The carvings may be associated with activity on the early Hawkesbury or Windsor Roads. This is an area of very early settlement and this block of land was alienated before 1811. Very few early European carvings are known in New South Wales. Comparable examples are found at the Quarantine Station, North Head and

Hartley Hartley may refer to: Places Australia *Hartley, New South Wales *Hartley, South Australia **Electoral district of Hartley, a state electoral district Canada *Hartley Bay, British Columbia United Kingdom *Hartley, Cumbria *Hartley, Plymou ...

Gaol. The fact that these carvings are not related to an institutional setting is unusual.

Description

Two figures, possibly Europeans, etched into rock, by sparrow picking. A Salvation Army retirement village, "The Willows" has been built upon the site. The group of carvings depicts one head and bust in profile, one complete figure, two unfinished heads and the letters AD in an outcrop of hard

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

. On nearby outcrops two surveyor's benchmarks were observed. The heads are in profile with frontal eyes, wearing tall crowned, wide brimmed hats and smoking long clay pipes. The distinctive hats are suggestive of the style worn by "currency Lads"in the first half of the nineteenth century. The carvings have significant research potential as they show an assemblage of figures in period dress, and in different stages of completion using two carving methods: # the use of broad tipped chisel, and # The making of an outline with drill holes which are then joined up with a pointed tool (a technique used in Aboriginal carving). Surrounding the rock outcrop on which the carvings occur are remnants of the rainforest vegetation which must have originally covered the site. A retirement village "the Willows" has been built upon the site. The carvings were reported as clear and in good condition at present as at 14 June 2000.

Heritage listing

The carvings are of regional significance as the only known examples of early European carvings in the Parramatta region, the earliest rural settlement in Australia. These carvings serve as the only surviving visual reminder of the 19th century history of this land associated with pioneering agricultural and early road building work. European Rock carvings was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales. This item is historically significant. The carvings may be associated with activity on the early Hawkesbury or Windsor Roads. This is an area of very early settlement and this block of land was alienated before 1811. The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Very few early European carvings are known in New South wales. The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales. This item is representative.

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Attribution