Although most guests at ‘Somewhere Unique’ are content to enjoy the luxury and tranquility of their retreat, for those who wish to explore, the Wollombi valley is fortunate to be located within one of the most significant and historic indigenous sites in Australia.
Wollombi has a very rich history and is often referred to as ‘the most historic village in NSW’, because of both colonial history and indigenous culture.
Prior to European settlement, the land now occupied by Wollombi Village was a significant meeting point for coastal Aboriginal peoples. Wollombi means ‘meeting place’ or ‘meeting place of the waters’ and is an important ceremonial gathering place. There are over 300 significant Aboriginal sites in the Wollombi valley dating back over 13,000 years with many of those sites being located within Yengo National Park.
Yengo National Park is a wild area of steep gorges and rocky ridges and it forms part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage area.
The scenic and historic Finchley area of the Yengo National Park is accessed from the southern end of Yango Creek Road onto Upper Yango Creek Road and west onto the Finchley track. The track is unsealed, steep and rough in parts and should only be driven in a 4-wheel drive, and in dry weather.
Within the Finchley area there are two notable areas of interest to visitors: Finchley Trig (Lookout); and the Aboriginal rock carving platform.
Finchley Trig:
Finchley Trig offers 360-degree views over the expansive National Park, from a viewing platform featuring an interpretation board. Looking out across the remote wilderness from Finchley lookout, there are no visual or auditory clues that the location is actually not too far from Newcastle to the east and Sydney to the south east. It appears as it has for thousands of years. From Finchley Trig the most noticeable feature is the majestic Mount Yengo towering in the distance.
The Wollombi valley has been, for millennia, an important meeting place, to which Aboriginal people would travel great distances for trade, social exchange, and ceremony. The focus of these ceremonial gatherings remains Mount Yengo, as significant and sacred to the indigenous peoples of the east as Uluru is to the indigenous peoples of central Australia. According to aboriginal folklore, from Mount Yengo’s summit, Baiame, one of the primary creative dreamtime forces stepped back into the skyworld after life had been created and the lore set in place. To ensure that this lore would not be forgotten, Baiame’s final act was to carve it in stone.
Aboriginal rock carving platform:
Regarded as one of the most significant Aboriginal sites in Australia, the ancient Finchley Aboriginal engravings, showcase extensive engravings (petroglyphs) spread about on a large rock platform. There are informative signs along the way for the visitor providing insight into the rich Aboriginal culture of the carvings of various significant images engraved into the rock surface, which measures approximately 80 meters by about 30 metres.
From ‘Somewhere Unique’, for a day trip featuring stunning views, outstanding natural beauty, and ancient history all set within a place of great significance, we highly recommend the Finchley Trig area of Yengo National Park.
David & Murray
