Aboriginal Cultural heritage at Mt Alexandra, Mittagong

ACANSW has become aware very recently that there is Aboriginal art in the first cave at Mt Alexandra and that this is being impacted by climbing. This land is currently managed by Wingecarribee Shire Council (WSC) and is part of the Greater Mt Alexandra Reserve.

We have written to the Gundungurra representatives and to the Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council (ILALC) as a matter of urgency and would request that climbers do not climb Bruised Poonarnee, Biafra or Los Hermanos de la Dentiente while this important matter is given the respect and consideration it deserves. 

ACANSW and the Canberra Climbers Association have expressed a sincere apology to these organisations that inadvertent harm has occurred. 

This art was registered on a NSW cultural heritage data base ( AHIMs Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System) in 2009 and advice to the land managers, WSC, was a recommendation that climbers be contacted. The failure to do so, then, or subsequently, has been a missed opportunity to mitigate this inadvertent harm, provide education about cultural heritage, and bring climbers and Aboriginal people together.

The art consists of charcoal drawings from the left of Biafra through to the start of Los Hermanos. Fortunately, a panel tucked away at ground level is well-preserved and has had minimal climber impact, although a belay bolt is less than a metre away. Unfortunately, the other faded motifs that exist to the right have been inadvertently impacted to a degree by chalk. This art was not apparent to the first ascensionists, nor the many climbers that have followed in their footsteps, although knowing it is there, it is visible. This highlights the need for climbers to learn more about Aboriginal culture and art, to familiarise themselves with the AHIMs data base and to inspect overhanging areas before climbing. It is an offence to damage Aboriginal cultural heritage.

We have great concern that this situation was not managed in 2009 and there has been a failure to manage over subsequent years. ACANSW Inc did not exist until 2019, but the Sydney Rock Climbing Club and the Canberra Climbers Association are prominent organisations who were easily contactable in 2009 and onwards and neither they, or local climbers were consulted.

Over the past few years, ACANSW has had numerous conversations and interactions with WSC about recreation in natural areas. We have provided submissions about climbing to the Outdoor recreation strategy, the Mt Gibraltar plan of management and the Natural Area plan of management. In all these submissions we have acknowledged local Aboriginal groups and expressed a desire to meet with such groups and mitigate any climbing impact if climbing is creating an issue. Our Vice-president also met with council staff and a member of the ILALC over a year ago and walked around Mt Gibraltar and at that time asked about climbing at Mt Alexandra. At no time did WSC staff attempt to inform climbers of possible harm or this registered art.

A climber notified us fairly recently about the charcoal figures and despite no input from WSC we thought to investigate further. Two weeks ago we read the Natural Area strategy which was produced by WSC last August. This in part deals with the Greater Mt Alexandra reserve. In this document a paragraph states that climbing is causing "catastrophic" impacts on Aboriginal cultural heritage in areas around the reserve and reiterates the need for WSC to manage the area. Despite this, once again, WSC did not notify climbing representatives. 

We called WSC again at this point with several questions, including why our organisation had not been made aware of this. The conversation was terminated, with the natural resources officer suggesting they needed to seek advice. We followed this up with an email outlining 6 major concerns. WSC said they would get back to us but have not yet done so.

Being concerned about the apparent failure to address this issue, we deepened our investigation and acquired the information which revealed to us that the art was photographed and registered in 2009 with climbers’ impacts noted and a directive for WSC to act. Clearly, there has been a systemic failure over many years.  

In addition, and not related to climbers, graffiti along the cliff line exists which also potentially threatens this cultural heritage. A second small art site does exist in the second cave, but this is well out of the way of any climbing routes.

We have written to Aboriginal representatives sincerely apologising on behalf of climbers and asking for a meeting to discuss mitigation options.

We will again contact WSC including its elected representatives so this issue is brought to the fore.

ACANSW is working with CCA and the SRC to address this issue. We request that climbers do not climb on Biafra, Bruised Poonarnee and Los Hermanos a la Dentiente whilst we seek further guidance.