Bombaderry Creek Crag Care

A week ago, 50 people teamed up to help with bush regeneration and a litter clean up along lower Bombaderry Creek. Enthusiastic climbers joined with local land care groups and a visiting school group to help improve the area, learn more about weeds and the environment. Bombaderry creek is an area ringed by the high quality rock that creates crags like South Central, Rosies and Cheesdale. 
 

The upper sections of the creek are part of the NPWS managed Regional Park. The lower section is managed by Shoalhaven City Council. 
 

The whole area is highly significant to Aboriginal people. An extract from the NPWS 2016 plan of management details (p18-19): 

"South Coast Aboriginal people of the Dharawal language group occupied the area
incorporating Bomaderry Creek Regional Park. Use of the area commenced at least 2000 years ago and has continued to the present day. The creek and surrounding areas were sources of shelter, food and water and provided a place to cool off in the summer.
Nine Aboriginal sites have been formally recorded within the park but more are reported to exist, including burials and healing plants (Graham Moore pers. comm.). The recorded sites are three shelters with occupation deposit and six open artefact scatters. Additional recorded Aboriginal sites occur nearby, including rock shelters with art or occupation deposit, artefact  scatters and axe grinding grooves. The concentration and variety of sites indicates the importance of the Bomaderry Creek area to Aboriginal people. There is potential for further survey to reveal more sites within the park and wider area, particularly along the cliff lines and creek.
Aboriginal people continued to camp, fish and gather food and medicine from the Bomaderry Creek area following European settlement and local Elders have reported they hid along the creek as children, in fear of being taken away from their families by government authorities.
Aboriginal children from the nearby Bomaderry Aboriginal Children’s Home played in the area until the home’s closure in the 1970s. The creek area thus has strong contemporary social and cultural value for local Aboriginal families."

 

The area also has important ecological considerations. At one stage a road was planned to be built across the upper creek.  As always, it's a reminder that in sharing such spaces, climbers need to help respect and protect the environment and cultural heritage. In practical terms, this means following leave no trace principles, avoiding ground disturbance, being respectful of other user groups and nearby residents. 
 

In short – in good old Australian vernacular – don't be a dickhead – and join in your next crag care day in your area.