Aboriginal artwork discovered during removal of 20-tonne boulder removal
Specialist crews have discovered “culturally significant” Aboriginal artwork during the removal of a 20-tonne sandstone boulder dangling 20 metres above train tracks at Glenbrook.
The removal of a boulder dangling above train tracks at the foot of the Blue Mountains has halted after the discovery of “culturally significant” Aboriginal handprints.
The 20-tonne rock detached from an overhanging cliff and was found about 20 metres above the rail corridor at Glenbrook on Saturday.
As trains stopped between Springwood and Penrith, geotechnical engineers were brought in to inspect the site and figure out a way to remove the rock safely.
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After three days of preparations, specialist crews yesterday abseiled down the cliff face and secured the boulder with heavy duty chain mesh. They had intended on removing the rock piece by piece until the handprints were found on a wall adjacent to the boulder.
Sydney Trains Chief Executive Howard Collins told The Daily Telegraph that the artwork spans an area 3-4 metres inside a cave.
“An independent archaeologist specialising in Aboriginal heritage was called to the site, as we have to do, and did confirm that the multiple handprints were culturally significant rock art,” he said.
Crews are now working on a “methodology” to secure the site while protecting the artwork. The Office of Environmental Heritage must sign off on the approach before the removal can restart.
“The artwork is near an area where we have to put some propping in, to make sure that none of the rocks fall, and also a couple of big rock bolts” Mr Collins said.
“They’re like big, steel pins which hold the thing together in the future”.
“The method is critical to protecting the artwork and we’ve been working on site with the archaeologist to understand we can do that safely”.
Sydney Trains are hopeful that the plan will be approved tonight and work can begin at sunrise.
“The rock is in sort of like a big basket at the moment, chained to the side of the mountain,” Mr Collins said.
“Gradually as we move the weight of the rock and manage all the pieces into large buckets with a crane … Then we’ll go on to putting basically scaffold props under the lip of this cave.”
Engineers are concerned about the remote location and fragility of the boulder with fears the sandstone could break at any moment.
“It’s a huge boulder and it’s very fragile”
Mr Collins expects trains to be up and running by “early next week” but for now, commuters continue to endure disruptions with buses replacing trains between Springwood and Penrith.
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