Late-night revellers smashed bottle, leave rubbish at ancient northern beaches Aboriginal art site
Locals are disgusted after finding smashed beer bottles and other garbage at an ancient Aboriginal rock art site on the northern beaches.
Manly
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Authorities are keeping a watch on a treasured Aboriginal site on the northern beaches after late night revellers smashed beer bottles and left rubbish near rock engravings created before European settlement.
Residents living near Gumbooya Reserve at Allambie Heights have been complaining in recent weeks of young people gathering at the site to drink.
But as well as smashing glass, they leave behind plastic water bottles, fast food wrappers and empty packets of biscuits and snacks near the 68 engraved art works.
For the latest shindig, partygoers carried in an old glass-panelled door, perched on plastic milk crates, to use as a table.
Locals also found a shopping trolley and folded up picnic chairs on the stunning reserve located on a large natural sandstone platform — with views of the coastline — just off Allambie Rd, near Lyly Rd.
Resident Marjon Price, who regularly walks her dog Millie through the reserve, said she was saddened and disgusted by the mess left behind by revellers.
“It really makes you cranky,” Ms Price said. “Sure, the young people come here and meet their friends, but why do they have to leave their rubbish behind?
“They smash beer bottles near these beautiful engravings that could be thousands of years old.”
Ms Price said she has brought a dustpan and broom down to the sandstone reserve on several occasions to sweep up broken glass.
“I have spoken to young people myself and told them to pick up their rubbish and take it with them because this place is just so special.”
The rock art includes fish, a hammerhead shark, hunting implements, shields, a dolphin, a wallaby and a large human figure which appears to be inside or on top of a whale.
When the Manly Daily visited the reserve on Monday morning it saw the remains of a weekend party, including broken beer bottles, a tipped over shopping trolley and empty biscuit and lolly packets.
Residents contacted Northern Beaches Council to remove the rubbish.
Council CEO Ray Brownlee said the garbage was removed on Monday morning by council staff.
“The area will continue to be monitored by the likes of NSW Police, National Parks and Wildlife Service as well as Council rangers,” Mr Brownlee said.
“Council also encourages residents to contact the police if they see people engaging in instances of anti-social behaviour at the reserve.”
Under NSW law any person found guilty of harming or desecrating an “Aboriginal place” faces a fine up to $550,000 fine or 24 months in jail, or both.