Follow the Journey
Join Andrew as he travels around NSW, following his curiosity about Aboriginal history, spirituality and connections to Country. From the pathways of Garguree in Katoomba to the banks of the Hawkesbury River, each visit brings new discoveries, questions and reflections. Through blogs, photographs and vlogs, Andrew shares the places he explores and what he learns along the way, with future travels taking him further across NSW. Follow along as the journey unfolds, one place and one story at a time.
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My Journey So Far...
Follow Andrew’s journey as it unfolds, with new blogs, photos and vlogs from his travels around NSW. Join him as he visits new places, learns about Aboriginal history and spirituality, and shares discoveries and reflections along the way.
Gundungurra Land
My first day of exploration began with a train journey up to Katoomba to explore Gundungurra Country. I visited the Cultural Centre before setting off on foot towards Garguree, also known as The Gully. The walk took me beyond the town centre and into a place whose history would become the focus of my first blog, opening up questions about Country, community and the stories connected to this landscape.
Dyarubbin Part 1
My first day walking Dyarubbin began at the Hawkesbury Museum, where 11 Stories from the River Dyarubbin deepened my understanding of the river’s history and significance. With my GoPro charged and my friend Josh alongside me, I explored Burugal, Shaws Creek Aboriginal Place, walking among riverside casuarinas and reflecting on Aboriginal women’s long connection to fishing and gathering food along the river. We then visited Yarramundi, where the Grose and Nepean rivers meet, and the Hawkesbury continues downstream, learning about its importance for ceremony, trade, gathering and tool-making. Visiting these places brought my research to life and helped me appreciate Dyarubbin as a river connecting people, Country and stories—as it winds through this landscape, it just rolls on by.
Dyarrubin Part II
Today I explored five locations along the Dyarubbin/Hawkesbury River:
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Hanna Park in North Richmond, revisiting familiar riverside paths
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Pughs Lagoon, observing wetland birds and reflecting on Dharug connections
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Windsor’s riverfront, walking through Howe, Dyarubbin, Governor Phillip and Macquarie parks
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Streeton Lookout at Freemans Reach, enjoying sweeping views of the river winding through the valley, and
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Pitt Town Lagoon, finishing the day among peaceful wetlands and abundant waterbirds.
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Red Hands Cave
My adventure to Red Hands Cave began with Karen in Glenbrook, where we enjoyed bánh mì before driving into Blue Mountains National Park, navigating potholes and puddles along the dirt road. A short bushwalk led us to the sandstone shelter, where the remarkable ochre hand stencils prompted me to reflect on Dharug history, ancestry and the stories held within Country. Just as we left, the heavens opened, turning our return walk into a drenched but surprisingly enjoyable adventure. We finished with a visit to Jellybean Pool, whose beautiful water and extraordinary sandstone scenery became an unexpected highlight, before heading home grateful for another memorable day of exploration in Karen’s company.
Dyarubbin Part III
Today I continued my explorations of Dyarubbin, beginning with a picturesque walk along Swallow Rock Reach at Ebenezer, where I imagined Gurangatty, the Great Eel, shaping the river and its surrounding landscape. At Sackville Lookout on West Portland Road, I admired the sweeping river bends while reflecting on Wuwami and nearby Durumbuluwa. After stopping at the Dallas household for a cordial, I visited the former Sackville Aboriginal Reserve at Cumberland Reach, where thick forest opened towards a grand tree and glimpses of the river accompanied more sombre reflections on the injustices Aboriginal people endured. These three places offered different perspectives on the mighty Dyarubbin, deepening my appreciation of its beauty, history and spiritual significance, and my growing respect for it as living, breathing Country.
