Walking the Dyarubbin – Part III: River Bends, Ancestral Stories and Difficult Memories
Today I continued my explorations of Dyarubbin, visiting three more places along the mighty Hawkesbury River: Swallow Rock Reach at Ebenezer, Sackville Lookout on West Portland Road, and the former Sackville Aboriginal Reserve at Cumberland Reach. Each offered a different encounter with the river, from a picturesque walk beside the water to sweeping views from above, followed by a quieter, more sombre experience among thick forest. Together, they deepened my appreciation of the beauty, spiritual significance and difficult histories held within this landscape.
My first stop was Swallow Rock Reach, just upriver from the historic Ebenezer Church. Here, a beautiful walk meandered through varied terrain tucked alongside the river. There was something deeply peaceful about following the shoreline, watching the water appear between the trees and seeing how the land curved around its course. As I walked, I imagined Gurangatty, the Great Eel ancestor spirit, moving through the landscape and forming the river. The stories I have been learning gave another dimension to the scenery, inviting me to consider the ancestral significance of its bends, deep waters and surrounding sandstone.
From there, I travelled to Sackville Lookout on West Portland Road. After walking close to the water at Ebenezer, looking down over Dyarubbin offered an entirely different perspective. From this height, I could appreciate the river’s sweeping bends and the steep country surrounding it. Here, the landscape connects with Wuwami and nearby Durumbuluwa, places associated with Gurangatty. In the Dharug stories shared through the Dyarubbin project, Gurangatty keeps watch from the rock shelf at Wuwami, overlooking Durumbuluwa, the “zone of the rainbow.” Learning these names brought greater depth to what I was seeing and reminded me how much meaning the landscape holds beyond the names on present-day road signs.
After popping into the familiar Dallas household for a cordial, I headed towards Cumberland Reach and the former Sackville Aboriginal Reserve. This visit brought a change in mood. Some of the places I have explored along Dyarubbin have evoked gathering, celebration and abundance. Here, I found myself reflecting on dispossession and the unfair conditions Aboriginal people endured. Accounts shared by Dharug artist and knowledge-holder Jasmine Seymour describe the reserve as a cramped area where Aboriginal people were expected to pay board to live on their own Country. Against the beauty of the surrounding landscape, that history felt particularly painful.
Making my way through thick forest, I came upon an opening leading towards a grand tree. It became the focal point of my visit, standing prominently within the clearing. Alongside the dense vegetation, occasional glimpses revealed Dyarubbin nearby, yet despite being only metres from the water, I could not find a clear view. After the open riverside walk at Swallow Rock Reach and the elevated outlook at Sackville, this was a different experience again: the river remained close, but mostly concealed.
The visit left me thinking about the people who had lived here and the circumstances they faced. It also reminded me that exploring Country involves making room for uncomfortable histories alongside the beauty and spiritual stories that first draw me to these places. My understanding is still developing, and each visit gives me more to reflect on.
Today offered three more glimpses of the mighty Dyarubbin, each from a different angle and height, each carrying a different feeling. I walked beside it, looked down across its bends, and searched for it through the forest. The river continues to amaze me as it meanders through and shapes this majestic scenery. With every journey, my respect for Dyarubbin as living, breathing Country continues to grow.
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