Kennedy Caves - "Aboriginal Art Gallery" - Third Attempt Successful

Townsville Bushwalkers’ third attempt to locate the Kennedy Caves near Boggy Camp Creek, Kennedy, NQ, was a success in April 1962. The party discovered Aboriginal rock art galleries, faint cave paintings, and historic timber tracks, making this an easy but rewarding discovery walk.

Townsville Bushwalking Club

25 Apr 1962 — 3 min read

Name of Outing:- Search for the Kennedy Caves
Location:- Boggy Camp Creek, near Kennedy, N.Q.
Date:- 24 & 25 April, 1962.
Party:- John (Bongo) Beckett. Gordon (No 1) Miller. Roy (Chief) Sow.
Maps used:- Mrs Watkin's mud map, supplemented with information from Mrs. Hamilton, at Kennedy Creek.
Transport:- Land Rover by Roy S.
Distance by car:- 118 miles each way.
Distance by foot:- 6 miles O.W.
Style of outing:- discovery.
Rating:- easy.

Sow (I absent 2) hours from Kennedy were now at the caves.
The main gallery is a large overhanging rock, right on the timber track.
The paintings are in varying degrees of legibility - some quite distinct! but others almost hidden under smoke deposits from fires which have been lit in them from time to time in the past. Possibly many could be brought to light by careful clearing of the rock with Carbon Tetrachloride or similar solvent.

There are also other large caves in the area, but with no definite paintings, though some signs of possibilities (see sketch) and for this location). The timber track, on which one picks up some 3 miles S.E. of the large clearing, is very difficult to follow in places, but as it reaches the foot of the range becomes quite distinct. Both bridges shown on the sketch are in near perfect condition, despite their good age.

We followed the track on up the mountain for some time, but turned back only in time to reach camp before dark. Found nothing of noteable interest past the second bridge.

The other cave at 200 yds on a bearing of 260° was used as a camp (heads of nutshell) but has no paintings. The one at 50 yds on 340° is largest of all, but no signs of camp. Faint traces of paintings. I have never heard, nor seen, that there are further paintings in the area, so may bear some investigation in the future. Also the track is said to proceed right out to the top of the range.