Mulka Cave is located about 21kms from Hyden, Western Australia. The cave is an important part of Aboriginal folklore. Inside the strange cave entrance, which looks like the head of a shark, you will find the walls covered in painted handprints. You may have to wait a few seconds for your eyes to adjust to the low light before these eerie images begin to appear.
The Legend of Mulka
According to Aboriginal legend, Mulka was the illegitimate son of an Aboriginal couple that were forbidden to marry. The couple defied the tribe and as a result of their union had a child who was born cross-eyed.
Mulka grew up to be big and strong but couldn’t hunt with a spear because of his poor vision. So Mulka began to hunt and eat children. He was ostracised from his tribe and took refuge in the cave now known as Mulka.
When his mother went to the cave to confront Mulka about his behaviour, in a fit of rage, he killed her and fled. The tribe, on discovering her body, hunted him down near Dumbleyong (156km south of Hyden) where they speared him to death. The tribesmen believing him not worthy of a proper ritual burial so they dragged his body onto a nest of meat ants to be eaten.
Inside the cave you can find handprints believed to be those of Mulka along the walls. The story is said to be a warning to those that choose to break tribal laws.