The hotel facilities are an excellent a-la- carte dining restaurant, lounge and bar, pool, gymnasium and a nice courtyard garden.
Formation of the Rock
Wave Rock, a granite cliff, is 15 metres high and 110 metres long. Its
rounded shape has been caused by weathering and water erosion which has
undercut the base and left a rounded overhang. Water from the springs
running down the rock during wetter months dissolve minerals adding to the
colouring of the wave. In 1960, crystals from Hyden Rock were dated as
being 2700 million years old, amongst the oldest in Australia.
History of the area
While the Aborigines were the first to inhabit the area, it is beleived
that they gave the district a wide berth during the past century and a
half. Many stones used by the aborigines have been found on their
campsites throughout the area and painted handmarks can still be seen on
rocks at the Humps and Wave Rock.
The Sandalwooders are believed to be the first white men in the area. The earliest recorded framing was in 1922 and descendants of these settlers still live in Hyden. Wheat production started in 1927 and it was carted to Kondinin until the railway from Lake Grace reached Hyden in 1932.
Legend of Mulka's Cave
The name Mulka comes from an Aboriginal legend associated with the cave.
Mulka was the illegal son of a woman who fell in love with a man with whom
marriage was forbidden.
It was believed that as a result of breaking these rules she bore a son with crossed eyes. Even though he grew to be an outstandingly strong man of colossal height, his crossed eyes prevented him from aiming a spear accurately and becoming a successful hunter.
Out of frustration, Mulka turned to catching and eating human children, and he became the terror of the district. It was said he lived in Mulka's cave, where the imprints of his hands can still be seen, much than that of an ordinary man.
His mother became increaseingly concerned about Mulka, and when she scolded him for his anti-social behaviour he turned on his own mother and killed her. This disgraced him even more and he fled his cave, heading south.
All the Aboriginal people of the district, outraged by Mulka's behaviour, set out to track down the man who has flouted all the rules. They finally caught him near Dumbleyung, 156km south west of Hyden, where they speared him. Because he did not deserve a proper ritual burial, thay left his body to the ants; a grim warning to those who break the law.
Location
