Granite outcrops are either inselbergs (isolated rock hills or knobs) or monoliths, (a single massive stone or rock). Erosion usually exposes these geological formations, which are often made of very hard and solid granite. Rising abruptly from the gently sloping or level surrounding plain, they dominate the surrounding bushland.
Mt Stirling is one of over 5000 granite outcrops in the Wheatbelt.
“The Noongar people know the area of the group of larger four granite outcrops (Mt Caroline or Chirrining, Mt Stirling or Candenup, Gundaring and Kokerbin or Kaagabin) and the intersecting Salt River system as the ‘Moullean’, and it has very great cultural significance.
They consider the area was occupied by a powerful snake-like ancestor spirit, the Moulack. As told to explorer John Forrest by Njakinjaki man and fellow explorer assistant Tommy Windich, who came from Candenup (Mt Stirling).
Kokerbin Rock is known as an important site, with separate places for men’s business and women’s business (Collard et al in prep). In the 1840’s it was known that the granite hills of the Moullean formed the habitat of thousands of “rock kangaroos”, and this abundance of game was among the reasons for the area’s importance to its Aboriginal inhabitants (Wood Wilson 1981).”
(The Moullean Conservation Management Strategy 2017 WWF- Australia)