Thema

An Aboriginal History of Yarra

A history of the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and the land currently known as the City of Yarra.

Yarra City Council in partnership with Tribe Land & Compensation Cultural Heritage Council

The Wurundjeri-willam people of the are other Aboriginal people in the area varied, but the the traditional owners of the land that is now known settlement and development of impacted as the City of Yarra. Their relationship with the land heavily on the Wurundjeri. Dispossession of land, extends back tens of thousands of years to when their dislocation, frontier clashes and introduced diseases creator spirit ‘’ formed their people, the land led to a dramatic decline in the population. and all living things. Despite the effects of colonisation, Aboriginal people The Wurundjeri’s connection to land is underpinned and culture survived, and the strong bonds between by cultural and spiritual values vastly different to families and clans could not be broken. those of the Europeans. The Wurundjeri did not The Aboriginal History of Yarra website explores ‘own’ the land in the European sense of the word, but the relationships between the traditional owners belonged to, or were ‘owned by’ the land. They did not and settlers through the early years of Melbourne’s live in permanent settlements but, rather, camped for establishment. The following is a selection of excerpts periods within defined clan boundaries where food from this new resource. It is not an easy history, but was plentiful, and moved on when the land needed one that is essential in understanding where we have to rejuvenate. The land provided all the Wurundjeri come from and where we are going – and for all its needed – food, water, medicine, shelter – and they local detail, it speaks to a national history. treated it with the respect due to such a provider. The moment Europeans arrived in the area, they Pre-contact Wurundjeri began changing the land to suit the European way of ’s state and territory borders have existed life. For the majority of settlers, the driving force was for a relatively short period. For thousands of years land ownership. For at least some of these settlers, before European settlement, the country now known underlying this drive was an imperial belief in British as Australia consisted of 500–700 Aboriginal nations, superiority combined with a desire to ‘civilise.’ each with their own systems of government, cultural Settler relationships with the Wurundjeri and practices, religions and languages. Part of the area

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OPPOSITE: Aboriginal now known as the City of Melbourne Dispossession people fishing and camping and all of the City of Yarra (as well on . Tinted as land extending north into central Wurundjeri dispossession of land took lithograph by Charles place not just through displacement, but Troedel, 1864. ) are the traditional lands of the Kulin nation. The City of Yarra area also through disconnection. Land was was looked after by the Wurundjeri- sold, bush was cleared for the creation willam family group. They belong to of roads and buildings, and wetlands the Wurundjeri-balluk clan, which is were drained. Over time, even the part of the larger Wurundjeri tribe. The course of the was changed. Wurundjeri-willam mainly spoke Woi The disruption of sacred sites might be wurrung language, but also spoke other termed desecration. For the Wurundjeri, languages of their nation. Each clan was who had a spiritual connection to the governed by a ngurungaeta (pronounced land, these changes had a devastating na-run-getta) or head-man. impact on all aspects of their health and wellbeing. All clan members knew their land in great detail, including the best times Prior to Melbourne’s settlement, to visit each area according to weather European sealers and whalers had and availability of food. In winter, the lived and worked along the Victorian Wurundjeri-willam regularly camped coastline for decades, and the British in the higher areas, as the land near the had made attempts to establish river flooded. In spring and summer settlements further out on they travelled more frequently, moving Bay and Westernport Bay. The arrival of between nine and sixteen kilometres settlers during the 1830s was considered a day, hunting and gathering food, illegal under British law, but settlers and visiting sacred sites. According to came anyway, unable to resist the lure historian Penelope Edmonds, ‘Spring of prime pastoral land. The settlement and early summer were times of grew through the early thirties movement and change, for it was then and by the end of 1836, the British that crops such as yam (mirr-n’yong) government conceded it couldn’t stop were ready for harvesting, birds’ eggs it. The settlement was officially named plentiful and wildfowl and game more Melbourne by Governor Sir Richard accessible. As summer wore on the Bourke in March 1837.3 During the 1 M.F. Christie, Aborigines Aborigines visited fishing and eeling ceremony Bourke used William Buckley, in Colonial Victoria sites and camped for longer periods.’1 an escaped convict who had lived with (Sydney: Sydney Watha wurrung people for thirty-two Land boundaries for each clan were University Press, 1979), 9. years, to tell the Aboriginal people clearly defined, with strict protocols 2 Gary Presland, First present that he would be a friend as long People: The Eastern Kulin governing access to the land of other as they were peaceable and obeyed the of Melbourne, Port Phillip clans. While each clan or family law.4 and Central Victoria group travelled on its own, they still (Melbourne: Museum maintained relationships with others As the settler population increased Victoria, 2010), 15. 3 A.G.L. Shaw, ‘Foundation within their language group. Marriage and the built environment developed, and Early History,’ in played an important role in this, as the European hold on the land was Andrew Brown-May and people would not marry within their strengthened. The first land sales took Shurlee Swain, eds., The own clan. Instead, partners were chosen place in Melbourne on 1 June 1837. The Encyclopedia of Melbourne, from different clans within the Kulin following year, forty-one allotments of online edition, www. nation.2 Visiting the land of other twenty-five acres each were sold in the emelbourne.net.au. areas that would become Collingwood 4 Penelope Edmonds, clans was therefore an important and Urbanizing Frontiers: necessary right. and Fitzroy. It was intended that they 5 Indigenous Peoples and Ties were also cemented through would be paddocks. In the building Settlers in 19th Century gatherings and corroborees, where boom of 1850, the allotments were Pacific Rim Cities clans within the Kulin nation would subdivided and forest was cleared for (Vancouver: University of firewood. The European population British Columbia Press, meet, with sometimes hundreds of people together. Corroboree dances during this time rose from 600 people in 2010), 82. 1841, to nearly 3000 people in 1850, and 5 Bernard Barrett, The Inner and storytelling performances were a 6 Suburbs: The Evolution focus of these gatherings, with different 3449 people in 1851. of an Industrial Area clans often competing to outdo each Aboriginal people were pushed (Melbourne: Melbourne other. These gatherings were also an further and further out, and freedom University Press, 1971), 14. 6 Barrett, The Inner opportunity for a council of ngurungaeta of movement across the land became Suburbs, 20; Shaw, to be formed to settle disputes or decide increasingly difficult. The settlers ‘Foundation and Early on punishment for those responsible for created new land boundaries with fences History.’ serious crimes against Aboriginal law. and often had guns to back them up.

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For the Wurundjeri, finding food within The exact location of the meeting ABOVE LEFT: The Signing traditional clan boundaries became between Batman and the Kulin of Batman’s Treaty at increasingly challenging. The settlers ngurungaeta, with whom he made the Merri Creek, 1835, by John 10 Wesley Burtt. SLV Pictures hunted wildlife on an unprecedented treaty, is unknown. According to Collection, H92.196. Image level, for sport as well as for food, historian Meyer Eidelson, it is generally courtesy State Library of reducing the amount that was available.7 believed to have occurred on the Merri Victoria. Creek near modern-day Rushall Station.11 Introduced animals such as sheep and ABOVE RIGHT: William cattle trampled and killed vegetation Opinions around why Kulin ngurungaeta Thomas, 1860. that had been a staple of the Aboriginal signed the treaty (if in fact they did) are diet.8 This sometimes forced Aboriginal open to speculation. One opinion is that people onto the land of other clans – a ‘the clan-heads may have made a very breach of protocol that sometimes led informed decision’ to ‘limit the number to inter-clan violence. Devastation from of settlers in Port Phillip’ in an attempt introduced diseases also influenced ‘to at least curtail the destruction’ they 12 the willingness of Aboriginal people to had heard about happening elsewhere. return to former campsites, as happened In attempting to understand Batman’s at the confluence of the Yarra River and intentions, it’s worth noting that the Merri Creek after the influenza epidemic ’s principal aim of 1847.9 ‘was to depasture stock as profitably as 13 The Wurundjeri-willam and other possible.’ The aim of the Association as given to the British authorities, however, Aboriginal people of the Yarra and was to establish a nucleus ‘for a free and Melbourne area did not concede their useful colony, founded on the principle land easily, but as the settlement of conciliation, of philanthropy, grew and space to hunt and gather 7 Christie, Aborigines in morality and temperance … calculated Colonial Victoria, 42. diminished, many of the dispossessed to ensure the comfort and well being 8 Richard Broome, were eventually drawn to the of the natives.’14 It is unlikely that these ‘Aboriginal Melbourne,’ settlement, where food and alcohol was two aims could peacefully coexist. in Brown-May and Swain, available. As Melbourne developed into eds., The Encyclopedia of a town and then a city, there continued Batman’s treaty was deemed invalid. Melbourne. to be a strong Aboriginal presence in It was also noted that ‘if it was 9 Ian D. Clark and Laura M. and around the settlement. acknowledged that the Aborigines had Kostanski, ‘An Indigenous the right to dispose of their land as they History of Stonnington saw fit, then the Crown’s claim to all – A Report to the City Treaty 15 of Stonnington’ (2006), Australian lands would be in doubt.’ 83–4. On 6 June 1835, just under two years Ultimately, Batman’s treaty had no 10 Isabel Ellender and Peter before Melbourne was officially legal significance in the European Christiansen, People recognised as a settlement, John settlement of Melbourne and the taking of the Merri Merri: The Wurundjeri in Colonial Batman, the leader of the Port Phillip of Aboriginal land. However, it was an Association presented Wurundjeri Days (Melbourne: Merri important first step in this process, and Creek Management Elders with a land use agreement. also holds significant symbolism. It is Committee, 2001), 19. This document, now referred to as the symbolic of European relations with the 11 Meyer Eidelson, The Batman treaty, was later given to the Kulin, in that self-interest and deceit Melbourne Dreaming: A British government to claim that local were central to colonisation. To this Guide to the Aboriginal day, Batman’s treaty is the only land use Places of Melbourne Aboriginal people had given Batman (Canberra: Aboriginal access to their land in exchange for agreement that has sought to recognise Studies Press, 1997), 32. goods and rations. Today, the meaning European occupation of Australia, and 12 Eidelson, The Melbourne and interpretation of this treaty is pre-existing Aboriginal land rights. Dreaming, 65. contested. Some argue it was pretence 13 Christie, Aborigines in for taking Aboriginal land in exchange The Protectorate Colonial Victoria, 25–26. 14 Christie, Aborigines in for trinkets, while others argue it was At an official level, an important Colonial Victoria, 26. significant in that it sought to recognise influence on policy makers and political 15 Christie, Aborigines in Aboriginal land rights. leaders was Enlightenment thought Colonial Victoria, 26.

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and what was known as the ‘Exeter Hall the Aboriginal people from the area movement’ in Britain.16 and ensure they did not return. There This humanitarian influence, well- were also some who saw the injustice of intentioned but imperialistic, is evident dispossession (although this was only in such things as the establishment of because the Europeans had taken the the Aboriginal Protectorate. ‘Protection’ land without allocating an area for the 18 was a key idea of the early settlement Aboriginal people to go). years, and had a strong influence on The protectorate system was seen government policy. In many ways as a failure and, unsupported by the William Thomas was the epitome government or the public, it was of this idea of protection, and the dismantled in December 1849. Thomas contradictions it contained. was named Guardian of the Aborigines In his role as Assistant Protector, on 1 January 1850. His instructions Thomas had good intentions. He were nearly identical to when he was made efforts to learn the ways of the appointed Assistant Protector, except Wurundjeri, learning both Woi wurrung Superintendent Charles La Trobe now and language. But he was emphasised that Thomas was ‘to keep an Englishman and fervent Christian, the blacks out of Melbourne.’19 With and his ultimate goal was to ‘civilise’ Thomas the sole authority looking after the local Aboriginal people by settling the welfare of the Aboriginal people, them in villages and converting them to as Penelope Edmonds has noted, ‘the . 1850s have been described as a period of almost complete government neglect of In 1837, prior to the protectorate’s 20 establishment, a mission and school Aboriginal peoples.’ 16 James Boyce, 1835: The Founding of Melbourne & had been set up on the south side of In 1858, a ‘Select Committee of the The Conquest of Melbourne the Yarra River at a meeting place and Legislative Council on the Aborigines’ (Collingwood: Black Inc., corroboree site that is now occupied by was formed by the Victorian 2011), 37–38. Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens.17 Government, to enquire into the 17 Edmonds, Urbanizing The mission and school failed, however, state of the Aboriginal population at Frontiers, 87; Shaun this time. The committee published a Canning and Frances because the people of the Kulin nations Thiele, Indigenous Cultural refused to give up cultural practices of report in 1859 that recommended the Heritage and History within travelling and hunting at certain times establishment of government reserves the Metropolitan Melbourne of the year. for Aboriginal people. The result of this Investigation Area: A was the creation of the Central Board Report to the Victorian The Aboriginal Protectorate was for the Protection of Aborigines in 1860 Environmental Assessment established to replace the mission. to establish a series of reserves, onto Council (Melbourne: Under orders from the Chief Protector Australian Cultural which the Aboriginal people would be George Robinson, William Thomas ‘more vigorously compelled’ to move. Heritage Management, established a station at Narre Warren 2010), 12. These reserves included Ebenezer, Lake in 1840 and based himself there from 18 Report of the Select Tyers, Framlingham, Lake Condah, 1841. However, he was not successful in Committee of the Legislative Ramahyuck, and Yelta. convincing the Woi wurrung and Boon Council on The Aborigines; Many of the Wurundjeri moved to Together with the wurrung to move so far from Melbourne Coranderrk, which was created by a Proceedings of Committee, and, by 1843, Thomas had moved to the group of Kulin in 1863, and retroactively Minutes of Evidence, and popular camp site at the confluence of approved by the government.21 Appendices (Melbourne: the Yarra River and the Merri Creek. At John Ferres, Government this time, the Merri Creek School was Printer 1859), iv. Disease 19 Report of the Select established for Aboriginal children, with Committee of the Legislative some success. One of the biggest impacts on the Council on the Aborigines, 1. As the settlement grew, the Wurundjeri Aboriginal population in the City of 20 Edmonds, Urbanizing found themselves faced with a variety Yarra area was the introduction of Frontiers, 153. diseases previously unknown to the 21 Canning and Thiele, of requests and demands from the Indigenous Cultural European settlers. The protectors Wurundjeri. It has been estimated Heritage and History within wanted to keep Aboriginal people that disease accounted for up to sixty the Metropolitan Melbourne out of the town, to ‘civilise’ them and per cent of the Aboriginal deaths Investigation Area, 14. eventually enable them to be part across the Port Phillip area.22 Even 22 Presland, First People, 90. of society. The merchants wanted before Europeans began arriving in the 23 Don Garden, Victoria: Melbourne area, up to a third of the A History (Melbourne: Aboriginal people to continue coming to Thomas Nelson Australia, the town so they could profit from them. population of the eastern Australian 1984), 5; Edmonds, The general public and colonial officers tribes had been killed by an epidemic of Urbanizing Frontiers, 27. simply wanted the protectors to remove that spread from Sydney.23

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‘While the European population had a strong resistance to diseases, and even the common cold, exposure was often fatal to Aboriginal populations.’

While the European population had argues they ‘had no a strong resistance to diseases such tradition of washing clothes,’ ‘they as bronchitis, measles, scarlet fever, often had no access to soap and to clean chicken pox and even the common running water,’ and ‘they did not realise cold, exposure to these diseases was the danger of sleeping in a wet dress or often fatal to Aboriginal populations. damp blanket. In putting on clothes they Added to this were other diseases such were often putting on burial garments.’29 as smallpox, tuberculosis and venereal The other big lifestyle-based cause of ill disease (such as syphilis) that were health and disease that came with the deadly for European and Aboriginal European population was alcohol. populations alike.24 As stated by Megan Goulding and Mary Changes to diet also became a source Menis, ‘by the 1850s alcoholism was of ill health and disease. Some changes endemic across the Victorian Aboriginal were caused by restricted access to population and contributed greatly traditional food – from land being to population decline.’30 Issues with fenced off, native animals being shot for alcohol were made worse by the fact sport and the introduction of hoofed that spirits were the primary form of animals such as sheep (which trampled drink in this period. William Thomas and destroyed native plants that had reported: ‘At the Merri Creek, one served as staple foodstuffs). For some, morning at daybreak, there were four these changes led to starvation, for or five lying bedded in the mud, drunk, others this led to the adoption of a not dead; cold comes on, and as soon as European style diet including refined 24 Christie, Aborigines in disease touches a black man’s chest you sugar, flour and offal, replacing what had Colonial Victoria, 42. cannot save him.’31 25 Christie, Aborigines in been a high-protein diet.25 The impact Colonial Victoria, 43. of a diet based on these introduced In June 1847, an epidemic of influenza 26 Clark and Kostanski, ‘An foodstuffs was made worse by the hit the large encampment at the Indigenous History of provision of rations that consisted of the confluence of the Yarra River and Merri Stonnington,’ 68–69. worst quality and cheapest grains and Creek particularly hard. Those who 27 Geoffrey Blainey, A meats available. survived the initial impact of disease Land Half Won (South Melbourne: Macmillan Movement away from a nomadic had to live with the grief and devastation within their community. In the wake Company), 91–92. life also had a massive impact on 28 Blainey, A Land Half the Wurundjeri’s health. Constant of this, what had once been a popular Won, 91–92; Clark and availability of European food led to and significant camping spot for the Kostanski, ‘An Indigenous Wurundjeri was no longer used to any History of Stonnington,’ gatherings of more Aboriginal people, 32 which in turn facilitated spread of great extent. This then acted as yet 68–69. 29 Blainey, A Land Half Won, disease.26 One of the reasons for another force to drive the Wurundjeri from their land. 91–92. travelling in small bands was to ensure 30 Megan Goulding and there was adequate food available Declining birthrates was another issue. Mary Menis, Moreland and to enable an area to regenerate The diseases mentioned above impacted Post-Contact Aboriginal once it had been exhausted. Moving the young more than the elderly, causing Heritage Study, Prepared camp after they had exhausted supply a decline in the number of people of for Moreland City Council (North Carlton: Goulding also prevented issues with natural childbearing age. Depression also may Heritage Consulting), 62. waste – ‘mobility gave them a sewerage have had a role to play. Both , 31 Goulding and Menis, 27 system.’ By making permanent camps, Elder of the Wurundjeri, and Derrimut, Moreland Post-Contact the Aboriginal people had a greater Elder of the -willam, are Aboriginal Heritage Study, exposure to germs, leading to a number repeatedly quoted as stating that there 62. of outbreaks of dysentery.28 Even the was no point having children as the 32 Clark and Kostanski, ‘An adoption of European dress caused the Europeans had taken all the land.33 On Indigenous History of Stonnington,’ 3–4, 179. Aboriginal people harm, preventing top of this, the European introduction 33 Broome, ‘Aboriginal their skin from absorbing the sunlight of syphilis caused sterility. Similarly, a Melbourne.’ that had previously aided in the decline in health from dietary and other 34 Blainey, A Land Half Won, destruction of bacteria. Furthermore, changes also affected fertility.34 91–92.

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Ultimately, the introduction of Aboriginal people, referring them to the European diseases and lifestyle-related protectorate as their responsibility. health problems had a devastating Official violence also came in the form and ongoing impact on the Aboriginal of criminal executions, with the first people of Victoria. executions in the district being two Aboriginal men, Tunnerminnerwait Violence and Maulboyheenner. These men were Violence was a common issue in frontier among the group of Aboriginal men and history across Australia, and Victoria women who were brought over from was no exception. While many British Van Diemen’s Land by Robinson, but colonists and officials ‘were benign if broke away and engaged in a campaign sanctimonious … a large proportion of resistance against the Europeans. of colonists moved from a sense of Sexual violence against Aboriginal superiority to a feeling of contempt … women was common throughout the Contempt, combined with greed for Victorian frontier. One of the first acts the land, fear and insecurity, led to of the Port Phillip Association, following 35 violence.’ the creation of Batman’s treaty, was In the Yarra area of Melbourne, assisting with the return of Aboriginal reports of Wurundjeri-willam violence women abducted from Victorian against Europeans are limited, despite coastline areas by sealers and whalers. intense provocation and a number William Thomas also recorded a number of confrontations.36 In part, this was of instances of rape in his reports. because the rapid increase of the Such instances would often occur at European population in and around the Aboriginal camps on the borders of Melbourne limited the ability of the the growing town of Melbourne. These local Aboriginal population to form a were seen by the European population resistance. It would be wrong, however, as a place of curiosity; ‘a place of to state that there was no violence in the entertainment, drunkenness, gunfire, Melbourne region. Relations between violence, and interracial sex.’39 the Wurundjeri and Europeans were influenced by the guerrilla warfare that Not all violence was interracial. There was occurring in outlying areas. Word were ongoing feuds between different of this conflict accentuated fears in the clans within the Kulin, and established city area, and influenced the attitudes of enmity between members of the Kulin many colonialists. and those outside, such as the Gunai/ Kurnai from the area. While the official British policy towards the Aboriginal population was one of These conflicts were exacerbated by protection, instances of institutional the sprawl of European settlement violence still occurred, particularly as pushing Aboriginal groups outside their a result of police inaction. There were traditional boundaries. The introduction many who did not like the Aboriginal of alcohol into Aboriginal society also camps being close to the town, and in fuelled domestic violence. When asked April 1840, when there was a gathering about murder among the Aboriginal of six or seven hundred Kulin, their people by the Select Committee of the mia mias (bark huts) were burnt and Legislative Council on the Aborigines the camp dismantled.37 Other acts of in 1859, William Thomas stated that the violence, harassment and indignities only murder that occurred within the 35 Garden, Victoria, 53–4. frequently occurred on the streets of Wurundjeri while he was with them was 36 Ellender and Melbourne. Such acts included beatings brought about by intoxication. Christiansen, People of the and horse whippings, often in response Merri Merri, 22–3. Between 1836 and 1844, an estimated 37 Ellender and to acts that the European population 40 European and 113 Aboriginal people 38 Christiansen, People of the ‘perceived as begging.’ Such acts of were officially recorded as killed in Merri Merri, 129. violence were perpetrated by Europeans conflicts in the Port Phillip area. It is 38 Ellender and of all classes. Violence against the worth noting, however, that ‘officials Christiansen, People of the Aboriginal people served only to routinely tried to obscure the high rate Merri Merri, 127; Christie, increase the number of infractions of Aboriginal deaths.’40 Aborigines in Colonial against British law committed by them. Victoria, 50–1. While the police were quick to enforce 39 Edmonds, Urbanizing Pollution Frontiers, 142. laws against Aboriginal people in the 40 Edmonds, Urbanizing town, they often refused to take action One of the more pervasive aspects Frontiers, 123. in response to crimes committed against of European settlement was the

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pollution of the air and water. While the a cesspit, frequently not water tight, Wurundjeri lifestyle had a low impact on so waste would filter through the the environment, the European lifestyle ground, and overflow would go out took a heavy toll. A particular problem in the gutter. Waste from those living for the Wurundjeri was pollution around on the Fitzroy hill would travel down the confluence of the Merri Creek and to the Collingwood flat, meaning the the Yarra River – an important meeting cesspits there also gathered this waste. place for the Wurundjeri and visiting Barrett notes that ‘Often the contents, Aboriginal people, and also the base for augmented by rainwater, overflowed the Merri Creek School, Native Police around, and even under, buildings.’44 By and Protectorate Station. Noxious the late 1850s, nightmen were employed trades established along the river, to collect sewage, but many simply particularly in Collingwood, Abbotsford dumped it, with most ending in the and Richmond, were some of the worst Yarra. offenders. Historian Bernard Barrett The Wurundjeri’s experience of this states that settlers were attracted to pollution has not been recorded, but it these areas ‘because of the free water cannot be doubted that this would have supply for washing skins and wool and had an extremely negative impact. Their as a sewer and garbage dump.’41 This drinking water was fouled, noxious dumping ground was the drinking smells polluted the air and the land was water supply for both Europeans and littered with the by-products of life in Aboriginal people. the settlement. The process for fellmongery and woolwashing involved soaking animal Establishment of municipal hides in the river for days, then in hot government and the impact on water, soap and soda that was later dumped back into the river (along with the Wurundjeri pelts, heads and legs of the animals). In 1836, Governor Bourke received Tanneries also soaked the animal hides authorisation from the Colonial in the river, then in lime water, then Secretary in London to allow private river water again. Sometimes they also settlement in the Melbourne area, soaked the hides in a mix of water and stating it was for the protection of the 41 Barrett, The Inner fowl or pigeon dung, which, along with Aboriginal people and the establishment Suburbs, 88. the hair that was scraped off, was later of law. William Lonsdale was appointed 42 Barrett, The Inner dumped into the river. Soap and candle- police magistrate of the Port Phillip Suburbs, 89–90. making from boiled down animal fat District in September that year. The 43 Barrett, The Inner Suburbs, 88. also contributed to the air pollution, first move towards establishment of a 44 Barrett, The Inner 42 which could be smelt for miles around. local government, however, occurred at Suburbs, 76. The result of an 1851 enquiry by the a public meeting three months earlier. 45 ‘Public meeting agrees Melbourne City Council was to prohibit One of the decisions reached at this on temporary method of government,’ minutes of any new fellmongers or tanners. meeting was: ‘that all subscribing parties pledge themselves to afford protection residents’ meeting, June However, a second enquiry in 1854 1836, cited in Pauline showed that the number had increased, for the Aborigines to the utmost of their Jones, ed., Beginnings of and that combined they were handling power and further that they will not Permanent Government: 5000 sheepskins and 200 cattle hides teach them the use of firearms or allow Historical Records of per week.43 their servants to do, nor on any occasion Victoria (Melbourne: allow the Aborigines to be in possession Victorian Government The everyday lifestyle of settlers of any firearms.’45 Printing Office, 1981), living in suburbs such as Fitzroy and 36–8. Collingwood also had impacts on While there are few references to the 46 Edmonds, ‘The Intimate, the landscape. There was no general Aboriginal people in official notices Urbanising Frontier: garbage collection service, so household of motion, by-laws were created that Native Camps and Settler directly affected Aboriginal people. The Colonialism’s Violent waste was simply thrown into yards Array of Spaces around and trampled underfoot. Anything not Dog Act of 1844, for example, ‘ensured Early Melbourne’ in eaten by household animals such as that the “hoards” of diseased dogs, if Tracey Banivanua Mar dogs, chickens, goats, cows and pigs, unregistered, were routinely killed in and Penelope Edmonds, was then dumped in the laneways, the streets.’ Assistant Protector William eds., Making Settler streets, swamps or drains. Rubbish Thomas stated that the women in camps Colonial Space: Perspectives dumped in drains would flow downhill ‘cried for their dogs.’46 A week later, this on Race, Place and Identity (New York: Palgrave to the flat, and eventually to the Yarra. Aboriginal group that included these Macmillan, 2010), 136. The other issue associated with drains women left the settlement ‘on account 47 Edmonds, ‘The Intimate, 47 was sewerage. Most households used of their dogs being killed.’ Urbanising Frontier,’ 136.

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The bulk of items for consideration Wurundjeri today by newly formed councils during this Despite the impacts of colonisation, time are concerned with public works the strong bonds between Wurundjeri – the development of streets, drainage, families and clans could not be broken. buildings, and locations for bathing Today, the Wurundjeri are active in houses, manure deposits and so forth. the community – practising culture, This in itself is telling regarding the performing ceremonies and passing on post-contact story of the Aboriginal knowledge to the younger generation. people, as it is the story of the land being taken over and reshaped, pushing out Please visit www. Aboriginal people. While the European aboriginalhistoryofyarra.com.au for a population was reshaping the landscape longer version of this article, an interactive and overlaying their ideas of order onto map of significant sites and a selection of it, the Aboriginal people continued to videos. occupy the land, inscribing their own ideas onto it. It was a simultaneous occupation of the land underpinned by disparate understandings of what it meant to occupy the land.

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