Bolin Bolin Billabong Compilation of information regarding Bolin Bolin Billabong 12th August 2019 Historical place citation The below information is derived from the citation card attached to the “Historical Place Record” at the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register, Aboriginal Victoria (Department of Premier and Cabinet). Bulleen Lagoon (4.5-2) William Thomas, assistant protector of Aboriginal people in the Melbourne area was taken to different hunting and camping grounds of the two Aboriginal groups that he referred to as the Yarra and Western Port Aboriginal tribes. These included many locations along the Yarra River particularly in the Bulleen area where there were billabongs above the Koonung Creek’s entrance to the Yarra River, and in the Yarra Bend area and along the lower parts of the Merri Creek. In March 1841 Thomas learnt “with dismay” that billabongs on the river near Heidelberg had been sold as private property (Lemon 1983, 15). He pointed out that Aboriginal people came there each year to fish for eels. Thomas added, ‘When Bolin [sic] and the few lagoons adjacent becomes [sic] private property it will be one of the most serious losses hitherto sustained by the Blacks’ (Lemon 1983, 16). A few months later, the Bulleen part of the Yarra River had been allocated to Frederick Unwin, a speculator, as part of a ‘Special Survey’ purchase of over 5000 acres. In June 1841, Thomas addressed the Governor directly, pointing out the effects of the sale of the special survey on part of the Yarra River which supported Aboriginal people with eels one month of the year (Lemon 1983, 16; Thomas to Robinson 12/3/1841 in VPRS 11, Unit 7). Thomas was thereafter obliged to discourage Aboriginal people from camping on the north side of the Bolin (Clark and Heydon 2004, 3; Thomas to Robinson 15/9/1849 in VPRS 11, Unit 10, Item 723). In 1840, after consultation with Thomas, the Woiwurrung Aboriginal people “decided they would like to reside by the Bolin lagoons (Bulleen)”. Robinson suggested a location south of Ryrie brothers’ Yering pastoral station on the Upper Yarra, however this site was not agreed upon (Clark and Heydon 2004, 26). Thomas Papers, Jnl (cited in Clark and Heydon 2004, 31) refers to Bolin Billabong as a place of significant economic value to Aboriginal people. Aboriginal camps were located at several locations around the billabong and the curve of the Yarra River, usually on the north and south sides (Thomas to La Trobe 24/6/1841 in VPRS 10, Item 1841/940; Thomas to Robinson 15/9/1849 in VPRS 11, Unit 10, Item 723). Aboriginal people would often visit the billabong between June and November (Clark and Heydon 2004, 31). Prior to European settlement of the Melbourne area, the Woiwurrung Aboriginal people may have travelled to Bolin Billabong at specific times, however during the 1840s there appears to be no specific month when this area was visited by Aboriginal people. Visits occurred in August 1840 (Thomas to La Trobe 26/8/1840 in VPRS 10, Item 1840/867), June 1841 (Thomas to La Trobe 24/6/1841 in VPRS 10, Item 1841/940) and at the end of November 1845 (Thomas to Robinson 19/12/1845 in VPRS 11, Unit 10, Item 621). In June 1848 (Thomas to La Trobe 31/8/1848 in VPRS 10, Item 1848/23172) Aboriginal camps were recorded at Bulleen as well as the confluence of the Plenty and Yarra Rivers (Clark and Heydon 2004, 32). Presland (1994, 25) mentions Bolin Billabong as follows: ‘…the valley opens out again and the river makes its way through low-lying swampy land in the Doncaster/Templestowe area. This large marshy area, later called Bolin Swamp, is an important source of eels, fish, water birds and vegetable foods, and is a popular camping place for the Kulin people”. Presland states that the Wurundjeri Aboriginal people would spend the summer months on the banks of the Yarra River and its tributaries and as winter came would begin to move up to the higher land near the Dandenong Rivers to access more shelter and firewood (Presland 1984, 73). Along the way to the Ranges Aboriginal people might stop at a camp along the Yarra River at Bolin Billabong to fish for eels (Clark and Heydon 2004, 35; Thomas 31/5/1841 in VPRS 4410, Item 69). Presland states that there would be large camps of Aboriginal people at this location as there were also visitors from other Aboriginal groups, and ceremonies were held to initiate youths. Catching eels was undertaken using various methods including spearing with a wooden spear tipped with the peduncle or stalk of the grass tree. Eels were also caught by hand, wading into the water and felt with the feet or seen (Presland 1994, 75). Eels were plentiful at the end of summer, and two men could catch as much as 20kg in a short time without having to travel great distances. Other resources within the billabong would have included fish. Women also would collect foods in the vicinity of the billabong (Presland 1994, 78) especially in autumn when a wide variety of resources would have been available. Around the billabong area the young shoots and roots of bulrush could also be collected and eaten. The fruit and seeds of various aquatic plants and roots of water ribbons would also have been collected, along with rushes for baskets and jewellery such as reed necklaces. Birds eggs were likely also collected and birds were caught and eaten (Presland 1994, 79). Information presented in the Technical Report Throughout the 1840s there are numerous historical references to Aboriginal people camping at the Bolin Bolin Billabong as well as other locations along the Yarra River in close proximity to the study area. Thomas refers to people collecting eels and camping at the billabong in 1841. Previous to this in 1840 he records people from two groups (the Yarra Aboriginal people and the Boonurung (sic) camping there. Again in 1845 and 1848, Aboriginal people were noted camping at the billabong. In 1846 and 1848 a number of groups were noted camping at the confluence of the Plenty River and Yarra River and the confluences of Darebin Creek and Merri Creek and the Yarra River as well as further north in Heidelberg Road. Groups present included many from outside the immediate area and were noted as ‘of the Devil River’, ‘Goulbourns’, ‘Western Port’, ‘Mount Macedon’ and ‘NW Blacks’. The historical observations from this time indicate frequent movements of people, both Wurundjeri and other groups, throughout the region – movements between Melbourne and more distant camps along the Yarra River as well as to places further afield such as Thomas’s former camp at Narre Warren. Although much of Thomas’s time was spent attempting to control these movements and to address the perceived grievances of white settlers, he did at times note ‘the quality of the eels in the great swamp Bolin’ which led to Aboriginal groups remaining for some length of time in that neighbourhood. Unfortunately, this situation led to further interaction and ‘conflict’ with white settlers as Aboriginal people ventured onto lands which had recently become ‘private property’. These observations of population concentration and movements noted by Thomas came at a time when the presence of white settlement was already altering the use and movement through land formerly accessible to Aboriginal groups in the region. While locations such as Bolin Bolin Billabong were obviously rich in resources it must be noted they formed but a part of a much larger pattern of landscape use which was rapidly being strained and modified following white settlement. Thomas notes in 1841 in relation to the movement of Aboriginal people to Bolin in response to the depletion of eel stocks elsewhere that ‘when Bolin and the …lagoon adjacent becomes private property it will be one of the most serious…to the survival…of the Blacks’ (VPRS 11 Unit 7 Item 375, Thomas to Robinson 12/3/1841). Tabulation of primary source references to be included in the draft CHMP Historical accounts of Aboriginal people at various locations Location Approximate Details Date Bolin August 1840- Bolin lagoon/swamp – Two Melbourne Aboriginal tribes (The Yarra Swamp/Lagoon November 1840 Aboriginal people and Boonurong Aboriginal people) had partially agreed to locate themselves by a lagoon called Bolin, and Thomas was encouraging them to settle somewhere. The Aboriginal people had told Thomas that there was plenty of game at Bolin (VPRS 10 Unit 2 Item 867, Thomas to La Robinson 26/8/1840; VPRS 4410 Unit 3 Item 67, Thomas to GAR 7/11/1840: periodical report for March to Aug 1840) March 1841-May Bolin encampment – catching eels at Bolin and in the lagoons in the district. 1841 Aboriginal people made a hold for eel catching. Camping at Bolin, some complaints by European settlers at Heidelberg about Aboriginal people catching eels on private allotments, and stealing potatoes from Mr Bolden VPRS 11 Unit 7 Item 375, Thomas to Robinson 12/3/1841; (VPRS 4410 Unit 3 Item 69 Thomas to La Trobe/Robinson 24/6/1841: Journal of Proceedings 1/3/1841-31/5/1841) June 1841 Bolin encampment – Aboriginal people camped at this location end of June 1841 (VPRS 10 Unit 3 Item 940: Thomas to La Trobe 24/6/1841: “Regarding quarterly returns”). December 1845 Bolin encampment - In December 1845 Thomas reports that Aboriginal people left the camp at Bolin, possibly heading out of Melbourne to Thomas’ late quarters (Narre Warren?) (VPRS 11 Unit 10 Item 621 Thomas to Robinson 10/12/1845) Bolden Farm near 2 May 1840 Bolden farm near Bolin – Camp of about 200-300 Aboriginal people in Bolin Bolden’s paddock on the Yarra Yarra belonging to Port Phillip and Goulburn River tribes, 2 May 1840 (Mr Armyne Bolden to C.J.