| Introduction: |
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At the outset, it should be noted that the author of this page does not have any
Aboriginality. The following is, therefore, a personal statement, mainly based on research of
historical documents produced since 1813.
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This research started out with the intention of answering the question: Who were the
aboriginal inhabitants of the Wolgan Valley prior to European settlement in the 19th
Century? There is ready evidence, such as the artwork at Blackfellows Hand, of an
aboriginal presence, but I wanted to find out about the people themselves.
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I found that very little had been written about the traditional people of the district and
what had been written was sometimes contradictory. This page may not answer everything, nor
will it solve arguements, but it sets out some aspects of my understanding of who these
people were, where they lived and their place in traditional aboriginal society.
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| "Tribes", "Bands" and other Aboriginal Groupings and Relationships:
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Before attempting to identify the local Aboriginal group, it would be useful to briefly look
at some of the often complex forms of groupings and relationships within traditional
Aboriginal society.
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Firstly, there were the groupings by language. These language groupings were often the basis
of cultural ties as well, although in the district about the Wolgan Valley, where several
language groups were adjacent, such cultural differences could become blurred. The main
language groups of this district were called Wiradjuri (to the west) and Gundungurra (to the
south-east), with possible influences from Durug (to the east) and Darkinjung (to the
north-east). These language groups are now generally termed tribes and, as such, form
the basis of present-day aboriginal society.
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In pre-contact times however, the day-to-day lives of Aboriginal people probably revolved
around smaller groupings, now generally referred to as bands. These bands appear to
have been quite autonomous, to an extent that they are frequently referred to as "tribes" in
many early documents. Some local bands have been identified, and the band most likely to have
been in the Wolgan Valley is discussed below.
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There were also other patterns of relationships, kinship being one of the most
important. Kinship could often extend beyond the bounds of band or tribe. Examples are now
coming to light of kinship links between some people from bands in the Burragorang Valley,
(over 100 km south of Newnes) with people from Mudgee, Hill End and Bathurst, well to the
north and west of Newnes.
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Another form of relationship (as well as a cause of conflict between bands) was the practice
of raiding other bands for their women. One source records an example from the 1820s, of a
raid by the "Pipers Flat tribe" on a Darug band at Richmond, near Sydney. In this way, such
women would bring aspects of their own language and culture into their new tribe.
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Gatherings for ceremonial purposes could involve many tribes. For example, one early source
mentions such a gathering in the Capertee Valley in the late 1830s that involved tribes from
many areas, extending from the Hunter River in the north to the Monaro district in the south.
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| The local Wolgan band: |
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In view of the above discussion, it may come as no surprise that identification of the local
group that frequented the Wolgan Valley has proved to be a little difficult.
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Most likely, the band concerned was the band centred about Wallerawang. They may have been
called "Wywandy" (this is a name on a surviving gorget, or breast plate), but they were
generally referred to as the "Wallerawang" or "Pipers Flat" band in most early documents.
They appear to have been a Gundungurra band, but could probably speak both the Wiradjuri and
Gundungurra languages and it would appear that they regularly associated with other bands
from both of these language areas.
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Other bands adjacent to the Wywandy band included the Capiti (in the Capertee Valley, north
of Newnes), the Therabulat (of the Hartley area and Lower Cox's River), possibly the Bunally
(south of Mt. Lambie), the "Patrick Plains" band (probably a band from south-east of
Bathurst, since "Patri" [or "Badri", a cold or frosty place] was the Wiradjuri name for the
Bathurst area) and the quite separate "Bathurst" band (north-east from Bathurst, about Peel
and northwards towards the Turon River).
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At this stage, little is known about contact with people in areas east of Newnes and the
Wolgan Valley. Evidence exists that Darkinjung people were active in the lower Colo River and
tributaries and northwards into eastern parts of what is now Wollemi National Park. It is
also understood that Darug people may have been active in the Grose Valley and areas east of
present day Bell. However, even though no Darug bands were known to have been in the Newnes
area, women abducted from Darug areas (as mentioned above) would bring with them Darug
influence.
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| Aboriginies and European Settlement in the Wolgan Valley: |
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In 1823, James Walker, who, in that year, settled at Wallerawang, set up an out-station in
the Wolgan Valley. This valley and the access route into it was probably shown to Walker by
the local Wallerawang Aboriginal band. The valley would certainly have made more comfortable
winter quarters for the band than the sometimes windswept high plains about Wallerawang.
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Thomas Archer, a nephew of James Walker, spent most of 1838-39 at Wallerawang. In his
"Recollections of a Rambling Life" he mentions Miles [also spelt as "Myles" in other
sources], who was the leader of the Wallerawang band at that time, and his part in the
capture of a bushranger. Archer also mentions "Old Ned" Murray, a convict who lived at the
outstation in the Wolgan Valley. It is understood that one of Ned's sons married Sophie
Miles, said to have been a daughter of this same Miles. Descendants of that family still live
in the Wallerawang district.
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| Walker's 1841 description of local Aboriginal people: |
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In 1841, James Walker, in response to a government questionaire about "Aboriginal Natives of
this Colony", made the following comments. For their time (and compared with responses given
by others to this same questionaire), these comments are sympathetic, revealing as much about
Walker's own character as it does about the native inhabitants.
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Question: What do you consider to be their prevailing character and disposition as
Laborers ..?
“They like uncontrolled liberty and freedom; amongst themselves they appear to have few
restraints; they are acute, intelligent, and shrewd, and well disposed; in short it is
impossible that Europeans, taking possession of a country and living amongst the Aboriginal
Inhabitants of it, could maintain a better understanding with them than for many years past
has subsisted in this part, and also on the Castlereagh River, since stock was first taken
out there; we have abridged all their natural sources of existence, and they appear satisfied
to receive our food in exchange for services occassionally rendered us.”
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Question: .. and what are their numbers, so far as you can form an estimate, in your
immediate neighbourhood; describing the limits to which your calculation extends?
“In this immediate neighbourhood, that is the country from the northern borders of
Argyle, by the Abercrombie River to Bathurst Plains, (not including the Bathurst tribe,) and
from thence to Capiti, I suppose there are not above 40 or 50 of both sexes and all ages;
their numbers I think have diminished since I first came to this part in 1823; though they
are occasionally seen intoxicated and resort too frequently to the neighbourhoods of public
houses, they have not abandoned their natural mode of procuring food, but still continue to
place their chief dependence for a supply in hunting.”
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Unfortunately, Walker's description makes no mention of any areas east of Wallerawang. Annual
government blanket list returns from about this time, usually group people from the
Wallerawang band with the Gundungurra-speaking band from Hartley and the middle Cox district
as "The Cox's River tribe".
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| Blackfellows Hand Area: |
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The most readily accessible reminder of Aboriginal activity in the Newnes area is the rock
art at "Blackfellows Hand", just off the Wolgan Road near Wolgan Gap.
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<-- (Left)
A section of the wall showing stenciled hands, arms and boomerangs.
(Click on photo for larger version - 50k.)
(Right) -->
A close-up of another section of this wall, showing details of hand stencils.
(Click on photo for larger version - 49k.)
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To get to this cave from the Wolgan Road, follow the Blackfellows Hand Fire trail for about
800m, where a track to the right leads into a clearing. A well worn foot track leads up a
hill to the cliff line, which is then followed to the left over fallen rocks. The cave is a
broad overhang and some logs have been placed against the back wall. The artwork is generally
in the area above these logs.
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This area is very important and the artwork is very fragile. Please treat this area with
all due respect.
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The traditional form of burial of an important Aboriginal person would have been like that
pictured on the left. There appears to have been one such burial north of Duncan Street in
Lidsdale close to a recent diversion of the Castlereagh Highway. One source suggests that
this sketch was of another burial site not far from the Barton Cemetery.