From The Argus, 6 June 1865.
Ballarat goldfields historian Dr Fred Cahir, 2012.
The fifth report published by the Central Board Appointed to Watch over the Interests of the Aborigines in the Colony of Victoria, 1866.
Gold rush photographer and miner Antoine Fauchery, circa 1851.
Bill Gammage, historian, 2013.
Curiosity collector Reynell E. Johns, February, 1865.
Settler Alfred Joyce near Newstead, Victoria, circa 1850.
Katherine Kirkland, an early settler who lived near Ballarat in the 1830s-1840s.
Andrew Porteous, Honorary Correspondent for the Aborigines in the Ballarat District, 1866.
Bryon Powell, Wadawurrung Elder, 2014.
Bryon Powell, Wadawurrung Elder, 2014.
Miner and artist William Strutt circa 1851.
Photographs by Richard Daintree
Settled Aboriginal People (Dja Dja Wurrung People), in European dress… Another photo for Science?
R. Daintree, Aboriginal farmers, Mount Franklin Reserve, near Daylesford, Victoria, 1858. Reproduced with permission of the State Library of Victoria.
Sketches and paintings by Samuel Thomas Gill
Notice the non-Aboriginal audience members.
S. T. Gill, A native corroboree at night, c.1850. Rex Nan Kivell Collection. Reproduced with permission of the National Library of Australia.
Large paintings like this which feature the traditional lives of Aboriginal People were very rare in the 19th century.
E. Von Guérard, Natives chasing game, also known as Aborigines met on the road to the diggings, 1854. Reproduced with permission from the National Library of Australia.
In the early years of European settlement, the battle for survival sometimes became violent here in Ballarat, just as it did in many other places around the country. However, conflict like this had ended by the start of the gold rush in 1851.
S. T. Gill, Attack on Store Dray, 1865. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
An interesting scene from around the time of the Eureka Rebellion. There are Wadawurrung People in what appear to be possum-skin cloaks carrying something, some Chinese miners, and the Red Coats rallying at the Government Camp in the background.
S. T. Gill, Ballarat, Victoria ca. 1854. Reproduced with permission of the National Library of Australia.
An Aboriginal man helping the European mailman.
S. T. Gill, Bush Mailman, 1865. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
Aboriginal People reduced to begging for food in return for collecting firewood.
S. T. Gill, Bushman’s Hut 2, 1869. Reproduced with permission from the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
More evidence of Aboriginal labour being utilised on farms.
S. T. Gill, Cattle Branding, 1869. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
The many paintings, drawings, photographs and written reports of Corroborees from the 19th century indicate just how popular and fascinating these events were to early colonists. While this could be a sketch of an authentic ceremony, many Corroborees for non-Aboriginal audiences were altered to protect cultural secrets.
S. T. Gill, Corroboree, c.1864. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
In the early years of European settlement, the battle for survival sometimes became violent here in Ballarat, just as it did in many other places around the country. However, conflict like this had ended by the start of the gold rush in 1851.
S. T. Gill, Attack on Store Dray, 1865. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
Which group is giving and which is receiving the gift in this image?
S. T. Gill, Hut Door, c.1855. Reproduced with permission of the National Library of Australia.
Aboriginal People also helped early settlers obtain food. An Aboriginal man possibly assisting a miner to hunt kangaroos. Many of the new arrivals found Australian animals difficult to catch or shoot without assistance.
S. T. Gill, Kangaroo Stalking, 1865. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
Enjoying country.
S. T. Gill, Native Diving into a Pool, c.1850.
An example of Aboriginal mia-mia shelter style and resource use.
S. T. Gill, Native Miami, 1869. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
Aboriginal People were highly regarded for their tracking skills.
S. T. Gill, Native Police, 1864. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
Many settlers were interested in tasting and learning to hunt/gather local foods, sometimes out of necessity, but also out of curiosity. More research is needed to learn how many local plants and animals became extinct as a result of this new demand.
S. T. Gill, Night Fishing, 1865. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
Timber was in high demand during the gold rush, as is evidenced by Gill’s decision to include this image in his 25-sketch Australian Sketchbook.
S. T. Gill, Splitters, 1869. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
An interesting image of a well-clothed Aboriginal man seemingly enjoying farm work. Many Aboriginal People were employed as farm labourers especially during the gold rushes when large numbers of European workers quit their jobs to search for gold.
S. T. Gill, Squatters Tiger, 1869. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
Of the 25 pictures published in this famous goldfields sketchbook, 14 involve or feature Aboriginal People. This possibly reveals how prominent Aboriginal People were in and around early gold rush settlements, and how fascinated the new settlers were by them.
Title Page of S. T. Gill’s The Australia Sketchbook, c.1864. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
How is the story in this painting similar and how is it different to Attack on Store Dray? While the frontier wars were over in the Ballarat region by 1851, the last frontier skirmish occured in the Northern Territory as late as the 1930s.
S. T. GILL, English 1818–1880, worked in Australia 1839–80, The avengers c.1869, watercolour with scratching out and gum arabic over pencil, 37.8 x 62.0 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased, 1954.
Notice the role played by Aboriginal trackers in this image. Aboriginal trackers famously saved the lives of the Duff children lost in the bush for nine days in 1864.
S. T. Gill, The Duff children, 1865. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
Engravings printed by Thomas Ham
The many images that exist of the Native Police may demonstrate just how fascinating these “exotic” people were to goldfield visitors.
T. Ham, Commissioners Tent Ballaarat, 1854. Reproduced with permission of the National Library of Australia.
Until recently many believed Aboriginal People played no part in Victoria’s gold rushes, but countless historical sources demonstrate their presence and significant involvement.
T. Ham, New Diggings Ballarat, 1851. Reproduced with permission of the State Library of Victoria.
Paintings by Eugène von Guérard
In this image we see an Aboriginal man selling a possum-skin cloak to a miner. Such cloaks/rugs were highly sought-after by miners.
E. Von Guérard, Aborigines met on the way to the diggings, 1854, collection: Geelong Gallery, gift of W. M. Bell and N. Belcher, 1923.
This painting clearly shows the environmental impact caused by the early miners.
E. Von Guérard, Old Ballarat as it was in the summer of 1853-54, 1884, oil on canvas, mounted on board. Collection: Art Gallery of Ballarat. Gift of James Oddie on Eureka Day, 1885.
Could this be what Australia really looked like before European colonisation?
Eugène von GUÉRARD, Austrian 1811–1901, worked in Australia 1852–82, Germany 1882-91, England 1891–1901, Warrenheip Hills near Ballarat 1854, oil on canvas on plywood, 46.0 x 75.5 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Purchased, 1977.
Paintings by Samuel Knights
Eels were a staple protein in many parts of the country, but particularly here in South Western Victoria. They were often smoked or dried or both, and traded across huge distances. Large eels from lakes and streams in the Ballarat region were sold on the goldfields.
S. Knights, Natives spearing eels, on Back Creek, 1852. Reproduced with permission of the National Library of Australia.
Photographs by Fred Kruger
Photos were very expensive in the 19th century as the technology was still very new, dangerous to use, and cameras were heavy to carry. This is a staged image depicting “Queen Mary” dressed in a possum-skin cloak, and holding traditional weapons and artefacts. It was taken by a photographer who made money selling souvenir booklets featuring Aboriginal People.
F. Kruger, Queen Mary Ballarat, c. 1877. Reproduced with permission of the Ballarat Historical Society.
“Queen Rose” in a possum-skin cloak, taken by a well-known souvenir book photographer.
F. Kruger, Queen Rose
– Ballarat Tribe, c. 1877. Reproduced with permission of the Ballarat Historical Society.
“Queen Rose” in an artificial setting with a bone through her nose, but without her possum-skin cloak. This image is from the “Souvenir Album of Victorian Aboriginals, Kings, Queens etc.”.
F. Kruger, Queen Rose Ballarat, c. 1877. Reproduced with permission of the National Library of Australia.
Photographs by Alexander MacDonald
While the older generation in this image are wearing woollen blankets and simple shirts in place of traditional fur cloaks, the younger generation appear more Europeanised. Notice the young girl in the shade wearing a full hooped (crinoline) dress. Perhaps this is what prompted the photographer to take this picture.
A. MacDonald, Aboriginal Encampment, 1870 (Ballarat). Item number AUTAS001136186269, from the W. L. Crowther Library collection, Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office.
Sketches by William Strutt
What is this Native Policeman doing exactly?
W. Strutt, Detail from the View of Golden Point, c.1885. Reproduced with permission of the State Library of Victoria.
This would have been a confronting sight for many Europeans on the goldfields; Aboriginal men - “savages” in the eyes of many at the time - with government-authorized power over the miners. The following description from the Illustrated Australian Magazine appears to match this image.
T. Ham, Native Police Encampment Ballarat 1853. Original sketch by W. Strutt. Reproduced with permission of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.
Photographs, sketches and paintings by authors unknown
Notice the group of Aboriginal People sitting around a campfire in the background. Lydiard Street is where you can now find the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Her Majesty’s Theatre, and the Ballarat train station.
First house in Ballarat Lydiard St. 1852, author unknown. Reproduced with permission of the State Library of Victoria.
Our Home for 2,000 Generations
The Wadawurrung People are the traditional owners of the Ballarat region.
Wadawurrung elder Bryon Powell speaking about the Creation story of Mt Buninyong and Mt Elephant: http://ab.co/1tBFAPV
Wadawurrung elder Bryon Powell speaking about the meaning of “ballaarat”: http://ab.co/1BvEAg9
Interactive Indigenous language map: http://ab.co/1oXvB0R
“Our Shared History” timeline of 60,000 years of Australian history: http://bit.ly/1p01VNH
ABC Open videos about Wadawurrung language and culture: http://ab.co/1BvEAg9
Great blog about the impressions the landscape made on the non-Indigenous arrivals: http://bit.ly/1wiRCvr
Research notes for secondary students on Ballarat’s Indigenous history: http://bit.ly/1w0ZH46
Link to full episodes of SBS’s award winning “First Australians” series: http://bit.ly/1AiryB0
Details on Wadawurrung fishing methods: http://bit.ly/1AdAV51
A child-friendly article about Batman’s treaty: http://bit.ly/1BCr9gS
Paper by ethnobotanist Dr Beth Gott on Aboriginal plant use: http://bit.ly/1D7CCqn
The trailer for John Pilger’s documentary “Utopia”: http://bit.ly/OaBCdO
Information about reconciliation: http://bit.ly/1vGi2mY
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
The Native Police
During the early gold rush some Aboriginal men played a crucial role as Native Police.
Wikipedia on Native Police: http://bit.ly/1skCOII
State Library of Victoria on Native Police: http://bit.ly/1zz7Dj8
Public Records Office Victoria on Native Police: http://bit.ly/1yB5ILU
A great blog from SBS about Native Police: http://bit.ly/1x4oFWU
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
Survival of the Fittest
Without help the Wadawurrung People, miners found it difficult to survive.
A paper on possum skin rug trade by Dr Fred Cahir: http://bit.ly/1vMSYQb
Article and video about traditional Aboriginal land management: http://bit.ly/1zVJ1iB
Trailer for film about escaped convict William Buckley, who lived with Wadawurrung People for 32 years: http://bit.ly/1zScdas
Video on primary source material about escaped convict William Buckley, who lived with Wadawurrung People for 32 years: http://bit.ly/1x4jbLT
Paper by ethnobotanist Dr Beth Gott on Aboriginal plant use: http://bit.ly/1D7CCqn
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
A Clash of Cultures
The local environment, on which Wadawurrung People depended, was irreversibly changed by European colonisation.
Wadawurrung plant foods: http://bit.ly/1vhOsWl
Two great articles about traditional Aboriginal land management: http://bit.ly/1smGxFC http://bit.ly/1yGgoc7
Online version of Catherine Kirkland’s 1840’s “Notes On A Bush Life”: http://bit.ly/1wwY7Oc
Article and video about traditional Aboriginal land management: http://bit.ly/1zVJ1iB
Paper by ethnobotanist Dr Beth Gott on Aboriginal plant use: http://bit.ly/1D7CCqn
Great blog about the impressions the landscape made on the non-Indigenous arrivals: http://bit.ly/1wiRCvr
A blog on the impacts of introduced animals: http://bit.ly/1BA7yOe
New research about the frontier wars: http://bit.ly/1tc0T61
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
See more of S. T. Gill’s famous Australian Sketchbook here: http://bit.ly/15rCUsV
Wadawurrung plant foods: http://bit.ly/1vhOsWl
Two great articles about traditional Aboriginal land management: http://bit.ly/1smGxFC http://bit.ly/1yGgoc7
Online version of Catherine Kirkland’s 1840’s “Notes On A Bush Life”: http://bit.ly/1wwY7Oc
Article and video about traditional Aboriginal land management: http://bit.ly/1zVJ1iB
Paper by ethnobotanist Dr Beth Gott on Aboriginal plant use: http://bit.ly/1D7CCqn
Great blog about the impressions the landscape made on the non-Indigenous arrivals: http://bit.ly/1wiRCvr
A blog on the impacts of introduced animals: http://bit.ly/1BA7yOe
New research about the frontier wars: http://bit.ly/1tc0T61
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
See more of S. T. Gill’s famous Australian Sketchbook here: http://bit.ly/15rCUsV
Gold!
Wadawurrung People helped Europeans to find gold and even profited off it directly.
Child-friendly summary of Dr Fred Cahir’s research on the participation of Aboriginal people in Victoria’s gold rushes: http://bit.ly/1GiWzbQ
A great blog about the participation of Aboriginal people in Australia’s gold rushes: http://bit.ly/1wlItlz
Short video about the impact of gold mining on Aboriginal people in Queensland: http://bit.ly/1wi9kjT
Information about reconciliation: http://bit.ly/1vGi2mY
Information about native title: http://bit.ly/1Aiy9LG
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
Scientific Curiosities
Like many indigenous peoples, the Wadawurrung People were studied for “Science”.
All twelve images of Aboriginal Victorians from A. Fauchery’s Sun Pictures of Victoria album: http://bit.ly/1GmgbPI
The history of scientific racism: http://bit.ly/1GiQkF3
BBC documentary about the history of racism (WARNING: some viewers may find some content in this film distressing): http://bit.ly/1zWNZvH
An article on Australian Aboriginal people in P.T. Barnum’s famous circus: http://bit.ly/1BxJ209
Article entitled “The Savage Art of the Human Zoo”: http://bit.ly/1AcjUbj
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
Pounds, Shillings and Possums
The Wadawurrung People participated in the European economy through trade.
A paper on possum skin rug trade by Dr Fred Cahir: http://bit.ly/1vMSYQb
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
See more of S. T. Gill’s famous Australian Sketchbook here: http://bit.ly/15rCUsV
A paper on possum skin rug trade by Dr Fred Cahir: http://bit.ly/1vMSYQb
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
See more of S. T. Gill’s famous Australian Sketchbook here: http://bit.ly/15rCUsV
How Exotic!
Wadawurrung People seemed strange and exotic to early settlers, and visa-versa.
A good blog about how Australian Aboriginal People were perceived on the goldfields by non-Indigenous people: http://bit.ly/1uoZp7L
All twelve images of Aboriginal Victorians from A. Fauchery’s Sun Pictures of Victoria album: http://bit.ly/1GmgbPI
See more of S. T. Gill’s famous Australian Sketchbook here: http://bit.ly/15rCUsV
On the Buninyong corroboree tree: http://ab.co/13dWBD4
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
Fire Power
Fire was fundamental to the survival of everyone.
Professor Bill Gammage explaining his thesis “The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made Australia: http://bit.ly/1smGxFC
Ballarat’s Mt Warrenheip looked quite different under Wadawurrung land management: http://ab.co/1Epeyih
A great article about traditional Aboriginal land management: http://bit.ly/1yGgoc7
A child-friendly blog from SBS about the environmental impacts of the gold rushes on Australian Aboriginal People: http://bit.ly/1qyvzBh
Wikipedia on boilers: http://bit.ly/1yWNzqM
Article and video about traditional Aboriginal land management and use of fire: http://bit.ly/1zVJ1iB
A blog specifically explaining the deforestation caused by the gold rushes: http://bit.ly/1zzad8B
A blog about the environmental impacts of Australia’s gold rushes: http://bit.ly/1unqLKt
Great blog about the impressions the landscape made on the non-Indigenous arrivals: http://bit.ly/1wiRCvr
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
See more of S. T. Gill’s famous Australian Sketchbook here: http://bit.ly/15rCUsV
Bush Tucker
The supply of local foods by Wadawurrung People was important to miners on the goldfields.
Short video on Wadawurrung foods and pre-contact trade: http://ab.co/15Qy1u4
Two great articles about traditional Aboriginal land management: http://bit.ly/1smGxFC http://bit.ly/1yGgoc7
Details on Wadawurrung fishing methods: http://bit.ly/1AdAV51
Wadawurrung plant foods: http://bit.ly/1vhOsWl
Link to the Lake Bolac Eel Festival: http://bit.ly/1BOko73
Article and video about traditional Aboriginal land management: http://bit.ly/1zVJ1iB
Paper by ethnobotanist Dr Beth Gott on Aboriginal plant use: http://bit.ly/1D7CCqn
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
See more of S. T. Gill’s famous Australian Sketchbook here: http://bit.ly/15rCUsV
Short video on Wadawurrung foods and pre-contact trade: http://ab.co/15Qy1u4
Two great articles about traditional Aboriginal land management: http://bit.ly/1smGxFC http://bit.ly/1yGgoc7
Details on Wadawurrung fishing methods: http://bit.ly/1AdAV51
Wadawurrung plant foods: http://bit.ly/1vhOsWl
Link to the Lake Bolac Eel Festival: http://bit.ly/1BOko73
Article and video about traditional Aboriginal land management: http://bit.ly/1zVJ1iB
Paper by ethnobotanist Dr Beth Gott on Aboriginal plant use: http://bit.ly/1D7CCqn
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
See more of S. T. Gill’s famous Australian Sketchbook here: http://bit.ly/15rCUsV
Trading in their Culture
Collectors bought, stole and traded Wadawurrung artefacts which trivialised their cultural significance and helped Europeans confirm their theories of the “primitive savage”.
The history of scientific racism: http://bit.ly/1GiQkF3
An article on Australian Aboriginal people in P.T. Barnum’s famous circus: http://bit.ly/1BxJ209
A taste of Professor Tom Griffiths’ research into Victorian collecting, in particular the life and collection of R. E. Johns: http://bit.ly/1GhEb1b
Article entitled “The Savage Art of the Human Zoo”: http://bit.ly/1AcjUbj
Online version of Catherine Kirkland’s 1840’s “Notes On A Bush Life”: http://bit.ly/1wwY7Oc
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
The history of scientific racism: http://bit.ly/1GiQkF3
An article on Australian Aboriginal people in P.T. Barnum’s famous circus: http://bit.ly/1BxJ209
A taste of Professor Tom Griffiths’ research into Victorian collecting, in particular the life and collection of R. E. Johns: http://bit.ly/1GhEb1b
Article entitled “The Savage Art of the Human Zoo”: http://bit.ly/1AcjUbj
Online version of Catherine Kirkland’s 1840’s “Notes On A Bush Life”: http://bit.ly/1wwY7Oc
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
Bush Chemistry
Sharing bush medicine with non-Indigenous immigrants saved lives.
List of the “Top 10 Aboriginal Bush Medicines”: http://bit.ly/1AQnRoj
Paper by ethnobotanist Dr Beth Gott on Aboriginal plant use: http://bit.ly/1D7CCqn
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
List of the “Top 10 Aboriginal Bush Medicines”: http://bit.ly/1AQnRoj
Paper by ethnobotanist Dr Beth Gott on Aboriginal plant use: http://bit.ly/1D7CCqn
A link to Dr Fred Cahir’s “Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870”: http://bit.ly/1yOhxgF
