(Image: A. Maie. Clan names are from the research of Stephen Gapps)[1]
Between 1814 and 1815 a road is constructed across the mountains under the supervision of William Cox with assistance from Colebee, son of Yarramundi/Yellomundie (Chief of the Boorooberonngal clan around Richmond and a Koradji/clever man, who would have been well-known), another Aboriginal guide (‘Joe’ from Mulgoa), 30 convicts and a party of soldiers. The construction leads to further conflict and war with the Gundungurra, who then attack Cox’s labourers at Mulgoa.
Gundungurra Country. (Image: A. Maie)
April-May 1815 – Governor Macquarie, Mrs Macquarie and a party of 50, including William Cox, set out to ‘inspect the road and the land beyond the mountains’. Macquarie selects the site for a town (Bathurst).
April 1816 – Back in Sydney Basin the war for land continues. Governor Macquarie publishes a Proclamation restricting Aboriginal movement and for them to ‘be driven away by force of arms’. He dispatches troops to capture or kill the ‘troublemakers’. This results in two massacres on Dharawal country – at Appin and Mulgoa. Attacks and unofficial retribution raids continue. Throughout this period local Magistrate William Cox is integral to the planning with Governor Macquarie and has sent out raiding parties himself. For some time it has been commonly agreed among settlers and soldiers that this is a war and the only way to stop Aboriginal peoples from fighting back is to arrive unexpectedly and massacre groups at a time; a practice that continues in Wiradjuri country and in every area would-be-settlers move throughout the continent.[2] (map of massacres)
4 May 1816. Governor Macquarie publishes a Proclamation in the Gazette which restricts Aboriginal People’s movement and cultural practices in the Sydney Basin, offers incentives for accepting British culture and education, announces a meeting at Parramatta for 28th December which is to be held annually, with a reminder that troops and Magistrates are on call for any raids or violations.
Between 1816 and 1817 pastoralists, including William Lawson and William Cox, have moved into Wiradjuri country with their stock and without grants. Wiradjuri warriors begin to attack stock runs and plunder cattle. Talk turns to the establishment of a settler militia and bounties for capture of Wiradjuri warriors.
May 1815 – William Lawson hears that there is fine country towards the north-west, beyond where the surveyor George Williams Evans had reached. Lawson and Aaron, who is Chief of the Tabellbucoo people of the Wiradjuri nation (between Mudgee and Lithgow) and Lawson’s guide, reach Cudgegong country, travelling down the river to Mudgee and then to Liverpool Range.
1818-1821 – Lawson, Cox and Blackman are becoming well established and in 1819 William Lawson is appointed Commandant of Bathurst, succeeding William Cox. Governor Macquarie begins handing out grants and builds a garrison and barracks. War continues around stock runs. There is trouble a Lawson’s holding south of Bathurst. Four Wiradjuri are killed and Lawson’s horse is speared. Macquarie presses England for more soldiers and England pressures Macquarie to open up mores areas for settlers and cattle.
November 1821 Thomas Makdougall Brisbane arrives in the colony and takes over governorship from Lachlan Macquarie.
Aaron (Ering), Windradyne, Tuerum and Warragurra
1821 – James Blackman jnr. and Aaron, who seems to be the guide-of-choice, reach the Burrundulla Swamps. Later that year Lawson and James’ brother make it as far as the local Aboriginal camp at Mowgee/Mudgee country and at some stage Lawson meets about 40 locals (possibly Mowgee peoples). Lawson takes 5,000 acres to the north-west and convinces the Coxes to take land nearby. Along the Cudgegong River the Wiradjuri fight for their land, food sources and sacred sites. In 1821 George Cox leads a shooting party against the Wiradjuri from his property on the Cudgegong River. By now ‘Saturday’ (Windradyne) is mentioned as leading the resistance army.
Burrundulla. (Image A. Maie)
1822 – Attacks continue, including at Cox’s ‘Menah’ near Mudgee. At ‘Mehah’, after ‘interference’ with the local women, Cox workers are driven away, cattle set loose and sheep killed. George Cox assembles an armed force in pursuit and Henry Cox sends for military assistance.
Blackman and Lawson trace out a route from Wallerawang to Dabee. Aaron (‘Ering, Chief of Tabalbucco’)*, Tuerum (Chief of Carrigurra) and Warragurra, (Chief of Mugee) are issued with ‘Chief’ brass plates’; a common practice of the British to curry favour and support in an attempt to quell opposition.
1822-1823 – People and stock continue to flood across the mountains, much in the charge of convicts and stockmen. More land is claimed and surveys conducted. The wars continue with Wiradjuri targeting stations, huts, stock runs and cattle. Settlers respond with hunting parties and are calling for military assistance. There are reports of poisoned damper being left out for the Wiradjuri. Wiradjuri bands begin holding councils-of-war to co-ordinate their reprisals and attacks – killing sheep, stealing cattle and attacking shepherds and stockmen.
November 1823 William Lawson retires as commandant of Bathurst and is replaced by militarian James Thomas Morisset, a serving member of the 40th Regiment.
By the end of 1823 stockmen report being frightened to go outside their huts and stock owners are reticent to move into more remote areas. A reward is offered for Saturday/Windradyne’s capture and a military detachment dispatched. ‘Philanthropus’ writes in the Gazette suggesting that the British should pay rent for the lands they had taken.
© A. Maie, 2024
Previous posts in this series.
Gudyarra (war) and the Bicentennial of Martial Law 2024: Introduction.
(1) The Sydney Basin: The Country of the Darug-speaking peoples.
[1] Drawn in the main from the research and writing of Stephen Gapps, Gudyarra: The First Wiradyuri War of Resistance. For a detailed examination this is the publication.
Additional information provided by Nola Turner-Jensen, Diversity Excellence Research Fellow at University of Melbourne – Repatriating Aboriginal Morphology Frameworks. “We are working on mapping the 12 Ngurumbangs (clans) but not ready to release. The spelling of some people is incorrect – We did not begin words with A,E or T – An e sounding name would be Y -Aaron (Ering), Tuerum would have been “dy” and Windradyne is spelt Windradhaany – dhaany is pronounced dine.” (Correspondence Monday 12 February 2024)
[2] Reflected in a number of place-names, including in the Central West.
And So It Goes....... 
Hi Nettie
This is very much appreciated. I’ve read Stephen Gapps’s, Gudyarra: The First Wiradyuri War of Resistance.
I’m sad that so much of the Indigenous presence has been obliterated in these parts (around Mudgee, etc), which demonstrates how “successfully” the Indigenous people were driven from their lands. I’m always keen to hear of more research.
Thank you for your work to compile these histories.
Kind regars
Wendy
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Thank you for commenting Wendy. Too true. That’s why I’m focussed this year on continuing this series.
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