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30-552: Yalukit territory extends eastwards from the Werribee River , through to Williamstown , Sandridge and St Kilda . The name Yalukit-willam means "river home" or "people of the river", referring to the Yarra and Maribyrnong River . The Yalukit traditionally practised tool manufacturing, ochre collection, and burning of the landscape to allow for renewal of the flora and fauna. The Yalukit land currently occupied by Central Melbourne

60-656: A habitat restoration project. Werribee River holds fish all along its course, most of which are at the mouth of the river into Port Phillip Bay in the estuary . This area is best fished for southern black bream . Behind the Werribee golf course, the K-Road cliffs are perhaps the most unusual feature of the river, being sometimes described as looking like a river in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory . The Werribee River

90-464: A run] is to go outside and take up a new run, provided the conscience of the party is sufficiently seared to enable him without remorse to slaughter natives right and left. It is universally and distinctly understood that the chances are very small indeed of a person taking up a new run being able to maintain possession of his place and property without having recourse to such means – sometimes by wholesale.... In 1841, Wadawurrung man Bonjon (or "Bon Jon")

120-528: A substantial timber bridge was built to cross the Werribee River to replace an earlier wooden bridge. In 1852, this bridge was washed away when the Werribee river flooded. In August 2004, the Victorian Government pledged A$ 300,000 (equivalent to A$ 472,648 in 2022) towards restoring the Werribee River, removing willows choking the river around the township and replacing them with native plants in

150-516: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Werribee River The Werribee River is a perennial river of the Port Phillip catchment that is located on the expansive lowland plain southwest of Melbourne , Victoria , Australia . The headwaters of a tributary, the Lerderderg River , are north of Ballan near Daylesford and it flows across the basalt plain, through

180-673: Is a major meeting place for the Kulin Nation where social events, ceremonies, marriages, initiations, trade, and judicial matters are conducted. Yalukit people are of the Bundjil moiety and so were required to marry outside of the clan to people of the Waa moiety in the surrounding Kulin nation ; married Yalukit women would move away from Yalukit lands to live with other clans. Yalukit people hunted kangaroo, birds, eels and other seafood, and gathered edible plants such as wattle gum. While men primarily hunted

210-559: Is a regulated river system, with two dams on the river itself (Pykes Creek Reservoir and Melton Reservoir) and one on a tributary (Merrimu Reservoir on Pyrites Creek). These supply irrigation water to horticultural and vegetable farming users in Bacchus Marsh and Werribee South . Wathaurong The Wadawurrung nation, also called the Wathaurong , Wathaurung , and Wadda Wurrung , are an Aboriginal Australian people living in

240-672: The Kulinic language family . Wadawurrung territory extended some 7,800 square kilometres (3,000 sq mi). To the east of Geelong their land ran up to Queenscliff , and from the south of Geelong around the Bellarine Peninsula , towards the Otway forests . Its northwestern boundaries lay at Mount Emu and Mount Misery, and extended to Lake Burrumbeet Beaufort and the Ballarat goldfields. The area they inhabit has been occupied for at least

270-681: The Werribee Open Range Zoo in Werribee Park , and finally the small coastal settlement of Werribee South before entering Port Phillip . The Western Treatment Plant , a sewage treatment site, is located near the mouth of the river, and supplies irrigation needs to the zoo. The Werribee River Trail winds beside the Werribee River from Davis Creek in Tarneit to the Princes Highway in Werribee. The Hume and Hovell expedition camped by

300-625: The Wurdi Youang Aboriginal stone arrangement at Mount Rothwell . William Buckley , a convict who had escaped from the abortive Sullivan Bay settlement in December 1803, lived with a Victorian Aboriginal group, commonly identified with the Wadawurrung. In his reminiscences, Buckley tells of his first meeting with native women. Buckley had taken a spear used to mark a grave for use as a walking stick. The women befriended him after recognising

330-697: The 1854 Eureka Rebellion took place on Wadawurrung land. Three Wadawurrung clans lived in the vicinity of the Eureka diggings: the Burrumbeet baluk at Lakes Burrumbeet and Learmonth , Keyeet baluk, a sub-group of the Burrumbeet baluk, at Mt Buninyong , and the Tooloora baluk, at Mt Warranheip and Lal Lal Creek. The early policing of the Ballarat Goldfields was done by the Native Police Corps , who enforced

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360-555: The District of Port Phillip , R v Bonjon , later become notable for the legal question of whether the colonial courts had jurisdiction over offences committed by Aboriginal people inter se , that is, by one Aboriginal person against another, and the legal situation as to the British acquisition of sovereignty over Australia, and its consequences for the Aboriginal people. The events of

390-439: The absconding of key witness Frederick Taylor . At the time Aboriginal people were denied the right to give evidence in courts of law. The incidents listed below are just those cases that have been reported; it is likely other incidents occurred that were never documented officially. Writing on 9 December 1839, Niel Black , a squatter in western Victoria, describes the prevailing attitude of many settlers: The best way [to procure

420-449: The account has been deemed plausible by historian Ian D. Clark . Some further credence, although circumstantial, may be provided to the above information. George Yuille, older brother of William Cross Yuille , was not only liked and trusted by the local Aboriginal people, but had also formed a relationship with one of their women. Together they had at least one child, also named George Yuille. George Yuille senior died on 26 March 1854. He

450-467: The area near Melbourne , Geelong , and the Bellarine Peninsula in the state of Victoria . They are part of the Kulin alliance. The Wathaurong language was spoken by 25 clans south of the Werribee River and the Bellarine Peninsula to Streatham . The area they inhabit has been occupied for at least the last 25,000 years. Wathaurong is a Pama-Nyungan language , belonging to the Kulin sub-branch of

480-428: The clan would move upstream to drier areas that were less prone to flooding. Clothing was sewn from animal skins and furs including possum and kangaroo and also woven from plant materials. Hair was kept long and decorated with claws, animal teeth, earthenware, and other accessories. The ears and nose could be pierced with animal bones and the face painted with ochre. This Indigenous Australians -related article

510-660: The collection of the gold miners licence fee resulting in confrontations between diggers and the Gold Commissioner, considered by some historians, such as Michael Cannon and Weston Bate , as preludes to the Eureka Rebellion . There is oral history that local Aboriginal people may have looked after some of the children of the Eureka miners after the military storming of the Eureka Stockade and subsequent massacre of miners. Although not corroborated by any written sources,

540-458: The eve of some fight. As a revered spirit, he was banned from participating in tribal wars. According to Buckley, warfare was a central part of life among Aboriginal people in the area. The European settlement of Wadawurrung territory began in earnest from 1835, with a rapid arrival of squatters around the Geelong area and westwards. This European settlement was marked by Aboriginal resistance to

570-423: The invasion, often by driving off or stealing sheep, which then resulted in conflict and sometimes a massacre of Aboriginal people. Very few of the reports of the killing of Aboriginal people were acted upon. On the few occasions the matter did reach court, such as the killing of Woolmudgin on 7 October 1836, following which John Whitehead was sent to Sydney for trial, the case was dropped for lack of evidence and

600-404: The large game, women were also capable of doing so. The work required to sustain the clan could take as little as five hours a day. Food was shared freely with those less able within the clan. Decision-making within the clan was conducted by a senior council which met to discuss serious issues such as clan movements, inter-tribal business, or to resolve interpersonal conflict. As winter approached,

630-512: The last 25,000 years, with 140 archaeological sites having been found in the region, indicating significant activity over that period. The Wadawurrung Aboriginal Corporation, a Registered Aboriginal Party since 21 May 2009, represents the traditional owners for the Geelong and Ballarat areas. The Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative , based in Geelong, also has a role in managing Wadawurrung cultural heritage, for example through its ownership of

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660-713: The late 1830s and 1840s, the Werribee River was the scene of conflict between the Wautharong people and the European colonisers. The squatter Charles Franks and a shepherd were speared to death near Mount Cottrell in July 1836. This resulted in the Mount Cottrell Massacre – a punitive party led by John Batman which came upon a large party of Aboriginal people and indiscriminately shot and killed at least ten, There are accounts of arsenic-laced flour being given to them. In 1851,

690-588: The name for the stream was 'Weariby Yallock' ( yallock meaning 'stream'). The spelling changed to the present form of Werribee , the original Aboriginal root word meaning spine or backbone . Before the arrival of settlers, the Werribee River was the boundary of the Bunurong tribe whose six clans lived along the Victorian coast across the Mornington Peninsula , Western Port Bay to Wilsons Promontory . In

720-547: The river on 15 December 1824 and named it the Arndell after Hovell's father-in-law. John Helder Wedge "re-discovered" the river in 1835 and initially called it the Peel , but then decided to call it the Ex or Exe . The name of the town of Exford , an early crossing place on the river, is derived from this name. One of the local Wathaurong -speaking Kulin tribesman that accompanied Wedge said

750-465: The spear as belonging to a relative who had recently died and invited him back to their camp. The tribe thought he was the resurrected Murrangurk , an important former leader. He was adopted into the band and lived among them for 32 years, being treated with great affection and respect. Buckley states he was appointed a headman and had often witnessed wars, raids, and blood-feuds. He adds that he frequently settled disputes and disarmed warring groups on

780-557: The suburb of Werribee to enter Port Phillip. A linear park follows the Werribee River along much of its course. In total the Werribee River completes a journey of approximately 110 kilometres (68 mi). The river flows through the Werribee Gorge State Park before being utilised for irrigation of market gardens at Bacchus Marsh , then through Werribee where it is crossed by the Maltby By-pass. It then flows through

810-483: Was at the time of his death a storekeeper on Specimen Hill and hence he was among the miners. Whether his wife was with him is unknown, but it is a fair assumption that the local Aboriginal people would have been very familiar with the miners, especially if they were in constant contact with George Yuille. One Learmonth brother in particular was implicitly aware his shepherds were using skulls of Wadawurrung people on stakes to ward people off his property. Willem Baa Nip

840-611: Was charged with murder for killing Yammowing of the Gulidjan people whose territory bordered that of the Wadawurrung. According to the Wesleyan missionary Francis Tuckfield, Bonjon had been in contact with Europeans more than any other member of the Wadawurrung, having been attached to the Border Police for some time. According to the local head of that force, Captain Foster Fyans , Bonjon

870-460: Was the last surviving member of the Wadawurrung to witness colonisation. A number of prominent Wadawurrung people from the early colonial period, including Baa Nip, are buried in the north-west corner of the Western Cemetery in Geelong. According to William Buckley, the Wadawurrung practised ritual cannibalism , moderately compared to what he reported of the practices of a neighbouring tribe,

900-480: Was with him and his troopers for 4 years, tracking down and assisting in armed confrontations with Aboriginal insurgents in the districts to the west. The prosecution alleged that on or about 14 July 1841, Bonjon shot Yammowing in the head with a carbine at Geelong , killing him. The prosecution ultimately abandoned the case and Bonjon was eventually discharged. The case in the Supreme Court of New South Wales for

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