A SORRY HISTORY

A Timeline of Australian Aboriginal history.

Section One

Dreamtime to 1900.

Collated by John, Betty, Dick and JaneUnit Plan

It is believed that Aborigines have lived in Australia for between 55,000 and 110,00 years.

55 000 BC

Earliest visible evidence of Aboriginal belief connected

with the Rainbow Serpent. This becomes the longest

continuing religious belief in the world.

7000

- 50

00 B

C

Its pretty amazing that a group of people can pass

down oral stories over thousands of years, virtually

unchanged.

Trade with Asia - Dutch documents record trade between Macassan (Indonesian) sailors and Aborigines living on the northern coast of Australia.

1451 - 1900 A

D

1788

The first fleet arrives from England. The aboriginal population at this time has been estimated to be between 300,000 and 1,000,000.

You may like to read a novel based upon historical facts. “SongMan” by Allan Baillie.

(Macassan contact NT)

“Territory” by Judy Nunn (Dutch shipwrecks off WA)

'Black Wars.'As the European settlers moved further inland aboriginals are killed in wars. Sometimes they fight back, other times they kill settlers. Some massacres have been recorded:1820’s Bathurst – 100 dead1837 – Gravesend - 200dead1838 – Waterloo Creek – 100-300 dead1840 - Long Lagoon – 100 dead 1841 – Rufus River – 30 dead

1820

’s

1830

’s

Throughout the 1830’s settlement spreads throughout the country including Victoria and South Australia. No treaties are struck with the traditional inhabitants. British rule of law established.

Today we would never think of going and just taking another people’s country. The English did not see the Aborigines as

“real People” They called them savages. They share everything

including the land, food and water. Perhaps we are the

savages

1850

’s

Introduction of the policy of removing Aboriginal children is practiced. This policy continued right up until the 1970’s.

These children were lost to their families, with no information on where they were taken. Many children in missions and other institutions badly treated.

It’s hard to imagine anything more cruel to a mother or a child. It’s hard to believe this

was still happening in the 1970’s. Can we ever make up

for doing this?

References• Latrobe University Library, <

http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/AHR/archive/Issue-April-1996/RosHunter.html> “Aboriginal Histories, Australian Histories, and the Law”

• Duffy Resource Centre, Trinity College, Western Australia.

• < http://library.trinity.wa.edu.au/aborigines/reconciliation.htm> “Reconciliation in Australia: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and the rest of the Australian community.”

• Nunn, Judy. Territory. City: Milson’s Point, N.S.W. : Random House Australia, 2002. .

• Baillie, Alan. Song Man. Melbourne: Penguin, 1995.

• Papunya School. Papunya School Book of Country and History. Crows Nest, N.S.W. : Allen & Unwin, 2001.

© State of Victoria 2003  This work has been created by the teacher listed below as employees of the Department of Education

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The State of Victoria accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any part of this material and bears no responsibility for any modifications made.

Teacher’s name and materials produced – H. Carver - ‘Reconciliation’ Unit Plan & Multimedia presentation.