1850s

Birth of Andrew Barber, and later the birth of Henry Barber. The mother is Ballendella and father is John Luke Barber). The son Andrew is born on John Smith Hall’s property ‘Lilburndale’ where the Darug Sackville Reach burial ground is located. J Brook 1995. (See videos on Sackville Reserve)

Baptism of William Joseph, Aboriginal 15 years old RC in Wollongong.

Georges River. “The ABORIGINES.-His Excellency the Governor has approved of a grant of ten pounds for the purchase of a boat and tackle for the use of the George's River tribe of aboriginals. 1850 – Georges River. “The ABORIGINES.-His Excellency the Governor has approved of a grant of ten pounds for the purchase of a boat and tackle for the use of the George's River tribe of aboriginals. The boat is to be held in trust for the blacks by the Mayor and Messrs. Nichols and Egan'; and we have been requested to caution all persons from purchasing the same, or intermeddling with the boat.” (Trove – Bell’s Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer (NSW: 1845-1860).

Appin. " They were lost, and are found." “The townspeople of Appin and the surrounding districts have been thrown into the greatest state of alarm and excitement in consequence of three children having strayed into the desert at the back of Appin, on Sunday last, the 21st instant. A boy, six years old, belonging to a Mrs. Hogan, widow, the Catholic school- mistress at Appin, and two little girls of Mr. Kelly's, blacksmith one six years and the other only four years old. The children were missed immediately after divine service, at which time the search commenced, and was vigorously prosecuted until Thursday morning, when they were found alive and well, considering the long distance, and the thick and rugged scrub which they had passed over, and when found they were as if preparing for n fresh start, with their hands linked together, and the youngest in the centre. The spot where the fortunate party had found them was on the south-east side of Mr. Elliott's farm.

The fortunate prospectors were three aboriginals-Yellow Johnny, from Camden, and sent by Mr. Macarthur, with Charley and George, who were sent from Picton. With these sable sons of the soil were Mr. John Moon, jun. Mr. Frost's son, from near Campbelltown, and a young man named Josephus Moon. Frost picked up a tulip leaf and a small bunch of flowers, which he showed to the blacks, who said, "close up here." Mr, Macarthur’s Johnny had been on their tracks the evening before, when he had to leave off, but resumed his course very early on Thursday morning. Although the Picton blacks were the first who saw the children, Mr. Macarthur’s man was the person who ultimately led to their discovery, having found their tracks the day before in quite a different direction from the quarter in which the greater number of the people were searching.

The reward of £5 which was offered to the party finding the children, was equitably divided between Mr. Macarthur’s man and the other two blacks ; and a subscription to the amount of £4 was equally divided amongst them. On William Macarthur, Esq., being applied to for the assistance of the man Johnny, he promptly ordered him to proceed at once to Appin, and to remain until the children were found either dead or alive. All echo one sentiment in this quarter, and gratefully acknowledge the kindness Mr. Macarthur has evinced on this occasion, when the lives of three human beings were in complete jeopardy. (Trove)

Of the hundreds of Aboriginal people whose names are recorded in the Blanket Lists and the 1851 Clarke Census for the Camden, Picton and Berrima districts, only a few have present day known descendants. J. Smith, ‘Gundungurra Country’, PhD thesis, 2008, p. 351.

Two girls named Peggy aged 14 and Susan aged 18 are identified on the blanket list as ‘half castes’. (J L Kohen, Daruganora: Darug Country-the place and the people p. 2) Most of the people on the blanket list from Camden are Gundungarra and are recorded on earlier blanket lists at The Oaks, Burragorang Valley, Nattai and Hartley.

Liverpool. Agnes Gilbert baptised (daughter of Charles George Gilbert & Jane, grand-daughter of Cabrogal Chief, Namut Gilbert & Polly.

Birth of Mary Hopkins, daughter of Aboriginal woman from the Illawarra Tribe. She is baptised in the Parish of St Luke. NSW BDM

Mary Smith (Saunders) is the most prominent of Dharawal people associated with the Burragorang community, the largest single group of non-Gandangara Kooris associated in the area. J. Smith, ‘Gundungurra Country’, PhD thesis, 2008, p. 372. She marries a Gandangara man, William Toliman. As well as her importance overall as mid-wife, Mary Smith is at the centre of a remarkable network of family relationships. Her children include Frederick, Selena and Mary.

Birth of sons George Gilbert (1856-66) and William Gilbert (1857?) Gilbert also had daughters: Eliza (Annie) (1859-77) and Emma (1864-70). All are born at Prospect on Buckley’s run.

Kogi’s grandson Jonathon Goggey is living with other Koori people on a 40 Ha block at the junction of the Harris and Williams Creek near Holsworthy (Voyager Point). Jonathon Goggey writes an appeal to the government explaining that his father Jack Goggey has been living on a block near the Georges River since before 1836. He demands recognition for long tenure of this land, which he was still living on at this time. Goodall and Cadzow, Rivers and Resistance, p. 56.

A hut is built for George Charles Namut by Edmund Buckley of Prospect. George works for Patrick Buckley at a farm ‘Coadyvale’. In 1844 George is described by Commissioner Tyers as ‘a half caste Native, Liverpool Tribe-about 18 years old’. George goes on many explorations with Buckley and assists in forcing the local Tatungalung people from Buckley’s run. They are also listed as the Woolloomba Bellum tribe who live near Buckley’s run. George Gilbert spends 25 years working for Buckley before moving to Ramahyuck mission in 1867. J L Kohen 2009

Camden. “THE ABORIGINES.-We have again been visited by a number of aborigines, chiefly we believe from the neighbourhood of Camden. It is some years now since the Goulburn district was finally deserted by the original inhabitants of the plains, and their occasional reappearance excites some degree of curiosity. Certain it is that we now see fifty Chinamen to one aboriginal Australian.” (Trove, Sydney Morning Herald June 1858)

Ellen Anderson is born at Unanderra near Wollongong. Her father Paddy is a fisherman from the north, and her mother Biddy Giles is from the south. By 1881 she is living in camps around the Sydney Central Business District, when the missionary Daniel Matthews persuades her to go to Maloga Mission where she is admitted in 1881 with her two children. She marries Hugh Anderson in 1882. J. Smith, ‘Gundungurra Country’, PhD thesis, 2008, p. 280.