Topics: People: North Coastal

Community Elder Lois Birk gives an acknowledgement of country at the Northern Beaches Annual General Meeting of the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group: We acknowledge that we are on Guringai country at Stoney Range Reserve, Dee Why. We will listen to each other. We walk softly and gently and pay homage to Indigenous people of all nations. We respect the spirits of this place.

Bungaree is born in Broken Bay. One family tradition places his birthplace as Patonga. He most probably speaks Wannungine (Guringai language). He is thought to be a Garigal clan man.

Pemulwuy, a feared Koori warrior and leader, is said to have led attacks on it.

Willermarin, a Koori man visiting from the north, spears Governor Phillip at Manly Cove. Phillip has taken up the invitation of Bennelong to attend a whale feast. Phillip is the victim of an attack and is speared in the shoulder, staggers back to his longboat while his soldiers disperse the Aboriginal people. Phillip does not order retribution and Bennelong is later welcomed back into Phillip’s confidence.

Governor Phillip leaves for England taking Koories, Bennelong and Yemmerrawanne.

Pemulwuy is seen at an initiation ceremony, recovered from wounds. He leads a new attack on settlers at Brickfield Hill.

Bungaree is recruited from Broken Bay by Mathew Flinders to accompany his voyage of exploration in the Porpoise . He is probably 18 years old. Flinders writes of him, “His achievements are many, his character excellent and his conduct on the voyage assisted Flinders to survive the numerous meetings with many Aboriginal clans”. (Smith 1992)

Her mother is ‘Queen’ Matora, a wife of Bungaree.

10 June, Bungaree sails on the Lady Nelson to the Coal River, Newcastle, in an expedition looking for coal. At the Hunter River, Bungaree joins the Koories and makes his own way southwards to his country on foot.