1900s

Aboriginal people reported still living at Quakers Hat Bay near Beauty Point, Middle Harbour. (D Keed, 28 May 1984, Manuscript, Local History section, North Sydney Library) Another important area where the northern clans gathered is Narrabeen Lagoon.

  • Seaforth, looking towards Quakers Hat Bay
  • Narrabeen Lagoon

Numbers of Aboriginal people at Sackville Reserve are diminishing. By the 1930s only one person remains. Many descendants now live around Blacktown.

Birth of Marie Robinson, daughter of Matilda Ellen, descendants of Bungaree and Matora. Jean Boyd marries Edward Smith. Their children include Reta Smith and Lynette Smith (Robley).

  • Descendants of Bungaree (from left) Trudy Smith, Lynette Robley, Reta Smith, Margaret Robinson, Tracey Howie

1905

Death recorded of Aboriginal man Robert Walker at Ryde.

1909

The Aborigines Protection Act is passed in NSW. The Board for the Protection of Aborigines has the power to “exercise a general supervision and care over all Aborigines and over the interests and welfare of Aborigines … and to protect them against injustice, imposition and fraud”. The Protection Act gives the Board great powers to control the private lives of Aborigines. For example the Board may order any Aboriginal into or out of any Reserve at its own discretion. The powers to remove children are codified and strengthened, and the Board becomes an instrument of persecution of Guringai, and other NSW Koories, for the next 60 years.