Aboriginal people defend their land
North Coastal - 1826

Many incidents of Aboriginal people defending their land and attacking the English farms north of Broken Bay. The activities of bushrangers, escaped convicts, cedar getters, illicit grog suppliers and smugglers create a lawless frontier in the northern regions. The first Magistrate Willoughby Bean is appointed in a vain attempt to restore order.

Surviving Koories are estimated to be only 65 on the Central Coast. Diseases such as smallpox, syphilis and influenza have killed many and others have been killed by settlers.

Attacks on settlers continue, and probably are supplemented from warriors coming from further north. A punitive expedition is mounted by the British against Koories near Wyong. Twenty Koories are captured and later eight are imprisoned on Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour. Governor Bourke requests that a school teacher “should be prepared to teach elements of Christianity to the Aborigines held there”. (Bourke to Secretary of State, Historical Records of New South Wales, 1 May 1835)