Bungaree’s town camp, Kirribilli

In about 1803, some time after he had returned from circumnavigating Australia with Matthew Flinders, the Indigenous leader Bungaree brought his family down to make a camp opposite the colony on Sydney Harbour. We know more about them than most other Sydney clans because in 1820 a Russian expedition, led by Captain Bellinghausen, was allotted, by Governor Macquarie, the same area of Kirribilli to make their camp. The expedition artist Pavel Mikhalovitch made portraits of Bungaree and many other members of his clan, including Matora, Diana Boongaree, daughter of Matora and Boin (Bowen), Bungaree’s son.

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