Historical Background of the Area
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- Category: History: People
- Date Submitted: 07/05/2015 07:16 PM
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The original inhabitants of the area were the Darug Aborigines (also spelt Dharug, Daruk, Dharuk) who had lived in the area for at least 40, 000 years, until the early 1800s.
In fact the two main tribes that lived in the Shire and its surrounding areas were made up of numerous small clans. One of those tribal groups was called the Eroa tribe whose clans all spoke the same Darug
language with little variation. In the south, the Toongagal (or Tugagal) clan roamed the bush areas along the Toongabbie Creek, while in the north lived the Bigials. The Cattai clan was found to the west along Cattai Creek.
The other tribe that lived in the area was the Darkinjung tribe. They lived along the Hawkesbury and spoke a dialect of Darug. This version of the language was called deerubbin. The clan that roamed this area was the Beereewongle clan.
One of the most famous Aborigines of this district was “the rainbow warrior” called Pemulwuy. He lead a
guerrilla force of Bidjigal Aborigines against the white settlers in the Parramatta, Toongabbie and Prospect districts during 1790 – 1802.
Then area was very important for the indigenous populations as it provided bountiful food sources. The rivers and creeks and the surrounding riverbanks provided a variety of food such as mullet, eel, and
shellfish and water fowl such as ducks and their eggs. The dense scrub and bushland was the source of small reptiles, marsupials such as possums and kangaroos and wallabies, as well as yams, berries and a variety of other plant foods.
It is believed that the first white visitors to the district were Governor Phillip and a party of 21 from Parramatta who reached the Hills in April 1791. Their aim was to find new country for settlement and
farming to feed the struggling Sydney colony.
By 1794 a settlement at Baulkham Hills had developed. As the land was quite fertile, farms were established. Some land was government owned and was worked by convicts, while other areas were...
In fact the two main tribes that lived in the Shire and its surrounding areas were made up of numerous small clans. One of those tribal groups was called the Eroa tribe whose clans all spoke the same Darug
language with little variation. In the south, the Toongagal (or Tugagal) clan roamed the bush areas along the Toongabbie Creek, while in the north lived the Bigials. The Cattai clan was found to the west along Cattai Creek.
The other tribe that lived in the area was the Darkinjung tribe. They lived along the Hawkesbury and spoke a dialect of Darug. This version of the language was called deerubbin. The clan that roamed this area was the Beereewongle clan.
One of the most famous Aborigines of this district was “the rainbow warrior” called Pemulwuy. He lead a
guerrilla force of Bidjigal Aborigines against the white settlers in the Parramatta, Toongabbie and Prospect districts during 1790 – 1802.
Then area was very important for the indigenous populations as it provided bountiful food sources. The rivers and creeks and the surrounding riverbanks provided a variety of food such as mullet, eel, and
shellfish and water fowl such as ducks and their eggs. The dense scrub and bushland was the source of small reptiles, marsupials such as possums and kangaroos and wallabies, as well as yams, berries and a variety of other plant foods.
It is believed that the first white visitors to the district were Governor Phillip and a party of 21 from Parramatta who reached the Hills in April 1791. Their aim was to find new country for settlement and
farming to feed the struggling Sydney colony.
By 1794 a settlement at Baulkham Hills had developed. As the land was quite fertile, farms were established. Some land was government owned and was worked by convicts, while other areas were...