Notice

Norman McVicker

The Wiradjuri Story: Aborigines of Henry Lawson Country by Mudgee’s Local Historian and Writer, Norman McVicker OAM written in 1991. The story is relevant only up to that time as many changes have taken place since.

About Norman McVicker

Norman McVicker OAM, Launched this site on the 20^th February 2009

The Wiradjuri Story cont., P.22

Under English law this meant it was deserted and uninhabited at the time of settlement. In effect, the law technically disregarded the Aborigines. But they did exist. At first they were friendly, but when the white men did not leave, their attitude changed, especially when the Governor’s policy of amity changed and shots were fired to keep them away from the settlement of Sydney Town.

The Politics of Expansion

For a quarter of a century the white settlers under a succession of Governors after Phillip had been trying to expand their territory. Hunter, Bligh, and then Macquarie all looked towards the west and that natural barrier, the Blue Mountains. By the end of the first decade to the 1800s Macquarie had over 65,000 sheep, 22,000 head of cattle and 2,000 horses in the settled area. New pasture areas had to be found for their survival. Various attempts were made, but it wasn’t until 1813 that Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth finally managed to traverse the mountains and gaze across the rich undulating plains and slopes to the west. They also discovered good rivers, rich soil and top grazing land. The Wiradjuri people saw the white men but kept their distance. A few weeks later a small party headed by Assistant Surveyor George Evans was sighted moving across the plains, following the rivers, testing the soils and evaluating the grazing potential. In 1814 in less than six months William Cox supervised the construction of a road from Penrith to Bathurst. The way was open for expansion.

The Liberal Governor

Lachlan Macquarie was an enlightened man, a liberal Scot. He was a friend to emancipists, a moral and reasonable Governor who abhorred the narrow and exploitive local conservation lobby who thought of the Aborigines as vermin or pests. Macquarie was very much aware of the problems which could result from rapid settlement of the area. He knew that John Oxley and John Macarthur were aggressively and obsessively devouring land and were eager to expand. He held them at bay. The Wiradjuri, oblivious to the machinations going on around them looked on as the small numbers of settlers came over the mountains. By 1821

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