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.23

there were only about 150 whites living in the region. Relations between whites and Aborigines were amicable. An unspoken truce existed as neither saw each other as a threat. Over the next three years all this was to change.

New Government Policies

Encouraged by aggressive policies coming out of London, new settlers began to migrate in large numbers. By August 1824 whites were occupying an area of Wiradjuri territory 100 kilometres wide by 200 kilometres long. The Aborigines saw what was happening. Peace and harmony was about to end.

The Silent War

It was ironic that a settlement which had started so amicably was slowly and forcefully drifting into anarchy. The Wiradjuri, led by Windradyne, frustrated by wholesale destruction of kangaroos and possums, their staple meat diet, began to attack the settlers livestock. They also noted that prime river flats were being settled. Sacred burial sites along with their traditional hunting grounds were being destroyed. Their paradise was being over run and they were being dispossessed. Minor skirmishes occurred between the Aborigines and the settlers. Like most wars, short lightning raids by the Wiradjuri developed, and conflict had started. The Wiradjuri were normally a peaceful people but their attacks became more frequent and more ferocious. Family groups and clans consolidated and they became a significant fighting force. The settlers became alarmed and demanded military reinforcements and formed their own posses but not one Aborigine was rounded up. Windradyne became a master strategist. His reputation grew but eventually he was captured. He was placed in leg irons for a month. Major Morisset, the area’s commandant, believed that this would teach the Aborigines a lesson. Instead he created a martyr. Windradyne, on his release, returned to his people, a hero. From now on it was total war.

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