The British initially thought Victoria's rapid colonisation in the 1830s was illegal, and authorities were concerned by its violence

Indigenous News

The British initially thought Victoria's rapid colonisation in the 1830s was illegal, and authorities were concerned by its violence
AboriginalColonizationSettlement
  • 📰 abcnews
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 120 sec. here
  • 10 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 75%
  • Publisher: 83%

Hearings at Victoria's Yoorrook Justice Commission have shone a light on the violence that underpinned the state's colonisation in the 1830s, truths the commission hopes will pave the way to a more mature understanding of Victoria's past and present.

The British initially thought Victoria's rapid colonisation in the 1830s was illegal, and authorities were concerned by its violenceWhen people think about the colonisation of Australia, they might think about it starting in 1788.

Multiple witnesses told Yoorrook the initial settlement of Victoria was considered illegal by the British government, which had placed limits on the spread of settlement and considered those who went beyond this to be stealing land from the British crown. "Victoria, indeed, Australia is having difficulty coming to terms with the truth about the true history and settlement of this country," Wergaia/Wamba Wamba elder and commission chair Eleanor Bourke said.Professor Bourke said the effort to document the state's distressing past through truth-telling was essential.

The 86-year-old has been alive for nearly half the time that Europeans have remained in Victoria, since the settlement of Portland.The early settlements of Victoria were considered illegal by the British at the time The subsequent spread of settlers throughout Victoria against the wishes of the colonial government spiralled into what Professor Henry Reynolds labelled "a disaster they couldn't control".Professor Reynolds said the boundary of settlement was an area about 300 kilometres from Sydney and those who travelled beyond it had "no legal justification for doing so".

Based on the research of Federation University historian Professor Ian D Clark, she also referenced a November 1840 massacre, where an "overseer for the Henty brothers" killed a number of Aboriginal people.Colonial authorities of the 1830s were concerned about violence against Aboriginal people In 1837, a British government committee report on Aboriginal people expressed serious concern about the suffering of Indigenous people in Australia.

Squatters travelled from Tasmania and from the north over the Murray, against the wishes of the colonial government. "This was one of the most tragic periods for First Nations people … both because of the speed of the occupation and undoubtedly the amount of violence and the killing that took place in this period," Professor Reynolds said.There were 49 known massacres in Victoria , in which 1,045 Aboriginal people were killed.

Professor Reynolds said that was because in Victoria, the killings became "privatised" because of the way the area was settled. The population was understood to have been decimated by diseases like smallpox, even before the Europeans had arrived in Victoria.

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

abcnews /  🏆 5. in AU

Aboriginal Colonization Settlement History Yoorrook Yoorrook Justice Commission Truth-Telling

Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

British Museum sues former guardian of treasures accused of selling them on eBayBritish Museum sues former guardian of treasures accused of selling them on eBayA veteran of the institution, Dr Peter Higgs oversaw the Greek and Roman department when colleagues noticed missing items turning up for sale online.
Read more »

Victoria Police launch major Easter operation on state’s roadsVictoria Police launch major Easter operation on state’s roadsVictoria Police will launch an extensive Easter operation targeting drivers under the influence in popular holiday locations.
Read more »

Bomb-aimer was last British survivor of 617 Dambuster SquadronBomb-aimer was last British survivor of 617 Dambuster SquadronDuring a flight to Leipzig, the crew’s two inboard engines cut out after icing up. “We were plunging down towards the earth with a full bomb load,” John Bell recalled.
Read more »

Bomb-aimer was last British survivor of 617 Dambuster SquadronBomb-aimer was last British survivor of 617 Dambuster SquadronDuring a flight to Leipzig, the crew’s two inboard engines cut out after icing up. “We were plunging down towards the earth with a full bomb load,” John Bell recalled.
Read more »

Bomb-aimer was last British survivor of 617 Dambuster SquadronBomb-aimer was last British survivor of 617 Dambuster SquadronDuring a flight to Leipzig, the crew’s two inboard engines cut out after icing up. “We were plunging down towards the earth with a full bomb load,” John Bell recalled.
Read more »

Live updates: Crown keeps casino licence in Victoria, ASX falls after Wall Street slidesLive updates: Crown keeps casino licence in Victoria, ASX falls after Wall Street slidesCrown Resorts keeps its monopoly casino licence in Melbourne as the Victorian regulator makes its decision public, while the Australian share market is trading lower. Follow the day's events and insights from our business reporters on the ABC News live markets blog.
Read more »



Render Time: 2025-02-13 03:26:26