Prior to Colonisation of Western Australia
North-East coast of Arnhem Land, the Pellew Group
and Groote Eylandt, perhaps as early as the 16th
Century. Aboriginal evidence shows contact in the
17th century and present day Arnhem Land songs tell
of pre-Macassans who were called "Baijini" who came
from the west and were placed in the distant past with
the Djanggawal brothers and sisters. The Macassans
influenced Aboriginal culture and technology. They
adopted the dug-out canoe, songs and ceremonies,
Macassan words, and utilised steel knives, spear
blades and tomahawks. Some Aborigines travelled to
Macassa with the Frepangers who visited for 4 - 5
months each year and did not establish permanent
settlements in Australia.
of Napier Broome Bay on the far North Eastern coast
of Western Australia, is the story of how two
Portuguese swivel guns (carronades), were taken
after a battle with white-skinned invaders dressed in
skins like those of turtles and crocodiles a
description of European armour. The tribal elders,
using the number of past generations to calculate the
passage of time, believe that the intruders were seen
about l550AD.
south for 300 km along the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Eendract landed on what is now Dirk Hartog island in
Shark Bay, Western Australia.
Gulf of Carpentaria and landed in search of fresh
water. He found the land barren and wrote in his
diary that he encountered "poor and miserable looking
people" who had no knowledge of valuable metals or
spices. On 8 May he captured an Aboriginal man
while attempting to trade trinkets for weapons. Later
at the Carpentier River, a landing party encountered
200 Aboriginal people and a skirmish followed.
Western Australia. He landed at Houtman Abrolhos,
Shark Bay and Broome. On one of his shore trips he
recorded meeting a tribe of Aboriginal people who he
described as being "some of the miserablest people in
the world". This negative view was the only
description the British had for a long time of Aboriginal
people in Australia.
entered Botany Bay. Cook's view of Aborigines
differed from that of Dampier stating "These people
may truly be said to be in the pure state of nature, and
may appear to some to be the most wretched upon
Earth, but in reality they are far happier than we
Europeans".
followed by HMS "Sirius", six transports and three
store ships.
Sound. He explored the surrounding countryside
discovering several huts. He did not however,
encounter any Aborigines.
King George Sound. He did make contact with the
Aborigines and found them to be friendly and
cooperative. They visited his beach camp during his
stay.
aboard the brig "Amity". During his three year stay in
the region, he established a warm relationship with
one of the local tribesmen called Mokare. It was
Mokare who assisted Hind to gather all of his
information on local tribes. This information was used
by Hind to write a paper on the Aborigines of King
George Sound and was read to the Royal
Geographical Society in London.
