City of Darebin Heritage Study Volume 1 Draft Thematic

VOLUME 2: THEMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY6 GOVERNINGIntroductionDarebin has important associations with the early government administration of Aboriginalpeople, and with some aspects of policing in Victoria.This chapter also covers the establishment the institutions of law and order in the localcommunity and the development of local government in Darebin from Road Boards to Cities.Darebin has had a distinctly left-wing political character for much of its history, and hasproduced some leading Labor politicians. It has also had a significant place in the struggle forAboriginal rights.Before, during and after both World Wars, Darebin has been the location of a number ofmilitary institutions, and Darebin’s people and factories also contributed to the war efforts.This chapter incorporates the following themes:AAVAHT5 Governing administration of resources for Aboriginal people7 Governing; 7.6 Administering Australia; 7.7 Defending AustraliaHistory6.1 Government administration of Aboriginal peopleProtectorateThe Assistant Protectors Quarters was established near to the site of the confluence of theMerri Creek with the Yarra River (just outside the present City of Darebin) by WilliamThomas in 1843. He had been visiting the Aboriginal encampment at the site since 1841 andbuilt a hut there in 1842. In the following year the hut became his official quarters.The protectorate system was established as a response to the humanitarian movementdeveloping in London. People of social conscience wanted to avoid the outrages that hadoccurred against the Aborigines in Tasmania and NSW. So in 1837, a Village MissionSettlement was formed by a Church of England missionary George Langhorne at the presentsite of the Royal Botanic Gardens. In 1838, the government established the AboriginalProtectorate of the Port Phillip District and appointed George Augustus Robinson as the ChiefProtector. He was instructed to establish reserves for Aborigines. To assist him in his work heappointed four assistant protectors one of whom was William Thomas (Clark & Heydon2004:16-7).Thomas had been instructed to set up a Protectorate station at some distance from Melbourneand had chosen a site at Narre Narre Warren, at what is now known as the Dandenong PolicePaddocks. But he was frustrated in his attempts to get Aboriginal people to settle there andsoon found it was easier for him to locate himself at the site they had chosen - the Merri Creekencampment. This settlement was not legally a Protectorate ‘reserve’, no employment orhousing was provided as it was in other reserves (Clark & Heydon, 2004:18-36).Thomas developed a good relationship with Billibellary, the headman of the Wurundjeri. Thestrength of this relationship is evidenced by the fact Billibellary assisted Thomas and allowedhim to stay with him in his mia mia on several occasions. In return, Thomas entrustedBillibellary with the key to the government stores at Merri Creek, a responsibility he tookseriously (Clark & Heydon, 2004:38-9).85