Native Police Corps at Nerre Nerre Worran

 A special post from Casey Cardinia Libraries staff member and local history enthusiast - Kate Davis.

**Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this article contains the name of deceased persons. **

Dandenong Police Paddocks Reserve in Endeavour Hills is one of the most important post-contact Indigenous sites in Victoria. It was the original site of the first Native Police Corps in Victoria, which recruited Aboriginal Australians to police the local area, in an effort to integrate the Indigenous population into European settled society.

Drawing of the Native Police Corps, from Public Record Office Victoria.

The concept of a Native Police Corps was first proposed by Captain Alexander Maconochie in 1837, as a tool for assimilation of Indigenous peoples and compensation for use of their land (1). Billibellary Ngurungaeta, an elder of the Wurundjeri-willam peoples, was enlisted by the European settlers to help recruit Indigenous men (2). These men were taught English and military discipline, which the European settlers hoped would be passed on to their families.

The Native Police Corps site was established in October 1837 (3). The site sat along the Dandenong Creek and bordered the lands of the Ngaruk-willam people of the Boon wurrung language group. It is recorded that the site was suggested by ‘some of the 15 Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung men who enlisted initially,’ (4) who knew the area as Nerre Nerre Warren. The Corps was commanded by Christiaan de Villiers at this time. Within 10 weeks though, de Villiers had resigned.

William Thomas, Assistant Aboriginal Protector.
Image from State Library.

 3 years later, the site was given over to the newly-     created Aboriginal Protectorate, as their base for the  Westernport area. The role of the Aboriginal         Protectorate was ‘protection and civilisation’ of   Indigenous peoples; assimilation and destruction of   their culture. The Assistant Protector, William   Thomas, took up residence at the site in October   1840, with the intention of creating an agricultural   station for Indigenous peoples to live and work on.   Thomas was unsuccessful and gave up in 1842 (5).

At the same time, a decision had been made to reform the Corps, this time led by Sir Henry Dana, with

Sir Henry Dana. Image from State Library.

cooperation from Assistant Protector Thomas (6). By 1851, 9 years later, the Corps would consist of 60 men, 45 of whom were Aboriginal, the other 15 European (7).

Records from 1848 show that daily activities included patrolling, locating individuals, checking passes, carrying messages and escorting travellers. It can be assumed that these activities remained largely the same over the entire existence of the Corps. From 1849 onwards, the Corps was commanded to patrol gold reserves in Port Phillip, and during 1850 and 1851, served as guards at Pentridge prison in Coburg (8).

The Indigenous men who joined the Corps did not, as had been hoped by the Europeans, abandon their traditional lifestyles. The Europeans in the Corps proved to be particularly bad influences also, with alcohol abuse being prevalent (9).

Indigenous Significance

The significance of the site for Indigenous peoples extends beyond the Corps though. It was also the death and burial site of Bungelene, an Aboriginal elder from the Gunai/Kurnai areas in Gippsland. He was arrested in 1848 for the alleged kidnapping of a white woman and died in custody on November 21, 1848 (10).

**The story of the alleged kidnapping presented in this article is from records of printed material created by European settlers – it must be acknowledged that these records include no Indigenous recollections. **

According to an article published in The Australian, in 1847 2 white women and 5 white men had been shipwrecked on the coast in Gippsland. Upon reaching land, they had stayed with the ‘Paul Paul’ tribe. A few days in, the ‘Parberry Long’ tribe visited and took one of the women, spearing the white men, the other woman remaining behind. The women who remained behind was killed shortly afterwards. The kidnapped woman was taken by an Indigenous man named Patko, and then was allegedly stolen by Bungelene and taken into the mountains (11).

Excerpt from article written by C. J.  de Villiers (who we can assume is the same Christiaan de Villiers formerly of the Native Police Corps) published in The Australian, paragraph 8.

Some years later, another article re-told of the alleged kidnapping. According to this article, the woman had been perhaps identified as a Miss McPherson. After the initial expedition which lasted 3 months, the government despatched a second party who returned not with the woman, but with Bungelene, leader of the tribe they believed had taken the woman, along with his 2 sons. Bungelene died while in custody at the site of the Native Police Corps. Shortly after, one of his sons escaped to the bush, while the other was removed to an Aboriginal station and raised by European settlers. Bungelene was buried at the site (12).

Excerpt from article published in The Cornwall Chronicle, paragraph 7.

 From these records, we can suppose that the knowledge of these events was never fully understood and as such, the persecution of Bungelene and his sons perhaps lacked evidence. It can also be assumed that Bungelene’s death was due to poor treatment while in custody. Regardless of how these events unfolded, Bungelene was ripped away from his country and culture, as were his 2 sons.

End of the Native Police Corps

In 1853, the Native Police Corps was made redundant due to several factors, most notably the founding of Victoria Police and the death of Sir Henry Dana, their leader. Many of the Corps members went on to employment in the new gold exploration fields.

The site was then utilised by Victoria Police for breeding and training horses for their mounted branch, until July 1931 – hence the name Police Paddocks, and the naming of nearby Stud Road.

Digitised Diary

The Public Record Office has a fantastic resource for those wanting more of an insight into the day-to-day activities of troopers in the Corps; a fully digitised diary from the Native Police Corps lasting from 1845 to 1853. Access it here!

 

Footnotes

1.1  1. City of Yarra, ‘Native Police,’ The Aboriginal History of Yarra [webpage], 2021, para. 1-2 https://aboriginalhistoryofyarra.com.au/8-native-police/
2. Ibid.
3. Presland, G., ‘Dandenong Police Paddocks Reserve: the most historically significant post-contact Indigenous site in Victoria’, Royal Historical Society History News, Issue 354, June 2021, p. 7, https://www.historyvictoria.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/digital-RHSV_June_News_2021.pdf
4. Ibid
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Public Record Office Victoria, ‘Native Police Corps,’ Public Record Office Victoria [webpage], 2021, para. 4 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VA4759
8. Ibid, para. 2-3
9. City of Yarra, op. cit., para. 3.
10. Presland, G., loc. cit.
11. De Villiers, C. J., 'Country News', The Australian (Sydney, NSW: 1824 - 1848), 2 March 1847, p. 4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37128202
12. Gordon, A. 'Victoria', The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas.: 1835 - 1880), 25 June 1859, p. 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65732271

Images

Capt. Dana, De Balk, Eugen Wilhelm Ernst, photographer, 1866, State Library of Victoria, Accession no: H2013.315/1.

William Thomas, Davies & Co., photographer, 1860, State Library of Victoria, Accession no: H2002.87.

 

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'Endeavour' streets in Endeavour Hills

Endeavour Hills was officially gazetted as a suburb on July 14 1971, and the first land sales took place on November 24, 1973. The project was first conceived in 1970 when Lewis Land Corporation purchased the 1,032 acre site (about 420 hectares). As the suburb was being developed at the same time as the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Captain Cook in the Endeavour, it was considered fitting to name the suburb after the Endeavour. The Endeavour carried members of the Royal Society, who were on board to observe the Transit of Venus in Tahiti as well as sailing crew and military personnel,  as after leaving Tahiti, Cook was instructed to 'find' the southern continent.  Around 80 Endeavour Hills streets are named after the Endeavour crew and passengers and what follows is a list of these 'Endeavour' streets, the person they were named for and their position or role  on the ship.

ANDERSON - Anderson Court - Robert Anderson A.B (Able-bodied seaman - a seaman with four years experience - they start as a Boy, then two years as an ordinary seaman and  then a year as seaman and then you can become an AB)
BANKS - Joseph Banks Crescent - Joseph Banks (1743 to 1820) Natural Historian

Sir Joseph Banks painted by Thomas Phillips

(State Library of New South Wales image)

You can read more about Sir Joseph Banks in the Australian Dictionary of Biography 

BOOTIE  - Bootie Court - John Bootie Midshipman
BRISCOE  - Briscoe Court - Peter Briscoe Joseph Bank’s servant
CHARLTON  - Charlton Court - John Charlton  Captain’s servant
CHILDS  - Childs Rise - Joseph Childs  A.B
COLLETT - Collett Rise - William Collett  A.B
COOK  - James Cook Drive - James Cook (1728 to 1779)  Captain

Captain James Cook R. N., F. R. S., from an original engraving published in London, 1784 

State Library of Victoria Image  H96.160/298 

You can read more about James Cook in the Australian Dictionary of Biography 

COX  - Cox Court - Matthew Cox A.B
DAWSON  - Dawson Court - William Dawson A.B
DOZEY  - Dozey Place - John Dozey A.B
DUNSTER  - Dunster Court - Thomas Dunster  Private
EDGCUMBE  - John Edgcumbe Way - John Edgcumbe  Sergeant
ENDEAVOUR  - Endeavour Crescent - Name of ship
GATHREY  - Gathrey Court - John Gathrey Boatswain or Boson -  foreman of the seaman - they were the link between the Officers and the seaman.
GOLDSMITH  - Goldsmith Close - Thomas Goldsmith  A.B
GOODJOHN   - Goodjohn Court - John Goodjohn  A.B
GORE  - Gore Rise - John Gore 3rd Lieutenant
GRAY  - Gray Close - James Gray A.B
GREEN - Charles Green Avenue - Charles Green  Astronomer
HAITE  - Haite Court - Francis Haite  A.B
HARDMAN - Hardman Court - Thomas Hardman Boatswain’s mate
HARVEY  - Harvey Place - William Harvey  Zachery Hick’s Servant
HICKS - Zachary Hicks Crescent -  Zachary Hicks 2nd Lieutenant
HOWSON - Howson Close - William Howson Captain’s Servant
HUGHES  - Hughes Close - Richard Hughes A.B
HUTCHINS  - Hutchins Avenue - Richard Hutchins A.B
JEFFS  - Jeffs Court - Henry Jeffs A.B
JOHNSON  - Johnson Place - Isaac Johnson  A.B
JONES -  Jones Court - Thomas Jones W illiam Monkhouse’s servant  (1)
JORDAN  - Jordan Court - Benjamin Jordan A.B  (2)
JUDGE  - Judge Rise - William Judge Private
KNIGHT  - Knight Court - Thomas Knight A.B
LEGG  - Legg Court - John Legg A.B
LINDSAY  - Lindsay Close - Alexander Lindsay A.B
LITTLEBOY  - Littleboy  Rise - Michael Littleboy A.B  (3)
MAGRA  - Magra Place - James Magra A.B
MANLEY  - Manley Close - Isaac Manley Robert Molyneux’s servant
MARRA  - Marra Court - John Marra A.B
MOLYNEUX  - Robert Molyneux Avenue - Robert Molyneux Master
MONKHOUSE  - Monkhouse -  Drive William Monkhouse Surgeon  (4)
MOODY  - Moody Place - Samuel Moody  A.B
MOREY  - Morey Rise - Nathaniel Morey John Gore’s servant
MORGAN  - Morgan Court - Peter Morgan A.B
NICHOLSON  - Nicholson Close - James Nicholson A.B
NOWELL - Nowell Court  - George Nowell A.B
ORTON  - Orton Rise - Richard Orton  Clerk
PARKER  - Parker Court - Isaac Parker 27 A.B
PARKINSON -  Sydney Parkinson Avenue - Sydney Parkinson (1745 to 1771) Natural History Artist

Sydney Parkinson

(National Library of Australia image) 

You can read more about Sydney Parkinson in the Australian Dictionary of Biography 

PAUL - Paul Court - Henry Paul Private
PECKOVER  - Peckover Court - William Peckover A.B
PERRY  - William Perry Close - William Perry Surgeon’s mate
PICKERSGILL  - Pickersgill Court - Richard Pickersgill  Master’s mate
PONTO -  Ponto Court - Antonio Ponto  A.B
PRESTON - Preston Avenue - Daniel Preston  Private
RAMSAY - Ramsay Court - John Ramsay  A.B
RAVENHILL  - Ravenhill Crescent - John Ravenhill  Sailmaker
REARDEN  - Rearden Close - Timothy Reardon  A.B
REYNOLDS - Reynolds Court - John Reynolds Charles Green’s servant
ROBERTS  - Roberts Court - James Roberts Joseph Bank’s servant  (5)
ROSSITER  - Rossiter Avenue - Thomas Rossiter Drummer (interesting occupation!)
SATTERLEY  - Satterley Close - John Satterley Carpenter
SIMMONDS  - Simmonds Place - Thomas Simmonds  A.B
SMITH  - Isaac Smith Street -  Isaac Smith Master’s mate
SOLANDER  - Daniel Solander Drive - Daniel Solander (1733 to 1782)  Naturalist

Daniel Solander by Harriet Gunn

(National Library of Australia image)

You can read more about Daniel Solander in the Australia Dictionary of Biography

SPORING - Sporing Court - Herman Sporing Assistant Naturalist
STAINSBY  - Stainsby Close - Robert Stainsby A.B
STEPHENS  - Stephens Close - Henry Stephens A.B
SUTHERLAND  - Sutherland Court - Forby Sutherland A.B
TAYLOR  - Taylor Court - Robert Taylor Armourer
TERRELL  - Terrell Close - Edward Terrell  John Satterley’s mate
THOMPSON  - Thompson Court - John Thompson  Cook
THURMOND  - Thurmond Court - John Thurmond  A.B
TRUSLOVE  - Truslove Court  - John Truslove  Corporal
TUNLEY  - Tunley Close - James Tunley  A.B
WILKINSON  - Wilkinson Way - Francis Wilkinson A.B
WILSHIRE  - Wilshire Court - William Wilshire Private
WOLF  - Wolf Court  - Archibald Wolf  A.B
WOODWORTH  - Woodworth Close - John Woodworth A.B

(1)  There were three Jones on the voyage. One was Samuel Jones, A.B. The third one was Thomas Jones, also an A.B.
(2)  There were two Jordans on the voyage. The other one was Thomas Jordan , a boatswain and Gathrey’s servant. I’m not sure which one the Court is named after.
(3)  There were two Littleboys on the voyage. The other was Richard Littleboy, A.B.    A copy of the “Endeavour Gazette”, the Endeavour Hills community newsletter lists Littleboy Rise as being named after Michael.
(4)  There were two Monkhouses on the voyage. The other was Jonathan, the brother of William. He was a  Midshipman.
(5) There were two Roberts on the voyage. The other was Daniel Roberts, a Gunner’s servant. I’m not sure which one the Court is named after.

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Endeavour Hills Library - 1980s

The Endeavour Hills Library was officially opened on May 31, 1987 by the Mayor of the City of Berwick, Cr Eddie Barron. Here are some photographs of the Library and the Library site from around this time.

This is the site of the Library, next to the Community Centre. The Community Centre opened October 17, 1982. The shopping centre had opened in 1979.

This is the Library site, before construction started.

The day of the opening. All participants received a commemorative bookmark, below.

Above and below, are two early photographs of the Library from 1987/1988.

 

The Library was renovated and extended in 2007.

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Frog Hollow Reserve, Endeavour Hills

Frog Hollow Reserve in Endeavour Hills has a number of sporting fields and is also an established wetlands  and  provides  a significant environmental and landscape corridor along the southern fringe of Endeavour Hills. The land has always been a bit swampy, low lying and  flood prone, due to its proximity to the Eumemmerring Creek, as well as a frog habitat and thus the name Frog Hollow was suggested by Cr Keith Wishart for the Reserve.* When the Reserve was first proposed around 1986, it was called the Hallam North Road Recreation Reserve. Frog Hollow is much more picturesque and sounds like something you would find in The Wind in the Willows.   These photographs were all taken by the City of Berwick.

These two photographs, above and below, were taken in May 1993, before replanting.

 There has been substantial planting of indigenous species since the establishment of the Reserve - the photograph above was taken in  August 1993. This planting has been continued by the Friends of Frog Hollow, which was established in 2002. The Friends have planted over 60,000 native trees.

September 1994.

Pavillion at Frog Hollow, taken September 1994.

This photograph is labelled ' Eumemmerring creek works opposite Frog Hollow' and was taken in September 1994. The friends of Frog Hollow are currently advocating for a walking/cycling track from Frog Hollow to Lysterfield Lake; this link should also improve wildlife habitat. There is an interview with Stephen Hallett, the President of the Frog Hollow Friends Group, which is part of the 52 stories in 52 weeks project, initiated by the Federal Member for Holt, Anthony Byrne. Click here for the link to the interview.
If the link doesn't work, you can find the interview, plus some other interesting interviews with local people who volunteer their time to make a difference to the Community at http://anthonybyrnemp.com and then click on Media.

*Place names of Berwick by Debbie Stephan (City of Casey Historical pamphlet 3, November 1994)

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Construction of the Endeavour Hills Leisure Centre

The Endeavour Hills Leisure Centre was officially opened on November 11, 1990 by the Mayor of the City of Berwick, Cr John Pandazopoulos. The building was designed by the Architectural firm of Millar Sainsbery and Mulcair and built by the Norman Lothian Corporation at a cost of around $4 million. Here are a series of construction shots, which also give some great views of the developing suburb of Endeavour Hills.

This is the commemorative brochure produced for the Opening and, below, is a plan of the Complex, taken from the brochure.

This is a panorama of the Endeavour Hills Library, Community Centre and Leisure Centre, most likely taken around 1990 when the Leisure Centre opened.

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Endeavour Hills - Farms and Housing Estates

In a previous blog post we looked at the development of the suburb of Endeavour Hills. This blog will look at some of the earlier history of the area.
An early landowner of the area was Thomas Herbert Power who had owned the Eumemmering Run from the 1850s. Power’s land extended from Power Road, almost to Berwick and north to Heatherton Road. Power sold some of his land, known as Grasmere in 1888. The land for sale on October 30 1888 was advertised some of the choicest land in the colony. Other land originally owned by Power had earlier been sold and a purchaser, Dr John Tremearne, built the Four Oaks homestead around 1885. Two of the original four oaks still remain.

Four Oaks homestead (c.1885) and one of the two remaining oak trees. Photograph was taken in 1987.

The suburb was named after Captain Cook’s ship, the Endeavour. Other suggested names at the time included Pine Hill and Piney Ridge, due to the number of pine trees in the area. The pine trees were also reflected in the names of farms in the area - from 1894 Captain Jules Commans owned land in the area, called The Pines. By the time he sold the land in November 1922 he owned 1330 acres (about 540 hectares) - both north and south of Heatherton Road. Commans was a stevedore and was one of the directors and founders of the Victorian Stevedoring Company. He died in 1937, aged 79. One of Comman's daughters, Ruby, married Frederich Fischer and their grandson is Tim Fischer, the former leader of the National Party, deputy Prime Minister, and now the Australian Ambassador to the Holy See. The Comman's land was later subdivided and sold off and one of the early purchasers, in 1930, was David Brown of the Essex Dairy in Dandenong. He called his farm Essex Park. Brown sold to Edgar and Dorothy Anderson around 1940 who built the house pictured below.

Essex Park homestead (c.1940).

Piney Ridge was the name of a 645 acre (260 hectares) farm owned by Charles & Ellen Hartley from 1942 and managed by Viv Campbell. This land at Crown Allotments 7 & 8, Parish of Eumemmering was also once part of Captain Comman's land and had been originally owned by Thomas Power. It was a Jersey dairy stud and notable for the high boundary fences built to keep out trespassers and to protect the prize cattle. It was also used in the Second War World for manoeuvres by the American and Australian troops camped at Rowville. The Jersey cattle were sold at a Clearing sale in 1950 and the Hartleys then raised beef cattle. The 117 cattle sold for over 8,000 guineas or about 8,400 pounds. To put this in perspective, an average house in the outer suburbs of Melbourne at the time cost about 3,000 pounds. Mr Campbell kept a scrapbook of the newspaper articles related to the Hartley enterprise and the breeding of Jersey cattle, which we have a copy of in our Archive.

The Advertisement for the sale of the Hartley Jersey stud, from the Gippsland & Northern Co-operator of November 2, 1950. This is from the Campbell collection of newspaper articles referred to above.

Another early farm in the area was Mossgiel Park, of 745 acres (300 hectares). This farm was owned from 1904 until 1943 by the Winter family and called Danderago. Later owners, Robert and James Picken, called their farm Mossgiel Park and this become the name of the housing estate, though according to the Shire of Berwick Rate books the Pickens only owned the farm from 1950 until 1954. Mossgiel Park was named after a farm of the same name leased by the Scottish poet, Robert Burns.

The Mossgiel Park Housing Estate off Heatherton Road was conceived in 1974. The plan above shows the 'conceptual layout' showing parks, schools and shops and the 'density of persons per acre'. The developers were Development Underwriting Limited. Another Housing Estate north of Heatherton Road was Chalcot Lodge Housing Estate. This was an A.V Jennings Estate, and started around 1974.

 

A photograph from the Chalcot Lodge development brochure produced by A.V Jennings. The photograph was captioned The Avenue, and shows some of the Endeavour Hills pine trees.

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Endeavour Hills

Endeavour Hills, early 1970s.

Endeavour Hills was officially gazetted as a suburb on July 14, 1971. According to the Endeavour Gazette : the official newsletter of Endeavour Hills, the project was first conceived in 1970 when Lewis Land Corporation purchased the 1,032 acre site (about 420 hectares). The developers wanted to create a modern suburb that would make use of as many advanced town planning ideas as possible. Endeavor Hills was designed with large areas of parks and sports grounds. Schools, Churches and shops were integrated into the design plan and all the power lines were underground. The first land sales, from the Lewis Land Corporation, took place on November 24, 1973.

The first Endeavour Gazette, where much of the information for this article came from.

As the suburb was being developed at the same time as the 200^th anniversary of the arrival of Captain Cook in the Endeavour, it was considered fitting to name the suburb after the Endeavour. There are over 80 streets in Endeavour Hills named after crew on the Endeavour. Daniel Solander was a Naturalist, Zachary Hicks Crescent was named after the second Lieutenant, Howson Close was named for William Howson, the Captain's servant, who joined the ship at age 16. Other streets in the suburb have been named after historical figures such as David Collins, Deputy Judge Advocate, who arrived with the First Fleet and later established the ill fated settlement at Sorrento and John Fawkner and Thomas Mitchell. Other early suggestions for names for the new suburb were Pine Hill and Piney Ridge, due to the number of pine trees in the area, as you can see in the photograph at the top of this post.

An early aerial view of Endeavour Hills. Click on the image to enlarge it.

The first stage of the development consisted of 312 sites. These sites were located on James Cook Drive ; Isaac Smith Drive and the six Closes running off Isaac Smith Drive - Nicholson, Rearden, Terrell, Howson, Manley and Slatterly ; Joseph Banks Crescent and the eight Courts off Joseph Banks Crescent - Hughes, Parker, Dawson, Jordan, Ramsay, Haite, Hardman and Sutherland. Early residents could choose from three different building companies and prices started at $14,500 for a 13.8 square house to $18,200 for a 17.25 square house. A block of land cost about $12,500.

Lewis Land Corporation Sales Office, early 1970s. 

The Sales Centre was on the corner of Heatherton Road and Joseph Banks Crescent.

An early sales brochure.

Endeavour Hills was promoted as a prestige suburb with good capital return, being close to Dandenong, near the Freeway and near the Churchill National Park. New residents received a voucher for a free supply of native plants and shrubs for their garden.

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