Top End Timeline Modern
Proto-history is history that is nor written down - it is used to cover the period of the majority of Macassan visitation to the coast. It includes the period during which there are Dutch claims to a part borne in the discovery of said coast. There is a comprehensive absence of either archaeological or documentary evidence in support of these claims. In our quest for the earliest alien contact on the north coast of Australia we are obliged to follow the Archaeological Axiom & work 'from the known to the unknown' - the former being Matthew Flinders, in the Investigator, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, in 1802.
There is a Summary of notable events to aid Pub Quiz cheats followed by a detailed Chronology of Events & Policies intended for researchers.
Summary
Proto-history - no original documents
1605 VOC vessel Duyfken claims to have charted the eastern Gulf of Carpentaria.
1623 VOC ships Arnhem & Pera claim to chart the eastern Gulf of Carpentaria – Arnhem claims inc. west side.
1636 VOC Pool Expedition Pool/Pieterszoon June at Tinganoo Bay - Klein-Amsterdam & Wesel.
1642 1st VOC Tasman Voyage misses Torres St. claim to have charted Gulf & Top End coasts.
1644 2nd Tasman Voyage miss Torres St. ships Limmen, Zeemeeuw & Braq ~ map' Gulf & coast to NW Cape in WA.
1705 Karslake alleged landing site of VOC Maarten van Delft Expedition.
1623 VOC ships Arnhem & Pera claim to chart the eastern Gulf of Carpentaria – Arnhem claims inc. west side.
1636 VOC Pool Expedition Pool/Pieterszoon June at Tinganoo Bay - Klein-Amsterdam & Wesel.
1642 1st VOC Tasman Voyage misses Torres St. claim to have charted Gulf & Top End coasts.
1644 2nd Tasman Voyage miss Torres St. ships Limmen, Zeemeeuw & Braq ~ map' Gulf & coast to NW Cape in WA.
1705 Karslake alleged landing site of VOC Maarten van Delft Expedition.
Historical
1802 At Sweers Island Flinders climbs the hill - sees that the land is unbroken where the inland sea is thought to have been. One landmass - a continent.
1803 Arnhemland as named by Flinders was all that part of Australia north of a line extending from the mouth of the Fitzmaurice River in the west to the mouth of the Roper River in the east. Both Darwin and Katherine are in the Arnhem Land as named by Flinders.
1803 21/01 Dr. Whitewood speared x 4 on Woodah Is. Thomas Morgan sun-stroke & died that night. Whitewood died next day. One ~ two ‘Indians’ killed.
1803 17/02 Thursday, Flinders meets Malay prau fleet master Pobassoo in English Company Islands where MH finds a VOC coin on Australia Day in 2018.
1803 17/12 Matthew Flinders a prisoner at Mauritius to June 14, 1810
1804 Flinders creates & smuggles to England 1st authentic Map of Continent of Australia showing Flinders’ original discoveries in the Gulf of Carpentaria - ergo New Holland & New South Wales one continent - earning him the naming rights - ‘Australia’ as 1st applied on this map.
1818-1819 PP King & JS Roe - Sailing x Elcho Is. westwards - arrive Tiwi Islands - sketched water basket gift & a cherubin trap – 1st such trap recorded.
1824 JS Roe bury proclamation & scatter coins at Record Pt, Pt Essington – no water - moved Melville Is. Site found by MH in 2017 PastMasters Expedition.
1824-1829 Fort Dundas founded on Melville Island – 1st free settlement in Australia closed 1829
1827-1829 Fort Wellington established at Raffles Bay by Captain Bremmer - abandoned 1829. All buildings etc went to (Perth) & Albany WA – 1st didgeridoo sketched.
1838-1849 Victoria Settlement Port Essington. Population never exceeded 78 NT Genealogical Soc. 1st Bark Paintings collected British Museum
1839 HMS Beagle at Escape Cliffs, Cape Hotham – discover the Adelaide River.
1839 Port Darwin discovered by Wickham & Stokes in HMS Beagle - dig a well which was located by PMs MH & MO in 2022
1845 Arrival at Victoria Settlement of explorer Ludwig Leichhardt.
1803 Arnhemland as named by Flinders was all that part of Australia north of a line extending from the mouth of the Fitzmaurice River in the west to the mouth of the Roper River in the east. Both Darwin and Katherine are in the Arnhem Land as named by Flinders.
1803 21/01 Dr. Whitewood speared x 4 on Woodah Is. Thomas Morgan sun-stroke & died that night. Whitewood died next day. One ~ two ‘Indians’ killed.
1803 17/02 Thursday, Flinders meets Malay prau fleet master Pobassoo in English Company Islands where MH finds a VOC coin on Australia Day in 2018.
1803 17/12 Matthew Flinders a prisoner at Mauritius to June 14, 1810
1804 Flinders creates & smuggles to England 1st authentic Map of Continent of Australia showing Flinders’ original discoveries in the Gulf of Carpentaria - ergo New Holland & New South Wales one continent - earning him the naming rights - ‘Australia’ as 1st applied on this map.
1818-1819 PP King & JS Roe - Sailing x Elcho Is. westwards - arrive Tiwi Islands - sketched water basket gift & a cherubin trap – 1st such trap recorded.
1824 JS Roe bury proclamation & scatter coins at Record Pt, Pt Essington – no water - moved Melville Is. Site found by MH in 2017 PastMasters Expedition.
1824-1829 Fort Dundas founded on Melville Island – 1st free settlement in Australia closed 1829
1827-1829 Fort Wellington established at Raffles Bay by Captain Bremmer - abandoned 1829. All buildings etc went to (Perth) & Albany WA – 1st didgeridoo sketched.
1838-1849 Victoria Settlement Port Essington. Population never exceeded 78 NT Genealogical Soc. 1st Bark Paintings collected British Museum
1839 HMS Beagle at Escape Cliffs, Cape Hotham – discover the Adelaide River.
1839 Port Darwin discovered by Wickham & Stokes in HMS Beagle - dig a well which was located by PMs MH & MO in 2022
1845 Arrival at Victoria Settlement of explorer Ludwig Leichhardt.
1862 24/07 JM Stuart crosses continent from S. to N. reaching coast at Chambers Bay - 70 miles east of Darwin.
1863 6/6 Queen Victoria authorised Letters Patent to for colony of SA to annex, from NSW, all of Alexander Land (as Stuart had called his discoveries).
1863 The Northern Territory of South Australia proclaimed - ended 1911.
1864 Escape Cliffs site of SA 1st shot at northern settlement – Horsehide Boat Journey – Forlorn Hope open boat voyage to WA – 1st photo taken in NT
1869 Fort Hill host the Union Flag flown by Goyder - a natural feature bulldozed in 1965 for landfill for short lived gas cylinder project.
1869 05/02 Goyder lands at Cable Beach in Port Darwin – establishes camp in the saddle between the Palmerston Plateau & Fort Hill.
1869 03/ The Telegraph Office opened at northern end of the OT Line
1870 15/09 ‘Planting’ of the 1st Telegraph Pole photo staged for Capt. Sweet’s camera.
1871 07/11 Landing of undersea cable for Overland Telegraph Line
1872 1st Payable Gold found south of Darwin during construction of the OT Line at Pine Creek
1872 13/02 1st NT cattle stations – pastoral leases – Edward Mead Bagot Snr on Undoolya Stn + Owen Springs Stn supply meat to the OT Line
1873 03/ Palmerston Telegraph Office was renamed the Port Darwin Telegraph Office.
1874 Walker Expedition, ‘20 whites killed by Balamumu at Blue Mud Bay, 40 Yolngu killed in reprisal’. Walker speared 9 Aug died next morning – Marshall badly wounded eventually made it back to the OT Line. 12 Aug 4 survivors + >4 Aboriginal assistants in retreat - natives after their horses surrounded them – Lorance fired shots 1 x pistol & 1 x rifle - they cleared off.
1878 Loch Ard disaster. Of the 54 crew and passengers aboard, only two survived, an apprentice Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael managed to drag themselves to the safety of the beach inside Loch Ard Gorge. For a moment, these two tragic teenagers were the talk of the English-speaking world, which very much hoped they would marry (they did not). Minton Loch Ard Peacock, one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880
1883 Lindsay Expedition - exploration of eastern Arnhem Land by surveyor David Lindsay who journeyed from Katherine, then down the Roper to its mouth, then north to the Koolatong River, then west to the Liverpool River and then back to Katherine.
1885 J A McCartney establish Florida Station, an area of 5,000 square miles (13,000 sq kms), South of Glyde Inlet. Direct result of the high praise of that country given by Lindsay in his report. Florida Station was abandoned in 1893.
1885 A massacre was allegedly perpetrated when Yolngu were fed poisoned horsemeat after they killed and ate some cattle. Another incident reportedly took place around 1895 when some Yolngu took a small amount of barbed wire from a coil to build fishing spears. In retaliation, men, women and children were allegedly chased & shot by mounted police & men on horseback from the Eastern & African Cold Storage Company.
1888 Florida Head Station situate 4 miles south of the navigable part of the river – on a bald hill surrounded by open country – to the east is Mount Delight – west of the Goyder River 100-200 yards from a chain of lagoons.
1863 6/6 Queen Victoria authorised Letters Patent to for colony of SA to annex, from NSW, all of Alexander Land (as Stuart had called his discoveries).
1863 The Northern Territory of South Australia proclaimed - ended 1911.
1864 Escape Cliffs site of SA 1st shot at northern settlement – Horsehide Boat Journey – Forlorn Hope open boat voyage to WA – 1st photo taken in NT
1869 Fort Hill host the Union Flag flown by Goyder - a natural feature bulldozed in 1965 for landfill for short lived gas cylinder project.
1869 05/02 Goyder lands at Cable Beach in Port Darwin – establishes camp in the saddle between the Palmerston Plateau & Fort Hill.
1869 03/ The Telegraph Office opened at northern end of the OT Line
1870 15/09 ‘Planting’ of the 1st Telegraph Pole photo staged for Capt. Sweet’s camera.
1871 07/11 Landing of undersea cable for Overland Telegraph Line
1872 1st Payable Gold found south of Darwin during construction of the OT Line at Pine Creek
1872 13/02 1st NT cattle stations – pastoral leases – Edward Mead Bagot Snr on Undoolya Stn + Owen Springs Stn supply meat to the OT Line
1873 03/ Palmerston Telegraph Office was renamed the Port Darwin Telegraph Office.
1874 Walker Expedition, ‘20 whites killed by Balamumu at Blue Mud Bay, 40 Yolngu killed in reprisal’. Walker speared 9 Aug died next morning – Marshall badly wounded eventually made it back to the OT Line. 12 Aug 4 survivors + >4 Aboriginal assistants in retreat - natives after their horses surrounded them – Lorance fired shots 1 x pistol & 1 x rifle - they cleared off.
1878 Loch Ard disaster. Of the 54 crew and passengers aboard, only two survived, an apprentice Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael managed to drag themselves to the safety of the beach inside Loch Ard Gorge. For a moment, these two tragic teenagers were the talk of the English-speaking world, which very much hoped they would marry (they did not). Minton Loch Ard Peacock, one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880
1883 Lindsay Expedition - exploration of eastern Arnhem Land by surveyor David Lindsay who journeyed from Katherine, then down the Roper to its mouth, then north to the Koolatong River, then west to the Liverpool River and then back to Katherine.
1885 J A McCartney establish Florida Station, an area of 5,000 square miles (13,000 sq kms), South of Glyde Inlet. Direct result of the high praise of that country given by Lindsay in his report. Florida Station was abandoned in 1893.
1885 A massacre was allegedly perpetrated when Yolngu were fed poisoned horsemeat after they killed and ate some cattle. Another incident reportedly took place around 1895 when some Yolngu took a small amount of barbed wire from a coil to build fishing spears. In retaliation, men, women and children were allegedly chased & shot by mounted police & men on horseback from the Eastern & African Cold Storage Company.
1888 Florida Head Station situate 4 miles south of the navigable part of the river – on a bald hill surrounded by open country – to the east is Mount Delight – west of the Goyder River 100-200 yards from a chain of lagoons.
1903 Arafura Station established over lease of 19,250 sq miles (50,000 sq km2 approx.) by Eastern & Africa Cold Storage & Supply Co Ltd. All but covered the whole of east Arnhemland south to the Wilton & Roper Rivers. This too was abandoned in 1908, the main reasons being an inability to control herds over such a large area together with the constant harassment of stock and personnel by the Aboriginals.
1906/7 Last fleet of Macassan trepang fishermen SA Govt. tax kills a dead industry.
1907 'Angelina' a 20hp Talbot (Rego. 319 became the 1st automobile to enter the NT - breaking down south of Tennant Creek OT Station.
1908 'Overlander' a 25hp Talbot (Rego 474) became the 1st motorcar to cross the continent, Adelaide to Darwin, driven by Harry Dutton & Murray Aunger & accompanied by the Alice Springs OT station officer Ernest Allchurch. They repaired Angelina which made it to Pine Creek where is died and was loaded onto the train for Darwin which the 3 men reached in the 'Overlander' on 20th August under their own steam.
1908 Victorian Anglican Missionary society (CMS) start Roper Mission approx. 50 km from current location at Ngukurr.
1911 NT move from SA to Commonwealth admin – Palmerston renamed Darwin as Telegraph address was Port Darwin & Stuart become Alice Springs
1911/12 Sir Baldwin Spencer, Special Commissioner for Aboriginals & Chief Protector made first detailed study of Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land.
1912 Interdenominational committee formed to divide the NT into areas of responsibility between the Churches - e.g. NE Arnhem, Goulburn & Croker Is. Methodist, Groote & Numbulwar, Ngukurr & Oenpelli Anglican, Tiwi Catholic.
1913 Methodists accept Arnhem Land as sphere of missionary work.
1914 Construction begins of Vesteys Darwin meatworks on Bullocky Point – first killing season 1917.
1916 04/ Rev. Warren, Joynt, Burke, h/caste and 2 Aboriginals visit Rose River on way to Groote in the Evangel.
1916 23/06 Rev Watson & Lawrence start Goulburn Island Mission. Watson wrote “Darwin the Dammed, leprosy spreading and VD rife”.
1916 28/09/ Avis Party left Roper mission, police punitive expedition after h/caste deaths at Rose River.
1917 Arnhem Land tertian malaria epidemic.
1918 18/07 CMS Bishop Newton of Carpentaria visits Groote & proposes Arnhem Land Reserve as 50 year buffer for assimilation.
1920 Proclamation of the first Aboriginal Reserve around Oenpelli Mission as an attempt to control the contact between the Aboriginals and the European buffalo shooters. By this time Missions set at Roper River & Groote Eylandt (Church Missionary Society) & Goulburn Island (Methodist).
1920 West Arnhem Land Reserve proclaimed 2,000 sq miles including Oenpelli station contiguous upon the Arnhem Land Reserve of 37,167 sq. miles.
1920 Half-caste Aboriginal institutions started in Alice Springs and Darwin.
1920 Groote Eylandt gazetted as Aboriginal Reserve.
1920/21 1st NT road fatality - Munkora Illortaminni of Bathurst Island is said to have dropped dead when he saw his first motor vehicle in Darwin. Mulankinya was the first man to sight Bishop Gsell when he first went to Bathurst Island. Mulankinya told his father Munkora.
1921 Rev. Jennison reconnoiters Elcho Is, for 1st E. Arnhem mission - finds bitumen at Black Rocks & sends it for assay to Dr Hill (Dentist) in Darwin
1921 01/08 Emerald River Mission began – H.E. Warren - for h/cast children from Roper River mission (Euralians).
1921 24/10 Dr. S.E. Hill (dentist) formed a syndicate and lodged an application for a Mineral Oil and Coal Licence over Elcho Is.
1922 Methodist Missionary Society obtained lease of 200 sq. miles of Elcho Island
1922 1/5 Monday 1922 Rev. Jennison & wife, after a rough night riding at anchor, land at Elcho to start 1st Methodist Mission in East Arnhem Land
Jennison founds Elcho Is. Mission – designed as an agribusiness
1922 24/10 Dr. S.E. Hill forms a syndicate and lodges an application for a Mineral Oil & Coal Licence over Elcho Island.
1923 After receiving a glowing report from their prospector Eugene P. Zakharov the syndicate formed the Elcho Island Naphtha Petroleum Company Limited, raised a £200,000 loan, obtained a Mineral Oil and Coal Licence over Elcho Is.
1923 Naphtha Petroleum Co, starts on Elcho drilling “within sight of the Mission house” - on the hill between the current water tanks & clinic.
1923 Elcho Mission closes & moves to Milingimbi Is. under Rev. Watson.
1923 Rev James Watson starts Milingimbi Mission – relocate 1st houses etc constructed by J.C. Markey - Watson quits Milingimbi 1926 & dies 1946.
1923 Emerald River Mission destroyed by cyclone & relocate to new site 1km up-stream.
1923 2nd Emerald River Mission begun following cyclone - lasted until 1943.
1923 29/3 Douglas Mawson disappeared in Gulf of Carpentaria no trace ever found – white women survivors ‘captives’ at Numbulwar were albino Aboriginals. A scam by the architect of the Naphtha Mine – Govt. paid to hire the Huddersfield ‘Snail of the Sea’ for a pointless search.
1906/7 Last fleet of Macassan trepang fishermen SA Govt. tax kills a dead industry.
1907 'Angelina' a 20hp Talbot (Rego. 319 became the 1st automobile to enter the NT - breaking down south of Tennant Creek OT Station.
1908 'Overlander' a 25hp Talbot (Rego 474) became the 1st motorcar to cross the continent, Adelaide to Darwin, driven by Harry Dutton & Murray Aunger & accompanied by the Alice Springs OT station officer Ernest Allchurch. They repaired Angelina which made it to Pine Creek where is died and was loaded onto the train for Darwin which the 3 men reached in the 'Overlander' on 20th August under their own steam.
1908 Victorian Anglican Missionary society (CMS) start Roper Mission approx. 50 km from current location at Ngukurr.
1911 NT move from SA to Commonwealth admin – Palmerston renamed Darwin as Telegraph address was Port Darwin & Stuart become Alice Springs
1911/12 Sir Baldwin Spencer, Special Commissioner for Aboriginals & Chief Protector made first detailed study of Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land.
1912 Interdenominational committee formed to divide the NT into areas of responsibility between the Churches - e.g. NE Arnhem, Goulburn & Croker Is. Methodist, Groote & Numbulwar, Ngukurr & Oenpelli Anglican, Tiwi Catholic.
1913 Methodists accept Arnhem Land as sphere of missionary work.
1914 Construction begins of Vesteys Darwin meatworks on Bullocky Point – first killing season 1917.
1916 04/ Rev. Warren, Joynt, Burke, h/caste and 2 Aboriginals visit Rose River on way to Groote in the Evangel.
1916 23/06 Rev Watson & Lawrence start Goulburn Island Mission. Watson wrote “Darwin the Dammed, leprosy spreading and VD rife”.
1916 28/09/ Avis Party left Roper mission, police punitive expedition after h/caste deaths at Rose River.
1917 Arnhem Land tertian malaria epidemic.
1918 18/07 CMS Bishop Newton of Carpentaria visits Groote & proposes Arnhem Land Reserve as 50 year buffer for assimilation.
1920 Proclamation of the first Aboriginal Reserve around Oenpelli Mission as an attempt to control the contact between the Aboriginals and the European buffalo shooters. By this time Missions set at Roper River & Groote Eylandt (Church Missionary Society) & Goulburn Island (Methodist).
1920 West Arnhem Land Reserve proclaimed 2,000 sq miles including Oenpelli station contiguous upon the Arnhem Land Reserve of 37,167 sq. miles.
1920 Half-caste Aboriginal institutions started in Alice Springs and Darwin.
1920 Groote Eylandt gazetted as Aboriginal Reserve.
1920/21 1st NT road fatality - Munkora Illortaminni of Bathurst Island is said to have dropped dead when he saw his first motor vehicle in Darwin. Mulankinya was the first man to sight Bishop Gsell when he first went to Bathurst Island. Mulankinya told his father Munkora.
1921 Rev. Jennison reconnoiters Elcho Is, for 1st E. Arnhem mission - finds bitumen at Black Rocks & sends it for assay to Dr Hill (Dentist) in Darwin
1921 01/08 Emerald River Mission began – H.E. Warren - for h/cast children from Roper River mission (Euralians).
1921 24/10 Dr. S.E. Hill (dentist) formed a syndicate and lodged an application for a Mineral Oil and Coal Licence over Elcho Is.
1922 Methodist Missionary Society obtained lease of 200 sq. miles of Elcho Island
1922 1/5 Monday 1922 Rev. Jennison & wife, after a rough night riding at anchor, land at Elcho to start 1st Methodist Mission in East Arnhem Land
Jennison founds Elcho Is. Mission – designed as an agribusiness
1922 24/10 Dr. S.E. Hill forms a syndicate and lodges an application for a Mineral Oil & Coal Licence over Elcho Island.
1923 After receiving a glowing report from their prospector Eugene P. Zakharov the syndicate formed the Elcho Island Naphtha Petroleum Company Limited, raised a £200,000 loan, obtained a Mineral Oil and Coal Licence over Elcho Is.
1923 Naphtha Petroleum Co, starts on Elcho drilling “within sight of the Mission house” - on the hill between the current water tanks & clinic.
1923 Elcho Mission closes & moves to Milingimbi Is. under Rev. Watson.
1923 Rev James Watson starts Milingimbi Mission – relocate 1st houses etc constructed by J.C. Markey - Watson quits Milingimbi 1926 & dies 1946.
1923 Emerald River Mission destroyed by cyclone & relocate to new site 1km up-stream.
1923 2nd Emerald River Mission begun following cyclone - lasted until 1943.
1923 29/3 Douglas Mawson disappeared in Gulf of Carpentaria no trace ever found – white women survivors ‘captives’ at Numbulwar were albino Aboriginals. A scam by the architect of the Naphtha Mine – Govt. paid to hire the Huddersfield ‘Snail of the Sea’ for a pointless search.
1926 27/02 Milingimbi - 350 Aboriginals at Church.
1926-1929 W. Lloyd Warner American, anthropologist, made two field trips to EAL – stayed with Shepherdsons at Milingimbi. His sentinel work – A Black Civilisation – began the Murngin Controversy – descendants of which clan live at Mirrinatja homeland of Gapuwiyak.
1926 03/ Elcho Naphtha mine closes – only found water.
1926 Christmas at Milingimbi 260 Aboriginals – normal population 520.
1928 Harold & Ella Shepherdson arrive at Milingimbi to start 50 years in Arnhem Land.
1928 Donald Mackay Exploration of Arnhem Land
1929 First nurse at Milingimbi, Sr. Lambert
1929 30/08 Milingimbi station diary for one week – 2 murders & 1 dead child.
1930 Whooping Cough epidemic followed by Measles & Sandy Blight – 6 children die at Milingimbi.
1931 14/04 East Arnhem Land Reserve proclaimed 37,167 sq. m. – Aboriginal population 3,000.
1932 Australian Government assumes responsibility for half-castes.
1932 09/ Caledon Bay Yolngu kill 5 Japanese trepangers – their lugger washed up at Bickerton’s Island.
1932 Massacre of the Japanese crew of a vessel in Caledon Bay which, together with the subsequent police expeditions, drew Australia-wide attention to the area and its peoples and began the aura of 'mystery' and adventure that seems to have attached itself to the country ever since. The result is that it is only that part of the original Arnhem Land which was proclaimed an Aboriginal Reserve in 1931 that is today so described by writers and the public generally.
1932/33 Rev. Shepherdson at Milingimbi builds & flies 1st aeroplane in NT – Heath Parasol
1933 Half-castes transferred from Emerald River to Roper Mission.
1933 Aboriginals granted minimum wage 5 shillings per week + food, tobacco & clothes.
1933 26/10 Board of Missions resolved to seek Govt. assistance to start a mission.
1933 10/ Spearing of Fagan & Traynor at Caledon Bay – Caledon Bay Peace Expedition
1933-34 Police Party comprised of Ted Morey, Albert McColl, Jack Mahoney and Vic Hall seeking the perpetrators travelled to Woodah Island where McColl was speared by Tuckiar (Dagiar). The Arnhem Land Peace Expedition was raised by missionaries after murders at Caledon Bay and Constable McColl. With help of Fred Grey brought Tuckiar to Darwin for trial that began in 1934 - condemned to death then pardoned after a public outcry – he left prison and was never seen again. Reputedly killed by Police in Darwin harbour - never admitted publicly. The total silence of the Missions is an anomaly – the subsequent death of an Aboriginal of uncommon stature & bearing occurred at Shepperton in Victoria – he was said to have arrived unannounced around this time.
1934 Minister for Interior sends Dr. C.C. Fenton to inspect Milingimbi Mission “Condition good”.
1934 St David’s Anglican Church built in Trial Bay.
1935 11/ Yirrkala Mission founded by Rev. Chaseling. After one year, population from 50 to 100. Site selected by Rev. Shepherdson
1935 Gapuwiyak (Lake Evella) sighted by Shepherdson from air. (Evelyn & Ella)
1938 Qantas flying boat base opened at Port Langdon on Groote Eylandt. – Catalina Base WW11
1938 Founding of Umbakumba on Little Lagoon by Fred Grey
1939/1940 Roper & Groote Half-castes evacuated to Mulgoa NSW. Croker & all non-Ab female staff was 1942.
1942 19/02 Bombing of Darwin – Darwin Blitz began 10 days later.
1942 Milingimbi Mission completes contract to construct military airfield.
1942 03/07 Shepherdsons leave Milingimbi to re-start Elcho Is. Mission as temporary wartime measure.
1942 19/05 RAAF Wackett GannetA14-6 crashed on Gurrumurru floodplain and began 33 Days raft by crew to Elcho where rescued by aboriginals.
1943 22/01 Sinking HMAS Patricia Cam by Japanese floatplane – Rev. Len Kentish captured & beheaded at Dobo in Aru Islands.
1943 20/04 P/O William Gove - Hudson navigator mid-air fatal out of Milingimbi – wreck on Rabuma Is. Gove Peninsular & airport named for him.
1943 09/05 Bombing Milingimbi - sinking of HMAS Maroubra on north side of barge landing channel
1943 06/08 SS Macumba sunk - two Jap planes - direct hit engine room. George Dew & Harold Keller buried Berrimah W/Cemetery - survivors aboard Cootamundra.
1943 Gove Air Base held three units: 83 Sqd flying Boomerangs & 13 Squadron flying Venturas and 42 Sqd flying Catalinas at Drimmie Head base.
1943 Founding of Angurugu Mission – relocate from Emerald River adjacent to active RAAF air base.
1945 13th century African coins from Kilwa found on Wessel Islands by RAAF radar op. M. Isenberg – oldest alien artefacts found in Australia
1945 Voyage of the Lady Yetive from Darwin to Gulf recovering remains of casualties from the war – except those of HMAS Patricia Cam.
1947 Prof. Elkin begins Assimilation Policy.
1948 American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land under J.P. Mountford - arrive at Milingimbi
1926-1929 W. Lloyd Warner American, anthropologist, made two field trips to EAL – stayed with Shepherdsons at Milingimbi. His sentinel work – A Black Civilisation – began the Murngin Controversy – descendants of which clan live at Mirrinatja homeland of Gapuwiyak.
1926 03/ Elcho Naphtha mine closes – only found water.
1926 Christmas at Milingimbi 260 Aboriginals – normal population 520.
1928 Harold & Ella Shepherdson arrive at Milingimbi to start 50 years in Arnhem Land.
1928 Donald Mackay Exploration of Arnhem Land
1929 First nurse at Milingimbi, Sr. Lambert
1929 30/08 Milingimbi station diary for one week – 2 murders & 1 dead child.
1930 Whooping Cough epidemic followed by Measles & Sandy Blight – 6 children die at Milingimbi.
1931 14/04 East Arnhem Land Reserve proclaimed 37,167 sq. m. – Aboriginal population 3,000.
1932 Australian Government assumes responsibility for half-castes.
1932 09/ Caledon Bay Yolngu kill 5 Japanese trepangers – their lugger washed up at Bickerton’s Island.
1932 Massacre of the Japanese crew of a vessel in Caledon Bay which, together with the subsequent police expeditions, drew Australia-wide attention to the area and its peoples and began the aura of 'mystery' and adventure that seems to have attached itself to the country ever since. The result is that it is only that part of the original Arnhem Land which was proclaimed an Aboriginal Reserve in 1931 that is today so described by writers and the public generally.
1932/33 Rev. Shepherdson at Milingimbi builds & flies 1st aeroplane in NT – Heath Parasol
1933 Half-castes transferred from Emerald River to Roper Mission.
1933 Aboriginals granted minimum wage 5 shillings per week + food, tobacco & clothes.
1933 26/10 Board of Missions resolved to seek Govt. assistance to start a mission.
1933 10/ Spearing of Fagan & Traynor at Caledon Bay – Caledon Bay Peace Expedition
1933-34 Police Party comprised of Ted Morey, Albert McColl, Jack Mahoney and Vic Hall seeking the perpetrators travelled to Woodah Island where McColl was speared by Tuckiar (Dagiar). The Arnhem Land Peace Expedition was raised by missionaries after murders at Caledon Bay and Constable McColl. With help of Fred Grey brought Tuckiar to Darwin for trial that began in 1934 - condemned to death then pardoned after a public outcry – he left prison and was never seen again. Reputedly killed by Police in Darwin harbour - never admitted publicly. The total silence of the Missions is an anomaly – the subsequent death of an Aboriginal of uncommon stature & bearing occurred at Shepperton in Victoria – he was said to have arrived unannounced around this time.
1934 Minister for Interior sends Dr. C.C. Fenton to inspect Milingimbi Mission “Condition good”.
1934 St David’s Anglican Church built in Trial Bay.
1935 11/ Yirrkala Mission founded by Rev. Chaseling. After one year, population from 50 to 100. Site selected by Rev. Shepherdson
1935 Gapuwiyak (Lake Evella) sighted by Shepherdson from air. (Evelyn & Ella)
1938 Qantas flying boat base opened at Port Langdon on Groote Eylandt. – Catalina Base WW11
1938 Founding of Umbakumba on Little Lagoon by Fred Grey
1939/1940 Roper & Groote Half-castes evacuated to Mulgoa NSW. Croker & all non-Ab female staff was 1942.
1942 19/02 Bombing of Darwin – Darwin Blitz began 10 days later.
1942 Milingimbi Mission completes contract to construct military airfield.
1942 03/07 Shepherdsons leave Milingimbi to re-start Elcho Is. Mission as temporary wartime measure.
1942 19/05 RAAF Wackett GannetA14-6 crashed on Gurrumurru floodplain and began 33 Days raft by crew to Elcho where rescued by aboriginals.
1943 22/01 Sinking HMAS Patricia Cam by Japanese floatplane – Rev. Len Kentish captured & beheaded at Dobo in Aru Islands.
1943 20/04 P/O William Gove - Hudson navigator mid-air fatal out of Milingimbi – wreck on Rabuma Is. Gove Peninsular & airport named for him.
1943 09/05 Bombing Milingimbi - sinking of HMAS Maroubra on north side of barge landing channel
1943 06/08 SS Macumba sunk - two Jap planes - direct hit engine room. George Dew & Harold Keller buried Berrimah W/Cemetery - survivors aboard Cootamundra.
1943 Gove Air Base held three units: 83 Sqd flying Boomerangs & 13 Squadron flying Venturas and 42 Sqd flying Catalinas at Drimmie Head base.
1943 Founding of Angurugu Mission – relocate from Emerald River adjacent to active RAAF air base.
1945 13th century African coins from Kilwa found on Wessel Islands by RAAF radar op. M. Isenberg – oldest alien artefacts found in Australia
1945 Voyage of the Lady Yetive from Darwin to Gulf recovering remains of casualties from the war – except those of HMAS Patricia Cam.
1947 Prof. Elkin begins Assimilation Policy.
1948 American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land under J.P. Mountford - arrive at Milingimbi
1950 Measles/Whooping cough epidemic 29 dead at Groote – 9 of dysentery. Mass hookworm treatment at Elcho.
1950 12/ Govt. has missions issue tobacco as part of rations – no tobacco no grants - attempt to stop prostitution for tobacco. 3 CMS Missions refuse – 6 missionaries resign.
1952 First systematic geographical survey of East Arnhem Land.
1952 Beulah Lowe – 1st trained teacher arrives Milingimbi
1952 14/08 Numbulwar Mission commenced with the Curtis & Arabia sailing from Roper.
1953 End of Welfare era beginning of Assimilation Era that last until 1972.
1954 30/06/ Govt signs Service Agreements for funding of Missions.
1957 Welfare Ordinance begun – Register of Wards last accurate Aboriginal population survey.
1957 Maningrida founded. Four members of staff departed Darwin for the Liverpool River and began the foundation work for what was to become Maningrida. They comprised Mr and Mrs Dave Drysdale, Ted Egan and Trevor Milliken. (Len Evans Report)
1958 17/02/ Fred Grey hands Umbakumba over to CMS control under Keith Hart.
1959 Last Yolngu ‘king’ Wonggu dies in flu epidemic at Yirrkala.
1959 Social Security Benefits paid to Aboriginals.
1960 BHP wins exploration rights in east Arnhem Land – pushes tracks up from Mainoru into the Reserve and a road through the Mitchell Ranges.
1960 Commonwealth Bureau of Mineral Resources indicates manganese of Groote.
1962 Bauxite Mine on Gove Peninsular. When the various areas required for mining, the town, the port. the water supply. etc were determined, the government excised them from the Reserve - giving rise to the 'Bark Painting Petition' to the Federal Parliament, which resulted in the setting up in 1963 of the Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the grievances of the Yirrkala Aborigines. The Chairman was Roger Dean who was later to become an Administrator of NT. Other notables on the Committee were Kim Beasley, Don Chipp, Gordon Bryant and Jock Nelson.
1962 CMS on behalf of Aboriginal people take out a mining & prospecting authority on 200sq.m mission lease on Groote.
1963 BHP commences mining on Groote
1963 Bark Petition sent to federal Govt protesting at Nabalco bauxite mining at Yirrkala
1964 Len Evans, in association with the Forestry Department, to break a dry season vehicle track between Oenpelli and Maningrida. The crossing of the Liverpool River was made at the identical spot where David Lindsay crossed eighty years earlier in 1883. There was already a small Aboriginal community at Nangalala on the Glyde Inlet. As a result of our 1964 visit a larger outstation known as Ramingining was eventually established.
1965 Town/Community Councils begun to formalise old mission village councils.
1966 01/02/ Umbakumba transferred from CMS to Welfare Branch.
1967 Referendum 895 constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) Act gives Federal Govt. power to legislate for Aboriginal people everywhere.
1968 Nabalco & Aust. Govt. mining lease excised from Arnhem Land Reserve.
1968 Typhoid epidemic at Elcho & Yirrkala
1969 Gapuwiyak started by Mr & Mrs Groff Davey.
1972 Nabalco mine & Gove township official opening. Name later changed to Nhulunbuy at request of Aboriginal people.
1972 10/ End Assimilation Era – start of Self-Determination Era – land rights – National Aboriginal Consultative Committee (NACC) – bilingual education, incorporation of communities and modern era homelands movement. Aboriginals enumeration included in Census - ending accurate health data by Aboriginality.
1972 Gove District Hospital opened – 64 beds – all filled until boycott by Yolngu over rumour of poisoned needles.
1973 First official bilingual education Yirrkala – Mandahuwuy.
1977 Shepherdson’s leave Arnhem Land after 50 years.
1978 Northern Territory granted self-government.
1981 Gapuwiyak population reaches 100.
1989 02/ First homelands health service in EAL started by Laynhapuy Homelands Assn. Funded jointly by NT Health & ATSIC. First RN Karen Dempsey - credited with identification of Groote Eylandt Syndrome as an hereditary ataxia during creation of a patient database and the formation of a research team that positively identified Machado Joseph Disease when Dr. Tim Burt attended Azores conference with funding from Miwatj Health.
1991 First EAL community resident doctor at Elcho Is. Dr. Harvey Graham – clinic equipped with ultrasound and x-ray. Resident doctors first proposed by Donald Thompson in 1936.
2005 16/03/ ATSIC/ATSIS abolished following major financial impropriety by a Qld Regional Manager & flight to SE Asia.
2008 01/06/ End of local Community Government era. Start of Regional Local Government under the Shires. End of Remote Community Identity.
1950 12/ Govt. has missions issue tobacco as part of rations – no tobacco no grants - attempt to stop prostitution for tobacco. 3 CMS Missions refuse – 6 missionaries resign.
1952 First systematic geographical survey of East Arnhem Land.
1952 Beulah Lowe – 1st trained teacher arrives Milingimbi
1952 14/08 Numbulwar Mission commenced with the Curtis & Arabia sailing from Roper.
1953 End of Welfare era beginning of Assimilation Era that last until 1972.
1954 30/06/ Govt signs Service Agreements for funding of Missions.
1957 Welfare Ordinance begun – Register of Wards last accurate Aboriginal population survey.
1957 Maningrida founded. Four members of staff departed Darwin for the Liverpool River and began the foundation work for what was to become Maningrida. They comprised Mr and Mrs Dave Drysdale, Ted Egan and Trevor Milliken. (Len Evans Report)
1958 17/02/ Fred Grey hands Umbakumba over to CMS control under Keith Hart.
1959 Last Yolngu ‘king’ Wonggu dies in flu epidemic at Yirrkala.
1959 Social Security Benefits paid to Aboriginals.
1960 BHP wins exploration rights in east Arnhem Land – pushes tracks up from Mainoru into the Reserve and a road through the Mitchell Ranges.
1960 Commonwealth Bureau of Mineral Resources indicates manganese of Groote.
1962 Bauxite Mine on Gove Peninsular. When the various areas required for mining, the town, the port. the water supply. etc were determined, the government excised them from the Reserve - giving rise to the 'Bark Painting Petition' to the Federal Parliament, which resulted in the setting up in 1963 of the Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the grievances of the Yirrkala Aborigines. The Chairman was Roger Dean who was later to become an Administrator of NT. Other notables on the Committee were Kim Beasley, Don Chipp, Gordon Bryant and Jock Nelson.
1962 CMS on behalf of Aboriginal people take out a mining & prospecting authority on 200sq.m mission lease on Groote.
1963 BHP commences mining on Groote
1963 Bark Petition sent to federal Govt protesting at Nabalco bauxite mining at Yirrkala
1964 Len Evans, in association with the Forestry Department, to break a dry season vehicle track between Oenpelli and Maningrida. The crossing of the Liverpool River was made at the identical spot where David Lindsay crossed eighty years earlier in 1883. There was already a small Aboriginal community at Nangalala on the Glyde Inlet. As a result of our 1964 visit a larger outstation known as Ramingining was eventually established.
1965 Town/Community Councils begun to formalise old mission village councils.
1966 01/02/ Umbakumba transferred from CMS to Welfare Branch.
1967 Referendum 895 constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) Act gives Federal Govt. power to legislate for Aboriginal people everywhere.
1968 Nabalco & Aust. Govt. mining lease excised from Arnhem Land Reserve.
1968 Typhoid epidemic at Elcho & Yirrkala
1969 Gapuwiyak started by Mr & Mrs Groff Davey.
1972 Nabalco mine & Gove township official opening. Name later changed to Nhulunbuy at request of Aboriginal people.
1972 10/ End Assimilation Era – start of Self-Determination Era – land rights – National Aboriginal Consultative Committee (NACC) – bilingual education, incorporation of communities and modern era homelands movement. Aboriginals enumeration included in Census - ending accurate health data by Aboriginality.
1972 Gove District Hospital opened – 64 beds – all filled until boycott by Yolngu over rumour of poisoned needles.
1973 First official bilingual education Yirrkala – Mandahuwuy.
1977 Shepherdson’s leave Arnhem Land after 50 years.
1978 Northern Territory granted self-government.
1981 Gapuwiyak population reaches 100.
1989 02/ First homelands health service in EAL started by Laynhapuy Homelands Assn. Funded jointly by NT Health & ATSIC. First RN Karen Dempsey - credited with identification of Groote Eylandt Syndrome as an hereditary ataxia during creation of a patient database and the formation of a research team that positively identified Machado Joseph Disease when Dr. Tim Burt attended Azores conference with funding from Miwatj Health.
1991 First EAL community resident doctor at Elcho Is. Dr. Harvey Graham – clinic equipped with ultrasound and x-ray. Resident doctors first proposed by Donald Thompson in 1936.
2005 16/03/ ATSIC/ATSIS abolished following major financial impropriety by a Qld Regional Manager & flight to SE Asia.
2008 01/06/ End of local Community Government era. Start of Regional Local Government under the Shires. End of Remote Community Identity.