Skip to content

Journals of G.A. Robinson, May to August 1841

by Gary Presland

SourcesEthnologyHistory

In the mid 1800's John Batman arrived to establish a new Penal colony for the King of England and he named this new the Colony of Port Phillip. The town was named Melbourne and Melbourne today is the Capital of Victoria. The government of the time were hearing of the terrible treatment and murder of Aboriginal people so the government appointed G.A.Robinson as an Aboriginal Protector instructing him to put into place protective measures to protect Aboriginal people from the squatters and pastoralist. Augustus Robinson done nothing to protect the people he was appointed to protect instead he engaged Melbourne aboriginal people to travel with him around the state to assist him in engaging Aboriginal people to record their names,tibe names, customs and their accounts of violence from the squaters and pastoralists. Today however his journals are the mosts valuable account of Victoria's pastoralist and squatters, blood thirsty violence against Aboriginal people. Robinson also provided a invaluable account of Aboriginal customs, language and tribal boundaries. He records the Chief-Wunget of the Yiyar Tribe Baum Baum and his clan he also records being witness to Baum Baum becoming oversee

Writing a summary for young readers…

For young readers

Book data: Open Library