History Muru Mittigar first opened in 1998 as an initiative of the Aboriginal Community of Western Sydney. Muru Mittigar acknowledges the Darug people as the traditional custodians of the local area while creating an environment that maintains Aboriginal Cultural Heritage.

 

Aboriginal History Timeline
120,000 years ago	Land was being cleared by use of fire in the Lake George Basin area, NSW
30,700 years ago	Underground oven shows continuity, Lake Mungo, NSW
30,000 years ago	Evidence of bread making, oldest in the world, Cuddy Springs, Western NSW
22,000 years ago	Occupation site at Wentworth Falls, NSW
16,000 years ago	Hearths, stone and bone tools, Shaws Creek near Yarramundi, NSW
5,000 years ago	Occupation site, Penrith Lakes, NSW
1401	Chinese sailors visit near Darwin, evidence of 15th Century Ming statuette found
1770	Captain James Cook claims to take possession of the whole east coast of Australia
1788	Captain Phillip raises the Union Jack at Sydney Cove. Aboriginal resistance flares within a few days of arrival of the tall ships. Two convicts are killed at Rushcutters Bay, NSW
1789	Small pox epidemic decimate the Eora people around Sydney
1796	Pemulwuy, the first guerrilla fighter leads the Darug in the first organised 12-year long Aboriginal resistance to the invasion. After being shot seriously twice, and surviving both times, he is considered unable to be killed by bullets.
1803	Tasmanian settlement
1804	Three Hawkesbury Aboriginals negotiate with Governor King to retain some places on the lower part of the river saying they would not trouble the white man. Told King they objected to ever increasing settlement along the river. King agreed.
1813	Bennelong dies
1815	Governor Macquarie founds the Native Institute as a school for Aboriginal children of both sexes
1822	Windradyne leads Wiradjuri Resistance that will last for two years along the Murray River
1830	The Black Line, a major military offensive against Tasmanian Aborigines
1831	Yagan leads Nyungar Resistance in Western Australia for three years
1832	Bungaree dies
1833	Yagan is killed. His head is cut off and pickled. It is then sent to England as a Museum curiosity
1836 to 1853	Thousands of Kooris are killed by Europeans throughout Victoria
1838	June: Myall Creek Massacre, NSW, with many Kwiambal people killed by Europeans
1868	The first Australian Cricket Team to tour overseas leaves Australia for England; the team is all Aboriginal
1868	150 Aboriginal people are killed resisting arrest in the Kimberley's
1878	Truganini dies; against her wishes the Tasmanian Museum displays her bones. 100 years later, her bones are cremated and scattered onto the water
1888	The phrase 'White Australia Policy' appears in William Lane's Boomerang in Brisbane
1888	Aboriginal population reduced Australia wide to an estimated 80,000, reduced by 220,000
1888	almost three quarters of the pre-European population of 300,000 (Compare this number to the toll of 27,000 Australian combatants killed and 23,500 wounded in World War 2)
1906	The invalid and Old Age Pensioner Act provides social security for some but not for Aboriginal people.
1909	First Aboriginal person to play First Grade Rugby League was George Green playing for Eastern Suburbs
1914	Beginning of WWI. Approximately 400 to 500 Aboriginal continue to be removed from their families during the period 1914 to 1918, including children whose fathers are overseas at War.
1929	Lynch Cooper was named World Professional Sprinter Champion
1931	Eddie Gilbert bowled the great Donald Bradman for duck, in the fastest bowling spell Bradman said he ever faced
1932	William Ferguson forms the Aboriginal Progressive Association
1937	A Federal Conference in Canberra endorses a new assimilation policy
1938	Day of Mourning Conference and Protest
1939	Beginning of WWII. An estimated 3000 Aboriginal people and Islanders serve as formally enlisted soldiers, sailors or airmen. Aboriginal children continue to be removed from their families during the period 1939 to 1945, including children whose fathers are overseas at war
1948	Under the Commonwealth and Citizen Act 1948 (No. 83) all Aboriginals are now British subjects and Australian citizens
1948	Melbourne's first Moomba festival staged. Aboriginals at Cormanderk approached about naming the festival. They suggest "Moomba", telling the officials it means "Lets Get Together and have Fun!" Actually meaning "up your bum" the name was adopted and used to this day
1962	Commonwealth Electoral Act is amended so that all Aboriginal people may vote
1966	Charles Perkins leads Freedom Ride through western NSW protesting discrimination, segregation in places such as swimming pools and living conditions
1967	Referendum sees 92% vote to give the Commonwealth power to legislate for all Aboriginal People and open means for them to be counted in the Census
1968	Lionel Rose beats Bantamweight 'Fighting' Harada in Tokyo to become the first Aboriginal World Boxing Champion
1971	Aboriginal Flag is designed by Luritja artist Harold Thomas and flown for the first time in Adelaide
1971	Evonne Goolagong wins Wimbledon Women's Singles title
1975	Racial Discrimination Act is passed in the Federal Parliament. The Australian Senate unanimously endorses a resolution put up by Senator Neville Bonner acknowledging prior ownership of this country and seeking compensation for their dispossesion
1976	Pat O'Shane graduates from UNSW, becoming the first Aboriginal person to be admitted to the Bar
1978	Health statistics show that 48 in every 1000 Aboriginal babies in NT die before reaching 1 year of age. This compares to 1 baby in every 1000 in the white population. Of the 6000 Aboriginal children living in Sydney 4000 are underweight. Leprosy still occurs in the Aboriginal populations and alcohol is a serious problem
1982	Mark Ella named Australian of the Year
1982	Eddie Mabo commences proceedings in the High Court of Australia
1984	End of various "protection acts", which had existed since 1897 in Queensland. Under these laws Aboriginal people were effectively slave labourers; the wages for their labour were stolen by the State or never even claimed by the State from the employers. The issue of reparation is still unresolved.
1988	Tens of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people march through the streets of Sydney on 28 January (Australia Day) to celebrate their survival during the previous 200 years, while non-indigineous Australia commerates the bicentenarry of their immigration. Rename day 'Survival Day'
1992	The High Court of Australia rules in the Mabo case, recognising the special relationship that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have with the land
1999	Opening of Muru Mittigar.
2000	People's walk for Reconciliation over Sydney Harbour Bridge
2000	Cathy Freeman wins Gold at the Sydney Olympics

 

MURU MITTIGAR IS OPEN? Mondays to Fridays 9am to 4pm Saturdays 10am to 2pm Sundays by Appointment. Closed Christmas Day and New Years Day. Muru Mittigar How to Get Here Map 1951 Castlereagh Road Cranebrook NSW 2749 PH: (02) 4729 2377 Fax: (02) 4729 4193 Email Us : Muru Mittigar

 

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