Darkinyung people facts for kids
The Darkinyung are an Indigenous Australian people from New South Wales in Australia. They have a rich history and culture. Their traditional lands are located in the central coast region of New South Wales.
Darkinyung Homelands
The Darkinyung people lived on lands south of the Hunter River. Their territory stretched from Jerry's Plains towards Maitland. It reached south to Wollombi Brook and Putty Creek. Their lands also included the Macdonald, Colo, and Hawkesbury rivers. This area was their traditional homeland for thousands of years.
Early Encounters with Europeans
In 1789, Governor Arthur Phillip explored the Hawkesbury River. He met the local Darkinyung people during his journey. When he returned in 1791, his Aboriginal companions noticed something important. They said the Darkinyung people spoke a different language. Governor Phillip wrote that their "new friends had a language different from theirs." The British called these people "The Branch natives." They lived around the upper Hawkesbury, Richmond Hill, Kurrajong, and Springwood.
After European settlement, there were difficult times for the Darkinyung. In 1805, a group of settlers led by Andrew Thompson had a conflict with "The Branch" natives near Springwood.
In 1824, John Blaxland, Jnr, learned about the mountain people south of the Hunter River. They called their land Wallambine. Later, a new town in the area was named Wollombi. This led to the group being called the "Wollombi Tribe."
By the late 1800s, the Darkinyung population had greatly reduced. About 60 people remained, many of mixed heritage. They lived on a government reserve near the Hawkesbury River, about 12 miles (19 km) from Windsor. Only two very old men, Hoe Gooburra and Charley Clark, still knew the traditional ways. Thanks to them, much of the Darkinyung culture was recorded.
The Name Darkinyung
The name Darkinyung has been spelled in different ways over time. Some common spellings include Darkinyung (AIATSIS), Darkinjung (Tindale), Darkiñung (Ford), Darkinung, Darkin-yûng, Darkinyoong, and Darkinjang. These different spellings all refer to the same Indigenous Australian people.
