Darumbal History

Pre Contact

The Darumbal people lived in harmony with their country. There were four clan groups which constituted the Darumbal Nation. Our clans all lived within their own territorial boundaries they considered theirs, these boundaries were marked by Mountains, Creeks, Tree’s all-natural landmarks.

Timeline

1802 – Darumbal people made contact with Matthew Flinders as he sailed up the east coast of Queensland

1853 – The first Europeans to venture by land into Darumbal Country were pastoralist, Charles and William Archer

1854 – Darumbal People where removed from their Traditional Country

1855 – Recorded 3000 Darumbal People living on Country

1855-1900 – This period seen great change, challenges and harsh treatment of the Darumbal People.

1860 – Darumbal People were dispersed of, often violently from their land this was called the frontier wars. Those Darumbal people who survived this period were then moved onto government-run Missions, the closest one being 200 Km away at Woorabinda or Cherbourg being 451 Km South from Darumbal Country.

1900 – Recorded 100 Darumbal People survived to be the grandparents of the current Darumbal generation

1991 – the repatriation of 3 Darumbal Men and 2 Darumbal Women were returned to Darumbal People. Warren Malone, Trevor Hatfield, Doug Hatfield & Nyoka Hatfield laid our Ancestors to rest on Darumbal Country.

1992 – Aboriginal people where recognised by the Australian High Court as being occupants of the country with their own social and political systems and had been for countless centuries.

1992 – Darumbal Elders Aunty Irene Hatfield and Aunty Mabel Edmunds were approached alongside Irene’s sons Doug, Robin, Trevor and David Hatfield to help stop the sand mining in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

1992-2002 – Darumbal formed Darumbal-Noolar Murree Aboriginal Corporation for Land and Culture, to look after Land and Sea Country

1993 – Darumbal People/Families started their Native Title Determination Land Claim. Darumbal Families selected their Representatives – Dougie Hatfield, Pauline Cora, Warren Malone, Bill Mann, Vanessa Ross to be the Applicant on the Native Title Claim.

1997 – Doug Hatfield on behalf of the Darumbal People registered our Native Title Claim

1999 – Present Marlborough Nickle project was signed between the Darumbal and Marlborough Nickle. Darumbal were the first group to go through the Section 29 notice.

2001 – Present Darumbal entered into a joint venture cattle enterprise on Coorumburra Station partnering with Barada-Barna-Kabalbara-Yetimarala (BBKY)

2005 – Darumbal Descendant Mr Alan Douglas Hatfield Founded Darumbal Enterprise Pty Ltd (Registered Cultural Heritage body for the Darumbal Claim Area) Darumbal Enterprises handles all the Cultural Heritage Management business and the Day to Day business of and on behalf of Darumbal People Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC

2007 – Mt Wheeler was formally handed back to the Darumbal people by the Queensland Government. The Land that surrounds Mt Wheeler was given the Darumbal name of “Gawula”. Gawula was a well know meeting place for the Darumbal people before non-Indigenous contact. Aunty Sally Vea Vea and the Gawula Land Trust ensure Gawula Land is cared for and managed on behalf of the Darumbal People.

2008 – the Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton formally acknowledged Rockhampton’s Indigenous heritage by unveiling a plaque at St Joseph’s Cathedral, recognising the land on which the Cathedral is built is on the homelands of the Darumbal people.

2009 – Present Darumbal Enterprises Socio Policy became available to Darumbal descendants.  At present Darumbal supports over 400 Darumbal students each year.

2016 – In a Federal Court proceeding held on Darumbal Country at the Dreamtime Cultural Centre, Darumbal People where recognised by a Federal Court decision as the Traditional Owners of land in and around Rockhampton, Raglan, Yeppoon and Marlborough areas.

2016 – Darumbal People Aboriginal Corporation Registered Native Title Body was established. (DPAC RNTBC). DPAC works for and on behalf of the Darumbal People.

2018 – Darumbal Elders Aunty Nyoka Hatfield & Aunty Sally Vea Vea worked with MP Britany Lauga, Mayor CR Ludwig and  DNMR to have the names of Jim Crow Mountain and Mount Wheeler changed back to their original Darumbal names of Baga (Jim Crow Mountain) and Gai-I (Mount wheeler).

2019 – Darumbal People signed an Indigenous Land Use Agreement with The Australian Defence Force. The agreement recognises the 20-year relationship between Defence and the Darumbal people as an important milestone in the expansion of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area under the Australia-Singapore Military Training Initiative (ASMTI). This ILUA will provide certainty around land access and the protection of our cultural heritage, while creating Employment, Training and Indigenous Business opportunities for Darumbal People and the Community members who live on Darumbal Country.

2019 – TUNUBA Pty Ltd Joint Venture was formed with CQG Consulting.  Our initial priority is to secure contracts with major developments in the Rockhampton/ Capricorn Coast Region, such as the Australia-Singapore Military Training Initiative (ASMTI) at Shoalwater Bay Training Area. With the intent to also create Employment opportunities for Darumbal and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people who live on Darumbal Country.