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Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars Facts & Worksheets

The Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars were a series of conflicts between British Forces, including armed settlers of the British Army in Australia and the indigenous clans on the Hawkesbury River that started from 1794 until 1816.

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The Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars were a series of conflicts between British Forces, including armed settlers of the British Army in Australia and the indigenous clans on the Hawkesbury River that started from 1794 until 1816. It started when the British started constructing farms along the river.

See the fact file below for more information on the Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BACKGROUND: ABORIGINAL PEOPLE IN SYDNEY REGION

  • Sydney is a region in Australia that encompasses several different nations that were united by a common language. The nations include the Eora (who lived along the coast), the Tharawal (to the south), the Dharug (in the northwest), and the Gandagara (to the southwest).
  • Within these nations, there were a variety of clans. The Eora people had Cadigal, Wanegal, Cammeraygal, and many other smaller ones. The Dharug people were the largest Sydney clan, consisting of Wangal, Jurrajong, Boorooberongal, Cattai, Bidjigal, Gommerigal, Mulgoa, Cannemegal, Bool-bain-ora, and many more.

BACKGROUND: THE COLONY

  • After Britain’s loss of its American colonies during the American Revolutionary War, the country’s economic situation forced it to establish new colonies.
  • In 1770, after Captain James Cook stated that he had claimed the east coast of Australia for Britain when standing on Possession Island, it was decided that a penal colony would be established to help relieve Britain’s jails and to prevent French influence from growing in the Pacific.
  • In 1788, the First Fleet arrived at Port Jackson and marked the beginning of Australia’s colonization. During that time, the penal colony was for the punishment of criminals and political dissidents. However, free settlers started taking up the land.

THE CONFLICTS: 1789 SKIRMISH AT BOTANY BAY

  • In March 1789, sixteen convicts marched to Botany Bay with the intention of plundering the natives of their fishing tackle and spears. The convicts armed themselves with whatever tools and armor they could find, including hatchets, shovels, and clubs.
  • However, when they arrived near the bay, several natives ambushed them, and most of the conflicts fled.
  • The convicts who fled back to the camp alerted the military in position to the attack. An officer with a detachment of marines rushed to help the convicts that were left. However, they were too late, and one convict was killed and seven were severely wounded.
  • Arthur Phillip, the governor, promised vengeance against the natives for this as the convicts had hostile intentions, but the natives dealt punishments that left the convicts dead and wounded.

THE CONFLICTS: 1789 HAWKESBURY AND BEREEWOLGAL

  • In July 1789, Governor Phillip and his group met the two native men from the area. The groups exchanged gifts of a spear, animal hair, and a duck. The spear was excluded from the gifts because it was an item of necessity for the tribesmen.

THE CONFLICTS: 1790 ATTACK ON GOVERNOR PHILLIP

  • On September 7, 1790, Governor Phillip and three of his men went to the South-head near Broken Bay upon hearing that there was a gathering of natives. When they arrived, they saw the natives partying over a whale, and Governor Phillip stepped out unarmed, and Lieutenant Waterhouse accompanied him.
  • Phillip stayed with the natives and called Bennelong, a native whom he befriended. The two of them exchange gifts as a sign of welcome and continued their conversation for over half an hour until a native arrived with a spear at a distance of twenty to thirty yards from them.
  • With this, Phillip extended his hand and called him. However, the native seemed terrified by his action and pointed his spear at the governor.
  • The governor threw his armor on the ground to signal to the native that he meant no harm; however, the native was frightened and threw the spear, striking the governor’s right shoulder.
  • Immediately after, several spears flew in all directions, confusing both sides and making the governor and his group retreat to the boat.
  • After arriving at Manly Cove, they were greeted by their natives, who said that the native who wounded his governor belonged to the Broken Bay area tribe. Later, it was confirmed that Wileemarin was responsible for the attack.
  • The governor stated that no blame would be placed on Wileemarin, and it was just a mistake.

THE CONFLICTS: 1790-91 GOVERNOR’S MILITARY EXPEDITION

  • Governor Phillip gave an order to Lieutenant Tench to gather his company of marines and lead an expedition against the Bidjigal for Pemulwuy’s attack on McIntyre. Tench’s proposal of a less bloodthirsty plan was accepted. The expedition set out on December 14 in search of the Pemulwuy and Bidjigal tribes.
  • The expedition was considered the largest military operation since the founding of the colony. The expedition included Tench, Lieutenant Dawes, John Poulden, and 46 marines.
  • However, three days passed and there was no sign of Bidjigal. A second expedition was formed with Tench and 39 marines and set out on December 22.
  • However, the expedition was again a failure. After, instead of proposing another expedition, it was decided that McIntyre would be avenged by strictly punishing any Aboriginal who behaved against the settlement’s laws.
  • Several events happened after this that left McEntire wounded by a spear that was struck through his ribs and his left lung. The natives stated that Pemulwuy was the one who attacked him and that he lived at Botany Bay.
  • The governor decided to punish the natives because there had already been many attacks against an unarmed man.

HAWKESBURY NEPEAN WAR 1814-1816

  • There were more reasons behind the war on the Nepean and Hawkesbury Rivers. These related to the greater literacy level of the free settlers, officials, and clergy who took up large land grants between the creeks and rivers.
  • In 1812, a drought started that put more pressure on both the settlers and Aboriginal people. William Reardon, who died in February 1814, was struck by a spear because he accused some Aboriginal men of destroying his vegetable garden on Cox’s Fernhill estate at Mulgoa.
  • In April 1814, several farms were attacked, including Fernhill and Campbell’s Shancarmore.
  • In 1814, fighting in the Appin district appeared to center around several farms and individuals. An Aboriginal boy was killed by three Veteran Company soldiers while taking corn.
  • A group of Campbelltown settlers fired into an Aboriginal camp killed a woman and two children. The woman’s body was mutilated, and the children had been shot and beaten. There were several conflicts where the same events happened.
  • In January 1816, a drought started, and several floods occurred during that year. Fighting started again in March 1816, killing four men while pursuing Aboriginal warriors who had taken crops from Palmer’s Bringelly farm.
  • An attack was made on the government camp at Glenroy on the western side of the Blue Mountains. A government cart was also attacked.
  • Governor Macquarie ordered to have several parties of the 46th regiment in April 1816. Captain James Wallis went south to Appin, Captain Schaw to the Hawkesbury, and Lieutenant Dawe went to the Cow Pastures.
  • These soldiers were sent to protect the Glenroy depot. The role of the guides points to the complex nature of the hostilities.
  • After Schaw failed in chasing a handful of warriors around Hawkesbury, a white guide also failed to guide the soldiers in a surprise attack on a camp at Maroota that made Schaw march south to the Cow Pastures.
  • Captain Schaw’s pursuit of a group of warriors on the Wingecarribee River ended after Colenee told him that the tracks they were following were two days old.
  • The Appin Massacre happened because local settlers guided Captain Wallis to an Aboriginal camp that housed women and children near Broughton’s farms, suggesting that attacks on Aboriginal people were opportunistic during that time.
  • Despite lacking orders regarding beheading, the skull of Carnimbeigle ended in the hands of the Edinburgh phrenologist Sir George Mackenzie. After several years of killing, William Byrne wrote that the bodies of sixteen Aboriginal people were beheaded, and the soldiers were rewarded for this.
  • In May 1816, Governor Macquarie’s Proclamation declared magistrate and troops at Sydney, Parramatta, and Windsor to support settlers in driving out Aboriginal people. This affected the reimbursement of soldiers and settlers against charges of murder.
  • The fighting ended in August. Four Aboriginal children from Hawkesbury were placed in the Native Institution.

Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars which were a series of conflicts between British Forces, including armed settlers of the British Army in Australia and the indigenous clans on the Hawkesbury River that started from 1794 until 1816. It started when the British started constructing farms along the river.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars Facts
  • Comparison
  • Wars’ Timeline
  • Filling the Fights
  • Aboriginal People
  • Governor Phillip
  • Hawkesbury Questions
  • Jumbled Coast
  • Colonization
  • Acrostic
  • Hawkesbury Analysis

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