Greensborough, Victoria

Here is a small list of significant historical figures in the Wurundjeri willam history. These Indigenous clans men had all witnessed or participated in the signing of Batman's Treaty.

Bebejan, was a Ngurungaeta (headman), during the time the Europeans invaded Kulin nation. In June 1835, he was one of the eight Wurundjeri willam who put their mark on the Batman Treaty.[8] His son was William Barak.

Billibellarg, was the head of his clan of one of the Wurundjeri willam peoples of the Woi worung language.[8] He was one of the most influential clan heads of the Eastern Kulin in the 1840s.[8] Billibellarg was a custodian of the Mount William stone axe quarry. He is the brother of Bebejan and his name is listed on the Batman Treaty.[8]

Beruk, the son of Bebejan spent his childhood learning the heritage of his ancestors.[5] In 1835, twelve year old Beruk, watched the signing of John Batman's Treaty with his father and uncle (Billibellarg).[5] When he was older, he changed his name to William Barak, and became, arguably the most significant historical figure to pursue a better life for his people.[5] One of the last clans head of the Wurundjeri willam, he established the settlement of Corranderrk where many Woi Wurrung lived until the 1920s.[6] His petitions to parliament won support from settlers, journalists, church leaders and politicians.[5] William Barak was instrumental in preserving the Kulin nation culture and documented his knowledge with anthropologist Alfred Howitt.[5]

There is much debate over the precise location of the signing of the Batman's Treaty. Some say the settlement of the Port Phillip District is linked with the story of Greensborough.[9] That John Batman traveled to the East side of the Plenty River to negotiate the Treaty and that the location was within or close to Banyule.[10] However, it is difficult to follow Batman's itinerary and his description is too general,[6] there are possibly other places such as Merri Creek or Darebin Creek.[5]

John Batman made his treaty claiming 600,000 acres of Kulin land for a few trinkets and blankets.[9] It is inconceivable to the Kulin that they would sell off their land.[5] The land and the Kulin are deeply connected.[8] They believed they were participating in a Tanderrum ceremony.[5] A ceremony asking for temporary access to the land.[6] There is no official status in John Batman's attempt to take lands in Victoria for gifts and trinkets.[11]

Within a year of Batman's arrival there were 26,500 sheep grazing and the village of Bearbass (later to be renamed Melbourne) consisted of three weatherboard, two slate and eight turf huts.[9]

The Governor of New South Wales received instructions to disallow Batman's Treaty with the Wurundjeri willam and to remove all trespassing settlers.[9] This was unsuccessful. The Port Phillip District was surveyed, and on the 12 September 1838, the first action of Kulin land was sold in Sydney.[9]

The decimation and eventual destruction of the Wurundjeri willam came with the founding of Melbourne in 1835.[6] In less than 30 years of the settlement of Melbourne, the First Peoples population had been severely reduced due to the effects of disease, alcohol and conflicts over access to land and livestock.[6]

By 1860 the surviving Wurundjeri william were take away from the Melbourne area and forced to live on mission stations throughout the colony.[6]

The treatment of the Indigenous population by the colonial government will remain contentious. European settlement is not legitimate because the British administrators refused to acknowledge the traditional owners.[11] There was no negotiation for appropriate treaties or any compensation for the settlement of the Kulin nation by European settlers.[11] This refusal of recognition of the Wurundjeri willam as traditional owners gave little opportunity to observe and record the culture and lifestyle of the local people.[6] Therefore, the rapid demise of the peoples traditional lifestyle following European settlement would soon be lost forever.

In Banyule the discovery of Aboriginal archaeological sites adds a historical dimension to the municipality.[6] These sites are significant compared to other municipalities because Banyule has had minimal urban development.[6] Some other local governments outside Banyule may lack field survey and archaeological investigation.[6] Banyule's Aboriginal archaeology represents part of the history of the Wurundjeri willam and therefore has several important roles. These include:

1. providing a material link between the Wurundjeri willam's past use of land and its resources and the present day Aboriginal community, particularly the descendants of the Wurundjeri willam.[6]
2. providing a source of scientific data that allows for the reconstruction of the Wurundjeri willam life-ways prior to European settlement.[6]
3. presenting a means of educating the general public on the cultural history of the Wurundjeri willam as a group of Melbourne's indigenous people and indeed on the early history of white settlement and the development of contemporary political and social values.[6]

Today, the Aboriginal custodians of Banyule and the Kulin Nations preserve their powerful cultural heritage through the Wurundjeri Tribe Land Compensation and Cultural Heritage Council Incorporated.

The Farmer's Arms Hotel on Main Street in 1925 before it was demolished to make way for the Greensborough Hotel

In 1864, the Greensborough Hotel, formally known as the Farmers Arms Hotel, was built by Englishman James Iredale. It served as a stopping point for travelers on their way to the goldfields further north. By law, a lit lantern was required as a sign of welcome to those needing a well earned rest or to refresh their horses. [15]It was later demolished and rebuilt in 1925, by then owner Denis Monahan to make way for the newer version.[16] Greensborough Hotel, by architects Sydney Smith, Ogg and Serpell, 349 Collins Street, Melbourne, has been well thought out, and the three sources of income - the bar, the dining room and the residential section, although all under easy supervision from the office, are kept absolutely distinct, so that visitors to any of these three sections are separate.[17] Greensborough Hotel is the second hotel to occupy this site and represents a continuation of use spanning close to 150 years.[18] The Greensborough Hotel is aesthetically significant as an unusual example of the inter-War Spanish Mission style hotel in the suburb of Greensborough.[18] It is one of the few early Twentieth Century buildings remaining in the area and has become an attractive landmark in the commercial centre of Greensborough. Greensborough Hotel is located on the corner of Main Street and The Circuit, Greensborough.

Greensborough Hotel

A telegraph line connecting Greensborough and Diamond Creek with Heidelberg was completed in 1888.[10] From 27 July 1888 a telephone link across the line was added so that telegrams could be sent or received by telephone.[10]

During the 1880s and 1890s Diamond Valley became popular with excursionists from inner Melbourne.[10] Tourism increased with the advent of the railway line in the twentieth century.[10] Greensborough was noted for its fishing (cod, perch, blackfish and eels). Another leisure pursuit that was taken up by visitors was shooting. Rabbit and hares were plentiful and the hotel provided accommodation for weekend visitors.[10]

The Diamond Valley Football Association was formed 1922 at Diamond Creek and initially consisted of teams from Kangaroo Ground, Eltham, Diamond Creek, Templestowe, Greensborough, and Warrandyte.[10]