Key Events in Pemulwuy's Life

Pemulwuy was born on the northern side of the Georges River (which is now called Botany Bay. He belonged to the Bidijigal tribe of the Eora Nation and was born with a strabismus in his left eye. Usually when Aboriginals with deformities, would be given back to the land to be reborn again, but Pemulwuy was proven to be a 'clever man' and could perform better than everybody else in his tribe.

The First Fleet was a three month voyage with 11 ships.

John McIntyre was a man who competed for food and killed several Indigenous Australians, including the Bidijigal tribe. He also frequently shot and ate totem animals revered as spirit ancestors, as well as, trespassing on tribal land. Pemulwuy speared John McIntyre as revenge for his people. Pemulwuy's spear was believed to have small pieces of red stone that remained in McIntyre's body after he was speared. He later died from a perforated lung and several broken bones.

Pemulwuy led many attacks targeted to destroying crops, spearing settlers and cattle, and burning huts. Although the Europeans had guns whilst the tribes had spears, the main weapon Pemulwuy and his 'soldiers' used was fire.

Endured several major injuries and was taken to a prison hospital nearby. He was chained up by the legs onto the bed, but managed to escape whilst wearing chains. The Bidijigal tribe believed Pemulwuy turned into a crow and escaped the prison hospital.

Governor Philip King issued an order that any Aboriginal person found near the Parramatta district, the Georges River and Prospect should be driven from the area and could be shot on sight. Governor Philip King further decreed that Pemulwuy was an outlaw and offered a reward for his capture. The award was 20 gallons of spirits.

Pemulwuy was shot (shooter is still unknown, but it is suspected it was Henry Hacking) at Parramatta. His head was then sent to Sir Joseph Banks for research in England for further research, and Indigenous skulls were prized very highly as research.

Prince William pledged to help the Bidijigal elders locate where Pemulwuy's skull is. It is believed that when an Aboriginal died and buried without all of he/her body, his/her spirit still roams around Earth and cannot be rested.