23 Facts About Midgegooroo

Midgegooroo was an Aboriginal Australian elder of the Nyungar nation, who played a key role in Aboriginal resistance to white settlement in the area of Perth, Western Australia.

Everything documented about Midgegooroo is mediated through the eyes of the colonisers, some of whom, notably G F Moore, Robert Menli Lyon and Francis Armstrong, derived their information from discussions with contemporary Noongar people, in particular the son of Midgegooroo, Yagan.

Midgegooroo was executed by firing squad and without trial under the authority of Lieutenant Governor Frederick Irwin in 1833.

At that time, Midgegooroo was the leader of his home country, Beeliar, which stretched from the Indian Ocean to the Canning River, south of the Swan River.

Midgegooroo's main camp was a place known as "Mendyarrup, situated somewhere in Gaudoo", suggesting that it was in the vicinity of Blackwall Reach and Point Walter.

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However, Midgegooroo's family had some rights to use resources on a large part of what is metropolitan Perth, and were able to move freely about an even larger area, presumably due to kinship ties with neighbours.

In 1830, Midgegooroo was reported to be an older man, short in stature with long hair and a "remarkable bump" on his forehead, a physical description repeated on occasions over the next two and a half years, including in a deposition presented in evidence before his execution.

Midgegooroo was described as consistently hostile to the presence of Europeans on his country; "a dangerous and furious ruffian".

Midgegooroo had at least two wives, the older described as "rather tall and wanting her front teeth", the younger of whom was named Ganiup, and at least four sons, Yagan, Narral, Billy and Willim, and at least one brother.

Midgegooroo appears to have spent much of his time "taking care of the women and children of the tribe".

In December 1830, Midgegooroo was camping by Lake Monger when two white labourers who were passing by stopped to shake hands with a group of Aboriginal women.

Midgegooroo came in and pulled all the clothes and bedding off the bed-stead, but there was a sack tied to the bottom of it, which he could not pull off, and by which we were still hid from him.

Midgegooroo was always present when they attempted to plunder and acted either as the spy or the instigator.

Midgegooroo has come to my tent door, and pointed to any provisions which might be hanging up and openly thrust in some other of his tribe to take them away.

Midgegooroo has set two native dogs at my pigs, which they have followed to the very door of my tent.

The white men were loading a quantity of provisions for Phillips' farm at Maddington, onto carts when Midgegooroo inquired about the number of men in the first cart which had already left the scene.

The Head or leader of this tribe, an elderly man well known by the name of Midgegooroo, is father of the above-mentioned Yagan, and the native killed at Fremantle, and has long borne a bad character as the repeated perpetrator of several acts of bloodshed and robbery.

Each gave brief details of Midgegooroo's alleged crimes, and identified the prisoner as the same man.

Midgegooroo was clearly not allowed the opportunity to give evidence or defend himself and indeed it is probable that he did not understand what was being alleged.

The boy who was captured along with Midgegooroo, who was identified as his son "Billy" was estimated to be between five and eight years old.

Midgegooroo was removed "out of sound and hearing of what was to happen to his father and has since been forwarded to the Government Schooner, Ellen, now lying off Garden Island, with particular instructions from the Magistrates to ensure him every protection and kind treatment".

Moore, caught by surprise, decided to conceal the truth from Yagan, whereupon Yagan told him that if Midgegooroo's life was taken, he would retaliate by killing three white men.

Midgegooroo appeared terribly enraged; the female gave him some bread and he was pacified.