Our annual dinner, AGM and guest speaker event will be held at the Yorkshire Stingo Hotel.

Our guest speaker will be Dr Marguerita Stephens, author of The Years of Terror: Banbu-deen. Kulin and Colonists at Port Phillip, 1835-1851, published in association with Boowurrung elder, Fay Stewart-Muir. The book is based on the journal of William Thomas, one of four Assistant Protectors of the Aborigines of Port Phillip.

For this talk Marguerita, who lived in Clifton Hill for almost 30 years, will discuss the events that occurred at the Merri Creek in the years from 1842 to 1850, after Thomas set up camp with the Wurundjeri at their traditional gathering place at the junction of the Merri and Birrarung/Yarra. His ‘headquarters’ at the creek was a rough hut which also functioned as a schoolroom; but the encampment was Billibellary’s domain, and his word, not Thomas’, was law there. At times as many as 1000 Kulin gathered at this spot. Topics include the establishment of the Merri Creek School in 1845, the death of Billibellary in 1846, and the impact of the flu epidemic of 1847-8 which took a frightful toll on the Kulin.

Extracts from a few book reviews:
‘This book is a timely reminder of the harrowing years of the early colonial period, the ‘years of terror’ when Kulin livelihoods were all but destroyed by the British invasion, and the violence, disease and neglect which accompanied it’ [Dr Sam Furphy, Australian Historical Studies, July 2024].

‘A remarkable tale of terror and survival … a significant history for all the people of Naarm for years to come’ (Dr Stephen Gapps, History Australia, May 2025).

‘The reader is immersed in the granular detail of the contradictions of ‘protection’ at Port Phillip’ (Emeritus Professor Timothy Rowse, Oceania, 2024).

Bookings will be essential for both the dinner and the meeting/guest speaker.
Dinner 6:30 pm (order and pay individually at the bar)
AGM 7:45 pm
Talk 8 pm.