The Native Police Cemetary

Mr Peter Gardner of Ensay has researched the little known cemetery quite extensively.

Thanks also go to Mr David Clark of the Victoria Archaeological Survey who provided the initial information researched by Peter Gardner.

In his letter to the editor, Mr Gardner pointed out that, while 20 individuals are now known to be buried in the cemetery, a closer perusal of other sources will probably make the final list of names closer to 30.

The Burial Place of Bungeleen

As an historian specialising in the study of the Kurnai people of Gippsland, my interest in the cemetery at the Stud Road Native Police Station was first inspired by my desire to find the burial place of the Gippsland Aborigine, Bungeleen. The story of Bungeleen has been told elsewhere and is basically a morbid tale. He and his family were brought to Stud Road in June 1847 and held as hostages for a white woman supposedly held by the Kurnai in Gippsland. At Stud Road, Bungeleen was treated brutally, being chained to a tree and then locked up for a considerable time. One wife, Mumbalk died and the second, Parley was claimed by other Aboriginies at Stud Road to have been taken from the Westernport people many years ago. G.A. Robinson investigated these claims and found Bungeleen's lubra and two young sons were taken to Melbourne from the Stud Road Depot. It is interesting to note that this corresponds closely with the folk history of Stud Road as related to me by Mrs Bartlett who lived on the site in the early 1930s.

Bungeleen died on the 21st November 1848 at Stud Road and was buried the following day when "all the men on the station attended". (Stud Road Police Day Book). His death, according to Mrs Bartlett, was of a "broken heart" and because he was an important Aborigine (a "chief" of Gippsland), a fence was erected around his grave. Later on a pine tree was planted on the grave and it was this pine tree growing from the fenced grave site that was remembered by Mrs Bartlett and marked on the 9th July 1981.

What the folk history of the Stud Road Police Station has failed to retain was the deaths of all the other Aborigines on the Station and the fact that a substantial cemetery existed there. The Stud Road Police Day Book records the deaths of ten Aborigines, including Bungeleen, who were buried at the Depot between 1845 and 1853. The book does not record the wife of Bungeleen or any children being buried. Also there are no records of burials on the station for the periods 1837-1838 and 1842-1845. It is therefore possible that as many as twenty individuals were buried at the Native Police Station cemetery.

Though there is no doubt about the existence of the cemetery, there are problems associated with the exact location of it. Also the grave with the fence was not that of Bungeleen but that of Corporal Buckup of the Native Police. The flood prone flats along the Dandenong Creek seem unsuitable as a cemetery site. Mrs Bartlett located the pine tree grave about 400 metres almost due west of the old house (now demolished). She insisted that the pine tree was towards the setting sun and near a small creek on the flat but the Churchill National Park Ranger, who has also lived in the area a long time, said that the pine tree grave was located to the south of the old house near Brady Road. This tree is still standing, although a large drainage ditch has been cut beside it. Finally there is the possibility that Bungeleen, for some reason, was not buried in the cemetery. However the grave of Corporal Buckup must have been interred within the cemetery confines.

It seems unlikely that the cemetery will be located with any degree of accuracy beyond what has already been done by Mrs Bartlett. The site recently marked with a steel post is of considerable historical significance. As it is possible that in the future the area will be drained and reclaimed as playing fields, the site should be preserved and some suitable marker or monument placed upon it. This should include the names and dates of death known and a brief resume of the tragic account of Bungaleen. In the long run all of the former Native Police Station and, in particular, the historical sites, should be preserved within the boundaries of an extended National Park.

Individuals Buried at the Stud Road Native Police Cemetery

[table here]

Bibliography:

1. Gardner P.D. "The journals of de Villiers and Warman" in Victorian Historical Journal, v.50 (1979) p.89
2. Gardner P.D. " A Melancholy Tale" in Victorian Historical Journal, v.52 (1981) p.101
3. Mrs Irene Bartlett Letters 7 May 1981 & 18 May 1981
4. Stud Road Police Station Day Book, Public Records Office, Laverton 5. W. Thomas Papers Ms214 Mitchell Library, Sydney and in the papers of the Aboriginal Protectorate, P.R.O. Laverton
6. G.A. Robinson Papers (as for Thomas)
7. Mrs Irene Bartlett, interview 9 July 1981
8. Mr Bill Garner, Churchill Park ranger, interview May 1981

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