Aboriginal Frontier Wars

Frontier wars would of been seen or felt the impact by every Aboriginal that came into contact with Europeans. The definition of a frontier war is fighting that happens on the border of the furthest extent of inhabited areas. A good example of this would be the Bathurst Wars which eventually become the largest military campaign to take place in our own country. The impact of the frontier war can still be felt today such as the destruction of sacred sites such as burials.

The nature of frontier war is fighting that was on the border of the furthest extent of inhabited areas. Fighting had begun between the Aboriginals and the Europeans when the natives found out that the foreigners were here to stay and expand on land. Pioneers and pastoralist were at the forefront of the frontier pushing Aboriginals back making them crack and wanting to fight back. Both sides felt like they were fighting for survival. If only the Europeans did not expand and take there would have never been any frontier war.

The Bathurst Wars started when the European settlement expanded passed the Blue Mountains into Wiradjuri territory. Windradyne, a Wiradjuri elder, was one of the first to notice that the colonists were here to stay and take. Windradyne was noted to say ‘The storm clouds are gathering and it will be worse than the most violent thunder and lightning” referring to the worse that was to come. In 1824, Windradyne led his warriors to war against colonist. Countless raids were set up but to some avail. Windradyne and his mighty warriors were skilled and brave but were nothing to the white man with firearms and horses. Windradyne decided to find common ground to stop the war so in 1887 he found peace with the British. It is said to be more than 1000 Aboriginal loses in the frontier war that was named the Bathurst Wars.

The impact of this particular frontier war would have left a scar for all the descendants of the Wiradjuri tribe. Much of these people’s heritage and land have been lost to the destruction which has been called. For example, lost of life could lead to the halt of a family’s oral history, the lost of a leader in a family,

Frontier war was just another reason for the death of many Australian Natives. Colonisation was waiting to happen all the Europeans had to do was eradicate. At one point Aboriginals nearly became extinct but fighting for the will of living probably kept them alive.