WEST KIMBERLEY PLACE REPORT - Department of Sustainability ...

The late timing of the settlement and the impenetrable nature of the Devonian
Reef helped create the man and the legend of Jandamarra - a man brought up in
two worlds, whose detailed knowledge of European methods to contain
Aboriginal resistance and his capacity to pass those skills on to his Bunuba
countrymen and women, severely threatened the colonising project. While
Jandamarra did not act alone, his capacity to disappear and avoid capture, and
even to appear to cheat death itself, made him a much feared adversary to
Europeans and a powerful leader amongst his own people.
The limestone ranges of the Devonian Reef, known to the Bunuba as Barlil, have
outstanding value to the nation under criterion (h) for their association with
Jandamarra, whose campaign of resistance was unprecedented in Australian
history, as was the ferocity of the police and settler response. Jandamarra's
death in 1897 ended the last large-scale organised violent resistance by
Aboriginal people in Australia's cultural history.
WEALTH OF LAND AND SEA
Pastoralism
Pastoral families in the Kimberley
On the basis of the pastoralism literature potential values against criterion (h) have
been identified in relation to prominent and well known pastoral families within the
Kimberley.
The Durack family is recognised for its role as a pioneering family associated with the
development of the Kimberley region and the cattle industry. It is noted that the
pastoral stations associated with the Durack family are located outside the west
Kimberley.
Sir Sidney Kidman was also noted as having some involvement within the pastoral
development of the west Kimberley. However, his chain of stations in other states are
considered to have more outstanding associations with his life and works.
Other families such as the Emanuels, MacDonalds and the McKenzies have been
noted in the review of histories associated with the Kimberley region. The theme
study on pastoralism (Pearson and Lennon 2008) did not develop national indicators
for assessing people or groups of importance under criterion (h). A peer review of the
theme study also indicates that the pastoral entrepreneurs are not the only people to
consider against criterion (h) (Forrest and Forrest 2009).
On the basis of current evidence the west Kimberley does not have outstanding
heritage value to the nation under criterion (h) for special associations with the
life or works of pastoral families or individuals who are important in Australia's
cultural history.
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