Bungaree

Lore & Background

Bungaree moved to Sydney in the 1790s and joined Matthew Flinders on the schooner Francis in 1798, impressing Flinders. In 1799 he accompanied Flinders on a coastal survey to Hervey Bay, acting as interpreter and negotiator. During that voyage, a dispute over a hat at Bribie Island led to sailors firing at local Djindubari people, wounding two men; the site became known as Point Skirmish.

Bungaree later accompanied Flinders on the circumnavigation of Australia in Investigator (1802–1803), playing a vital diplomatic role, often calming hostile Indigenous groups by removing his clothes and speaking to them. He became the first Australian-born person to circumnavigate the Australian mainland. In 1804, Governor King sent him to the Newcastle convict settlement to mediate between the British and the Awabakal; he also tracked runaway convicts. In 1815, Governor Macquarie dubbed him 'Chief of the Broken Bay Tribe' and granted him 15 acres at Georges Head.

He later accompanied Captain Phillip Parker King to north-western Australia in 1818 aboard the Mermaid, where he identified edible plants, found fresh water, and fished for the crew. In later life, he ceremonially welcomed visitors to Sydney, educated people about Aboriginal culture, and became a familiar figure in colonial Sydney, often wearing military and naval uniforms. He died at Garden Island on 24 November 1830 and was buried on Garden Island.

Reader's Guide

Bungaree's significance lies in his role as a cross-cultural intermediary during early British exploration and colonization of Australia. He was the first Australian-born person to circumnavigate the continent, accompanying Matthew Flinders on the Investigator voyage (1802–1803), where his diplomatic skills helped ensure peaceful encounters with diverse Indigenous groups. His ability to move between Aboriginal and colonial worlds made him invaluable on multiple expeditions, including those to Hervey Bay, Newcastle, and north-western Australia. He was recognized by colonial authorities as a 'chief' and granted land, yet he also maintained strong ties to his Awabakal heritage.

His legacy includes being the subject of numerous portraits—among the first full-length oil portraits painted in the colony—and the namesake of the settlement Bongaree. The removal of his skull from his grave in 1857 reflects the colonial-era treatment of Indigenous remains. Bungaree's life illustrates the complexities of Indigenous agency, adaptation, and survival during a period of profound change.