Significant Events

Portrait of John Macarthur, wool pioneer in Australia.Source: Unknown author - State Library of New South Wales

The Golden Ram on Hinchcliffe Wool Warehouse, Circular Quay Source: https://www.quayquartersydney.com.au

Wagon loads of wool heading from inland NSW heading to the wharves of Sydney Harbour to be sent overseas.Source: E.O. Hoppé Estate Collection

John Macarthur and the growth of the wool industry

Buying ,selling and exporting wool was one of the most important industries in The Rocks in the 1800's. Many wool warehouses lined the streets in The Rocks and Circular Quay. It was so important that there was an old saying that "Australia rode on the sheep's back" which meant Australia's economy relied on sheep to get richer.

The first sheep in Australia came with the First fleet in 1788. By the end of that year all but one had been slaughtered for food or had died. More sheep arrived later on ships, which were bought by pastoralists, farmers with large sheep raising properties, As sheep farms (stations) spread out, first into western Sydney and then north, South and over the Blue Mountains to western NSW more and more wool was being produced. One famous sheep farmer was Captain John Macarthur, who was was an Army officer, entrepreneur, politician, architect and pioneer of settlement in Australia. In 1804 Macarthur purchased 7 Spanish fine wool Merino rams and 1 ewe from King George 111. By skillful breeding and selection, he bred the first Australian pure Merino sheep. These sheep were well suited to Australia's climate.

In 1824, the Australian Agricultural Company was started in London and received a grant of 1 million acres in New South Wales to raise merino sheep. The company was to select the best site to produce fine wool, as well as crops not readily available in England. They were to provide workers for the colony at no cost to the government and also employed a large number of convicts.

The Wool industry grew quickly and wool was the colony's most important product at this time. In 1830, the British Government encouraged free migration and private investment in the colonies. This led to significant expansion of the wool industry and the development of large-scale sheep farms.

"By 1830 the value of Australian wool exports reached £2 million and by 1835 whaling and sealing were replaced by wool as Australia's main export. The growth of the wool industry continued, with 2 million kilograms of wool exported in 1835, rising to 4.5 million kilograms in 1839. By 1838 Australia was challenging Spain and Germany as the largest supplier of wool to England. Japan was the second largest buyer of Australian wool after England". (Source: The Big Merino history of wool)

From 1800 -1840, Australia had become the world’s biggest wool producer.

Find out more about the Australian wool industry:

Wagon loads of wool heading to the wharves of Sydney Harbour to be sent overseas.Source: State Library of NSW

Wool clippers lined up at Circular Quay 1883-1900Source: MAAS Henry King Photographs from the Tyrrell Collection 1880-1917

Crossing the Blue Mountains

The European settlement at The Rocks on Sydney Cove grew rapidly due to trade and population growth. Sheep farming had spread across to the blue mountains and further north and south. By the early 19th century, the Blue Mountains had become a barrier to the expansion of the colony, which required more farming land to meet its needs.

The 1813 expedition to cross the Blue Mountains was the led by Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth, which became the first successful crossing of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales by European settlers.The crossing was an important event for the colony of NSW as it enabled the colonists to access and use the land west of the mountains for farming, and made possible the establishment of Australia's first inland settlement at Bathurst. It was also the beginning of the invasion of Aboriginal lands in inland NSW as colonists claimed the land for themselves, often squatting on the land and competing with the resources of the local Aboriginal clans.

A squatter, was an illegal occupier of crown grazing land beyond the limits of a settlement. As Governor Phillip had claimed the entire East Coast of Australia as a British colony, this land was also considered as part of the colony. Although the squatters contributed to the growth of the country's wool industry, this was usually at the expense of the local Aboriginal people.

Find out more about Crossing the Blue Mountains

Convicts building road over the Blue Mountains, New South Wales,Source: Rodius, Charles. 1833, [1833] http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135505644

Crossing Earliest pictorial representation of the crossing of the Blue Mountains Source: The Sydney Mail, 25 December 1880

Pimbloy: Native of New Holland in a canoe of that countrySamuel John Neele (1758-1824) State Library of Victoria

Pemulwuy and frontier wars

Pemulwuy was a famous Bidjigal Aboriginal warrior and leader, who came from near Botany Bay and whose name means “earth” in his Dharug language. Very soon after colonisation between 1790 and 1802, Pemulwuy led many attacks against colonial farms and settlements, some of which were highly organised, large-scale 'guerrilla' operations. He and his men fought so fiercely in a battle in 1797 that he almost gained control of the new settlement of Parramatta.

Pemulwuy led many raids against colonists farms, taking their property, and endangering their lives. The raids were made for food, particularly corn, or as 'payback' for atrocities the colonists had done to the Aboriginal people ,including the kidnapping of Aboriginal children.

Governor King became increasingly frustrated by Pemulwuy and his raids, and offered rewards, including a free pardon, to any convict who would bring him his head. That occured in 1802 when Pemulwuy was murdered. His decapitated head was sent to England to be studied by scientists.

Although glad he was dead, Governor King had a grudging respect for Pemulwuy. He said of him: ‘Altho’ a terrible pest to the colony, he was a brave and independent character and an active, daring leader of his people’.

Pemulwuy is remembered today as an Aboriginal hero and an important leader of Aboriginal resistance to the colonisation NSW and against the atrocities they had done to his people.

Source: manly.nsw.gov.au.

Find out more about Pemulwuy

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