Remember William Barak. Here in the Barak Bushlands we honor his legacy. He was a Wurundjeri leader. He fought for his people. He sought justice. This place is named after him. It connects us to his story.
Barak was born around 1823. His parents named him Beruk. He grew up near Wonga Park. As a boy, he witnessed the arrival of John Batman. Batman claimed to purchase the Melbourne area.
Barak attended the Yarra Mission School. He later joined the Native Mounted Police. He was a skilled tracker. He even helped to find Ned Kelly’s gang.
Barak became a leader. He helped establish Coranderrk. This was an Aboriginal farming community. It was near Healesville. Barak settled there in 1863. He worked tirelessly for his people. He negotiated with European settlers.
After his cousin Simon Wonga died in 1874, Barak became the Ngurungaeta. This means he became the leader of the Wurundjeri clan. He invited settlers to Coranderrk. He developed relationships with important people. These included governors and politicians.
The Aboriginal Protection Board wanted to close Coranderrk. Barak fought against this. He walked from Coranderrk to Parliament House. He used newspapers to share his message. He was a singer and storyteller. His art became known at home and abroad.
Barak’s wife and child died of tuberculosis in 1882. He shared his knowledge of Kulin traditions with anthropologist Alfred William Howitt.
From the 1880s until his death, Barak painted and drew. He used European and traditional materials. His art showed Wurundjeri ceremonies. It showed encounters with Europeans.
Barak died at Coranderrk in 1903. He was about 85 years old. He is buried there.
His artworks are now highly valued. They are exhibited in galleries around the world. They depict Wurundjeri stories. They show people wearing possum-skin cloaks.
A descendant of Barak, Ron Jones, said his paintings tell the story of Wurundjeri people. They also tell the story of all the people living on Coranderrk.
Anne Fraser Bon was a friend of Barak. She commissioned a portrait of him. It was painted by Florence Ada Fuller. It hangs in the State Library Victoria.
In 2004, this place was named Barak Bushlands. It was previously known as Falkiner Street Reserve. This was to honor William Barak.
There is also the William Barak Bridge in Melbourne. It connects Birrarung Marr to the MCG. His image is on the facade of a building in Melbourne.
Barak was inducted onto the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Roll in 2011.
William Barak’s legacy lives on. He was a leader. He was an artist. He was a voice for his people. The Barak Bushlands is a reminder of his fight for justice. It stands as a testament to his enduring impact. We remember him here. We honor his memory.