1872
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Explorer Ernest Giles, first white man to enter the region names Haasts Bluff after New Zealand geologist |
1905
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Charlie Meyers and his wife take up pastoral lease in the area. |
1880 to 1920's
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Arrival of Europeans puts pressure directly and indirectly on Aboriginal people. Cattle spoilt waterholes and destroyed delicate grasses and plants. Game and bush tucker became depleted.
Battles over land occur as pastoral leases quickly spread through central Australia. Guns & horses prove to be superior weapons in the guerrilla war waged by the Aboriginal people and they are forced onto marginal land.
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1928
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Massacre at Coniston Station north of Haasts Bluff. Over a hundred Warlpiri men, women and children shot by police and stockmen in retaliation for the killing of dingo trapper Fred Brooks.
With fear of white men with guns and being forced off their traditional lands the Aboriginal people were forced into the ration stations set up by government or the missions set up by the Lutherans - such as at Hermannsburg.
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1929
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major migration of Luritja people from west into Haasts Bluff begins - continues until the late 1930's. |
1930
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Pastor Albrecht starts providing rations in Haasts Bluff area. |
1935
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Pastor Albrecht establishes permanent camp at Alyalpi east of present day Haasts Bluff community, supplying rations to Aboriginal people in the area. |
1936
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First Lutheran service conducted at Alyalpi. Timmy Jugadai - father of Ester, Daisy and Nebo along with Dr Duguid attended this service. |
Late 1930's
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Many of the families that currently live at Haasts Bluff move into the community from the west. Including Narputta Nangala; Eunice Jack; Anmanari Nolan and Katungka. |
1937
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Cattle grazing leases cancelled in Haasts Bluff region due to the work of Dr Duguid. |
1941
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Native Welfare Branch proclaims Haasts Bluff an Aboriginal Reserve. |
1942
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Pastor Albrecht & TGH Strehlow establish ration station with Ted Abbott in charge. The small mission store traded supplies for dingo scalps and skins. Eunice Jack & Anmanari Napanangka can remember as small girls living near Winbarku hunting dingo for their skins to trade at the Haasts Bluff ration depot. |
1946
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First permanent dwellings at Haasts Bluff establishes the community site on its present day location. The local people living there give it their own name: Ikuntji - "creeks crossing" |
1947
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Pastor Pech and wife Elizabeth appointed first full time missionaries at Haasts Bluff. They establish huge vegetable garden and a herd of goats that were shepherded to the community by the young Narputta Nangala. |
1950
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Community kitchen was established to serve the old and the sick. |
1944
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Pilot cattle program established which developed in the 1950's into a government run cattle station with a European head stockman and Aboriginal employees from Papunya and Haasts Bluff. |
1954
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Royal visit to Australia - Johnny Tjupurrula & Tjonkatu "Nosepeg" Tjupurrula go to Brisbane to dance for Queen Elizabeth. They were paid one pound each, and were not happy about it. |
1956
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Papunya settlement established due to water shortages at Haasts Bluff. Majority of people relocate from Haasts Bluff to Papunya. |
Late 1950's to 1972
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Government program of assimilation. Northern Territory Native Welfare Department established with the aim of bringing all the Aboriginal people still living in the bush into camps and settlements. This caused major trauma as Warlpiri, Pintupi, Luritja, Anmatyerr, Pitjantjatjara, Kukatja, Arrernte and other peoples were forced to live together far from traditional country and sacred places. |
1972
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Whitlam government brings hope of self-management and self-determination. Government Aboriginal Land Rights policy gives rise to establishment of outstations so that small groups would be located in the direction of their traditional country.
Since the establishment of the outstations the population of Haasts Bluff has diminished as people move back to their own country. The community now numbers approximately 180, a far cry from the early 1950's when over one thousand people lived here.
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Aboriginal Art Recognised in Central Australia:
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1972
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Papunya Tula Artists Company established. Many Haasts Bluff men began painting with Papunya Tula in the mid-seventies - in particular Timmy Jugadai, Riley Major, Two Bob Tjungurrayi, George Tjangala and Gideon Tjupurrula Jack. |
1992
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Esther Jugadai establishes the Ikuntji Art Centre. Marina Strocchi is invited to run the centre. Haasts Bluff soon makes its mark on the art world. |