National Archives of Australia, Darwin Office
Series A6456, Item R136/009
Native Affairs Reports by Patrol Officers 1965 - 1968
Patrols from Woomera Research Establishment
Paul Mackett
Copyright P J Mackett, 2004
Report on routine Patrol of Central Reserve 16 June to 6 July 1965
16. 6.1965 Left Coober Pedy accompanied by Coober Pedy Jimmy, his wife and daughter.
18. 6.1965 Travelled from Ernabella to Musgrave Park.
Took Charlie to visit his child at Musgrave Park.
19. 6.1965 With Tommy Dodd travelled through Mt Davies and camped 40 miles south of Giles.
28. 6.1965 The road from Blackstone to Warburton is reasonable except for a few miles
where the track is unusable, it is just as usual slow and Rough.
Picked up Billy's sons.
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Report on Patrol 21 July to 24 August 1965
23. 7.1965 Moved to Mt Davies. Met five policemen, Superintendent and Stock Overseer
from Musgrave Park who had arrested Nora for killing Daphne's baby.
25. 7.1965 Together with Mr Harman travelled through Blackstone Ranges to Giles Tank.
Native group at Blackstone. Native man, Red, requested transport for his
daughter, Joan, from Warburton Ranges Mission to Blackstone.
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Guide for Joint Patrol 9. 9.1965
I engaged Tipurarla, a native born in the Tika Tika area, as a guide for the Joint
Patrol, pay to be the same as that paid to the Western Australian party's guide
Andrew, three pounds per day.
Would you please arrange for a cheque for 30 pounds to be sent to him c/o Superintendent
Warburton Ranges Mission, Warburton Ranges, Western Australia.
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Report on a Patrol to the Central Reserve and southern W.A. 8th to 26th January 1966
13. 1.1966 Travelled into Warburton Mission to engage guide Paul Porter
and returned to Tika Tika.
15. 1.1966 Departed (Warburton Mission) for Cosmo Newbery with woman Mrs Lilli Simms and
baby for treatment at Laverton Hospital.
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Physiology of Nomadic Aborigines in North west Reserve 6th to 22nd February 1966
19. 2.1966 Self accompanied by Tommy Dodd to Musgrave Park.
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Report on Patrol 4th to 17th April 1966 from Woomera
12. 4.1966 Travelled to Finke. Picked up Miss Cox, Welfare Officer, and set out for
Victory Downs to meet Mr Verburgt.
Vehicle caught fire approximately 1730. Stayed at Kulgera. Sent message to
Mr Verburgt by Gilpin Ward, who was travelling in that direction.
15. 4.1966 Travelled to Everard Ranges and contacted native Murray and his colleagues.
Summary Munta Bulja
Native Murray agreed that he is the owner of the area in which MuntaBulja is situated
and that he and Old Everard were the highest authoritiesconnected with the several areas
of significance sited in that part of the Reserve. He suggested that the following
natives visit the area with us to record the mythology and ceremonial ritual of the area:
Murray, Old Everard and Old Charlie for Everard Park
Moorilyanna George for Granite Downs
Andrew for Fregon
I explained that there would now be an unavoidable delay of some weeks.
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Patrol to the North West Reserve 7th April 1966
13. 4.1966 Gilpin Ward informs Victory Downs of problem with vehicle above.
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Memorandum dated 4. 5.1966 to Superintendent Woomera from W.R.E. Woomera
On 28. 4.1966 Mr Verburgt and I (W B MacDougall)visited the Davenport Reserve and
the Port Augusta Gaol.
The three men Charlie, Harry and Pompey (all from the Musgrave Ranges) who are in
Gaol for their part in a domestic fight which resulted in the death of Charlie's son Toby.
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Patrol to the interior 23rd May to 16th June 1966
11. 6.1966 Stood two drums of fuel at Mt Fanny and put 'N.P.O.' on them. Will use then
next trip. Called at Wingallina. Spoke to natives in camp before calling on
Mr Brown the camp leader. He was not pleased but we parted friends. Picked
up two young men, Louis and Edgar, also old woman for Musgrave Park.
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Patrol to the Interior 28th July to 14th August 1966
28. 7.1966 Departed Woomera at 0800 hours with Aboriginal child, Jennifer Williams, whose
parents reside at Coober Pedy.
29. 7.1966 Jennifer Williams' parents working at Ingomar Station. Child taken to Ingomar
and left with parents.
31. 7.1966 Departed Musgrave accompanied by Tommy Dodd at 1400 hours and camped 20 miles
east of Mt Davies for night.
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Report on Patrol 8th to 31st August 1966
15. 8.1966 Moved to Mt Woodroffe. Watched fencing demonstration. Camped at Ernabella.
16. 8.1966 Told natives that I wanted two men from the Mt Poondinna area for a week to
select with me a route for the proposed new road.
17. 8.1966 Lame Willie and Doggie Jim were selected to accompany me.
22. 8.1966 Returned natives to Ernabella.
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Report on Patrol 22nd to 30th September 1966
26. 9.1966 Interviewed natives at Yalata re sacred areas north of the East-West railway
line. They requested assistance in visiting four sites approximately situated
as follows
'THIS PARAGRAPH HAS BEEN CENSORED'
The men involved are
Jackie Windless
Jack Baker
Fred Windless
Tommy Rice
Mickie Chamberlain
Charlie Tunkin
Bobby Rice (possibly).
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Letter to Director of Welfare Darwin dated 27 October 1966
Mentions Tommy Dodd and Nosepeg at Papunya.
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Report on Patrol 3rd to 23rd October 1966
8.10.1966 0800 departure for Ayers Rock (from Musgrave Park). Self (B J Verburgt)
accompanied by Tommy Dodd and Dr A Yengoyan, American anthropologist.
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Report on Patrol 22nd November to 1st December 1966
26.11.1966 Travelled westawrds towards Neale Junction (from Vokes Hill) then north until
we could see the Birksgate Ranges. From this position our guide, Tom Rice,
could recognise his surroundings, but is still not sure of the exact position
of the site. Returned to the Neale Junction - Emu Road.
Summary Notes
Stonehenge is situated near the border between the Woomera and Maralinga Prohibited areas
not far from Observatory Hill. This stone arrangement is connected with dream time heroes,
mythical sleepy lizards (skinks).
The area does not have any kinship significance to any of our informants but is of keen
cultural interest to them all.They stated that the only living man to whom it should have
special significance is a young man called Tom Singer, who is much more interested in the
Aborigines right to drink Act than tribal culture. However information about that site
is available from Aborigines now living at Yalata Mission.
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Joint Patrol April 1964
18. 4.1964 The Army party reached Sandy Blight Junction during the morning. The W.A. party
came up with the N.T. party and we proceeded north to the Sir Frederick Range
together. The N.T. party reached Sandy Blight at dark. The road was badly washed
out in many places. A truck from Papunya (driver Mr N Anderson) had arrived the
same day with fuel and three guides and assistants (George Jakamara, Freddy Jakamara,
and Pitani Purukulu).
27. 4.1964 Travelled via Dovers Hills to Sandy Blight. At Buck Hills just after dark we met
the survey party of the Joint Services Expedition; also a transport with fuel
for oil search parties reportably about to begin operations west of Jupiter Well.
Advised driver not to proceed more than ten miles further west. At Sandy Blight
met Patrol Officer K Smith and Nosepeg Juburula who had brought fuel and
supplementary food supplied from Papunya that day.
Visit to Balgo Hills
6. 5.1964 Travelled to Hooker Creek where assistants from Papunya and Yuendumu (Nosepeg Juburula,
Jack Jagamara from Papunya; Peter Bagu-bagu, Mickey Juburula from Yuendumu) joined the
party.
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Joint Patrol April 1967; Report of the N.T. welfare Branch Patrol
Aboriginals
One object of the Patrol was to gather further information about a small group which had been
reported some years ago to be living in the area well north of Jupiter Well Road. A man of the
Jungarai subsection who had lived in the Stansmore Range area was said to have died and one
(perhaps all three) of his wives were said to have been 'inherited' by a man of the Jabanangga
subsection who was said to have 'run away' from Balgo Hills (see census notes with report of
April 1964 Patrol).A man known at the Mission as Casimir Gandja Jabanangga (who probably came
to Balgo in the 1950s and who had about 1959 been sent to Derby with burns to his neck and returned
on foot to the Mission) apparently walked off into the desert about January 1961. He left a wife
and three children at the Mission and his wife subsequently remarried and has had two more
children. Early informants had given the man's name as Landil and Balgo informants gave his name
as Pirpun, but there can be little doubt that all accounts relate to the same man. Father McGuire
knew of no other who had left the Mission to return to the desert in the last ten years or so.
Aboriginal informants at Balgo reported having seen fires to the south and said that some
Aboriginals had been seen running away, by a party of white men working south of the Mission.
They could not suggest any other people who might remain in the area between yhe Stock Route
and Jupiter Well Road.
Clearly this man chooses to remain in the desert rather thanreturn to the Mission. Since he has
probably taken all three of the Nangala widows as his wives, one reason is no doubt that his
relatives at the Mission would have some objection to these 'first cousin: marriages. He would
probably have similar reservations about going to Yuendumu where one or two children of the
eldest woman of the threeare reported to be living. But there are probably at least three
children with this group and I suggest that a patrol to attempt to make contact with these
people would be justified even if they do not choose immediately to move to a Mission or a
Settlement.
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Report on Routine Patrol of the Central Reserve and to make contact with a group of
primitive Aborigines in the Windy Corner area W.A. 9th to 30th June 1967
11. 6.1967 Tommy Dodd, an elderly Aboriginal from Musgrave Park now joined the
party as a guide.
19. 6.1967 Deposited guide Billy at Warburton and departed for Giles at 0900.
22. 6.1967 Departed Musgrave Park with Aboriginals Tjipakuta and Bukie? for Numatjara
rock-hole via Blackstone arriving at 1930.
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Report on Patrol 20th June to 17th July 1967
27. 6.1967 Camped at Serpentine Lakes
28. 6.1967 The rest of the party travelled east to Seismic Number1 then south for 20 miles.
29. 6.1967 Visited the three soaks and met Tom Murray. Moved on to camp at Muckera.
4. 7.1967 Travelled to Zanthus. Jerome not available at Cundalee Mission so decided
to take Benjamin and Toby. Camped at Naretha.
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Report on Routine Patrol to the Central Reserve 7th to 23rd August 1967
17. 8.1967 Moved on to Blackstone. Possum, three women and three children proceeding
on foot.
18. 8.1967 Camped at Blackstone. Possum apparently gone on.
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Joint Patrol of the Central Reserve April 1967
G.E. Cornish 16. 8.1967
The final itinerary provided for visits to sites between Warburton Ranges and Giles,
then north to Sandy Blight Junction, west to Well 35, south to Brown Range, returning
by Gunbarrel Highway, and the north east from Tika Tika in an attempt to locate the
site Yowarlocru (now thought to be in or north of Ryan Buttes).
Aboriginals
(1) Tracks of two men and two women seen heading west on a claypan near the
Davenport Hills. Identified as Mai-Mai @ Charlie, who was at one time in
Papunya, and his son Henry who was initiated at Cundeelee several years ago.
The group's home country is understood to be the west side of Lake Hopkins.
(2) Camp adjacent to a dry waterhole (Taltiwara) approximately 3/4 mile west
of trig NMF 246. Location indicated by a recent hunting fire 24 miles
south of Windie Corner. Group consisted of
Name Relation Born
Ititjuku-na Husband c1907
Ilyabanya Wife c1932
Tuckamarra Husband c1939
Gnunalanya Wife c1937
Ilyiba Child c1962
Muntagnalkuntju-na Husband c1927
Marillinku-na Wife c1917
Gnananyinya Child c1955
Nababyena Child c1959
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Report on Patrol 1st to 26th September 1967
7. 9.1967 Via Fregon to Musgrave Park. Transported Bell Rock and family to Musgrave Park.
Refuelled amd moved towards Mulga Park.
8. 9.1967 Picked up Willie for medical attention at Alice Springs Hospital.
Arranged to meet Captain at Curtin Springs to act as guide to Emu site north
of Peterman Ranges.
9. 9.1967 In Alice Springs. Repairs and rations. Picked up Willie and Emily for return to
Curtin Springs. Camped Mt Ebenezer.
10. 9.1967 Picked up Captain at Curtin Springs, and travelled through Ayers Rock and Mt Olga.
19. 9.1967 To Musgrave Park, then back to Mount Davies for Harry and Ivy - parents who have
missed the truck.
20. 9.1967 Transported Harry and Ivy to Musgrave Park. Moved to Mulga Park to pick up Mary,
the last of the parents.
Notes
FIRST TWO PARAGRAPHS CENSORED.
The entrance to one of the caves was clearly visible from my camp site. The second was
situated to the right. Its entrance is hidden by a small fig tree.
Tiger and Captain, who both live at Curtin Springs, were my guides. Harry (Pikapuda),
Pikapuda pulka, Pompey (Yalatja) and Danki Danki of Areyonga and Toby, at present
living at Ernabella, were mentioned as men keenly interested in this site by my guides.
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Report on Patrol into Windy Corner Area to assist the Commonwealth Film Unit make a
Film of every day life of the primitive Aborigine
28. 9.1967 Self and Tommy Dodd to Walalukuna Swamp in quest of camp meat.
30. 9.1967 Self and boy, Nabilya, to Walalukuna Swamp and return with two emu for camp meat.
1.10.1967 Self and Tommy Dodd to Windy Corner.
2.10.1967 Departed for Warburton with guide Tjiparula as he needed attention for a bad cold.
5.10.1967 Self and Tommy Dodd to Walalukuna Swamp, Quiarli and Mumu Pupunya waterholes.
7.10.1967 Self and Tommy Dodd to Walalukuna Swamp with Film Unit's second camera.
13.10.1967 Self requested by the Superintendent, Musgrave, to take an Aboriginal boy
Mayanara or Billy to Oodnadatta to be placed in Police custody.
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Patrol by Native Patrol Officer W B MacDougall 16th October to 10th November 1967
16.10.1967 Arrived Port Augusta having left Woomera the previous evening to avoid travelling
in the heat. Visited Welfare Officer. Mayangara, who prefers to be called Billy,
is to arrive today from Oodnadatta.
19.10.1967 From Ernabella to Musgrave Park. Schoolgirls Sandra and Jennifer and also
Christine West from Wingellina to go to Warburton. Camped.
20.10.1967 Early start. Checked pump jack at Mt Davies, bearing worn out. Found Christine West
and her two children. Jack, who is not very well, also authorised to travel to
Warburton. Camped at Lightning Rocks.
21.10.1967 Moved to Warburton. No information regarding possible natives in the vicinity of
Sir Frederick Ranges. Selected Charlie and Jontjon whose wives come from that area.
Returned to Lightning Rocks.
25.10.1967 The fire travelled approximately 80 miles east (Sandy Blight area). Called at
Papunya. Nosepeg stated that Ivan, who lives at Warburton, reported seeing four tracks during joint Patrol.
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Patrol by Native Patrol Officer W B MacDougall 6th to 23rd February 1968
7. 2.1968 Called at Ernabella. Mission Superintendent asked me to transport Jack to
Warburton to meet his wife who is to be returned from Perth because she has
an inoperable cancer.
14. 2.1968 At Giles. Sent message to Kalgoolie re Hughie, husband of Tjimpayi who has
a 10 week old baby and is dependent on her mother.
Jack's wife died at Ernabella.
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Patrol of the Central Reserve and the Lake Tobin Area 4th March to 4th April 1968
8. 3.1968 Arrived Warburton at 1400 hours. Fuel and food purchased and an Aboriginal,
named Paul Porter, recruited as a guide.
29. 3.1968 0700 departed for Warburton Range Mission, arriving at 1630 hours.
Dropped Aboriginal guide, Paul Porter, in camp and purchased needed fuel.
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Report on Patrol 17th April to 7th May 1968
21. 4.1968 Left with 6 men for Kilpi Tjata. $12.00 from Henry for Mr Reid at Amata.
Mr Fogerty informed me that Mr Reid has left Amata. Will return money to Henry.
A Chevrolet car with Kalgoolie number plates broken down, Peter, Pedro, Collin
and two other young men. Towed them to Amata.
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