John Batman recorded in his journal that he had signed a treaty with the local Aboriginal people, the Wurundjeri to buy 2,000 km of land around Melbourne and another 400 km around Geelong. In exchange he gave the eight chiefs whose marks he acquired on the treaty, a quantity of blankets, knives, tomahawks, scissors, looking-glasses, flour, handkerchiefs and shirts. Under British law, the treaty was legally invalid as the land belonged to the Crown, not to the Wurundjeri. Although the treaty was declared null and void by Governor Bourke within six months of John and Henry Batman and the Port Phillip Association organising this treaty, it remains an interesting part of Melbourne's early history. Copy of Batman's Treaty of Melbourne, 1835. Original hand written on parchment in triplicate. john batman, wurundjeri, treaty of melbourne, melbourne history, batman's treaty

Text of a paper read before the Historical Society of Australia by Jas. Blackburn in 1886. Discusses Batman's Treaty with the Port Phillip traditional owners and the possible site of the signing - on the east side of the River Plenty, NW of Eltham andd 3 miles above the junction of the Plenty with the Yarra River.6p. text.john batman, batman's treaty, port phillip district, plenty river

An examination of conflicts in John Batman's account of the so-called treaty with the Wurundjeri in 1835.16 p., booklet. 2 copies.aborigines, batmans treaty, wurundjeri

This information was collected for a grant application to erect signage along the Plenty River path, outlining the history of this area where early settlement of the area occurred. The application was made by GHS member Dennis Ward.Black spiral bound folder with clear cover containing 18 pages of photograph and text.plenty river trail, plenty river, willis vale, dennis ward

Map of the Plenty River through Greensborough and surrounding areas, annotated with historic places. Prepared by Dennis Ward, this map shows places of interest with historic markers for a proposed Heritage Trail along the Plenty. This was a joint project of Dennis Ward, Rotary Greensborough and Nillumbik Historical Society.This map shows many places of interest along the Plenty River. Large laminated map, including land subdivisions and street names.plenty river heritage trail

BLack and white drawing of John Batman and Aborigines at Port Phillip (Melbourne) in 1835. It was said he spent the day with local chiefs, who were friendly, batering for a large tract of land.aboriginal, aborigines, john batman, melbourne treaty, batman's treaty

A critical discussion of John Batman's account of his land purchase of land in Melbourne and Geelong, with reference to the eye-witness account of Woiwurung leader William Barak 11 p., typescriptbatmans treaty, john batman, william barak, melbourne

John Batman's Treaty, signed on the banks of a creek (Merri Creek?) on 16 June 1835, was an agreement with eight Aboriginal leaders to transfer the land of Port Phillip area to Batman. Governor Bourke disallowed the Treaty the same year.australia, history, john batman

The Batman Deed is sometimes called the Batman Treaty, the Dutigullar Deed, the Dutigullar Treaty or the Melbourne Deed. The deeds had been drafted by JT Gellibrand, a leading lawyer in the colony. Batman's Treaty was a document signed on 6 June 1835 by John Batman, an Australian grazier, businessman and explorer, and a group of Wurundjeri elders, for the purchase of land around Port Phillip, near the present site of the city of Melbourne. The document came to be known as Batman's Treaty and is considered significant as it was the first and only documented time when Europeans negotiated their presence and occupation of Aboriginal lands directly with the traditional owners. The so-called treaty was implicitly declared void on 26 August 1835 by the Governor of New South Wales, Richard Bourke. The original Batman Deed is of enormous significance to the history of the European settlement of Victoria. Framed print of the Batman Deed, dated 1835. This is a printed copy of the Batman Deed, made in 1966 from the 'original' by the State Library of Victoria. The frame is wood. The document consists of handwritten text in black ink with eight signatures in the lower right hand side and three signatures in the lower left hand corner. It has been signed by John Batman beneath the eight signatures.document batman-deed melbourne

Book review of "Possession: Batman's Treaty and the matter of history" by Bain Attwood. The book discusses the motives behind the treaty and its historical implications. Review by Penelope Edmonds.There is much dispute over where and if Batman's Treaty was signed.Newspaper clipping, text and images. john batman, batmans treaty, bain attwood

Jim Poulter's research indicates that the accepted account of Batman's Treaty with aboriginal elders regarding purchase of the land of Melbourne is not true. He claims the Treaty was signed in Greensborough.Newspaper clipping, text and images. Date written in black ink: "Feb 2017"john batman, batmans treaty

This book is a useful reference tool on the history of the settlement of Victoria.A 104 pp book with a red cover. It is titled, "The first Chapter in the History of Victoria" written in black print inside a black frame. It is an account of Collin's temporary settlement at Sorrento in 1803. It describes the lives of Buckley, Fawkner, and Batman and includes an account of Batman's treaty with the indigenous people of Port Phillip leading to the founding of Melbourne. melbourne-settlement victoria-history-settlement batman-john-treaty

Discussion of John Daniels' theory that "Batman's Treaty" was signed on the southern bank of the Merri Creek in Reservoir. It follows Batman up the Maribyrnong River and his meeting with 'a native family' who took him to the Merri Creek.1 p. reprint of address at general Meeting [of Port Phillip Pioneers Group?] 11 July 2014, by Jan Hanslowbatmans treaty, john daniels, john batman, merri creek

This account describes the site of the meeting between Wurundjeri elders and John Batman, at which the "Batman Treaty" was signed. Reinterpretation of a narrative dictated by William Barak in 1888. Edited by Jim Poulter in consultation with Wurundjeri elders in August 20143 pages typescript, 2 black and white , 1 colour photograph.batmans treaty, william barak, wurundjeri, jim poulter

Transcription of part of 'A History of the Colony of Victoria' Vol.1 1797-1854; by Henry Gyles Turner; 1904; reprinted 1973. A reference from the Diary of D. Medhurst refers to the probability of John Batman signing the treaty with indigenous inhabitants of the Melbourne area on the banks of the Plenty River at Greensborough.Typescript, 6p.plenty river, john batman, aborigines - banyule

This old apple tree situated beside the Plenty River Trail at Greensborough has been associated with Melbourne Founder John Batman. Known as Batman's Tree, this apple tree is on the bank of the Plenty River near Leischa Court, Greensborough. It is said that Melbourne Founder John Batman may have planted the tree and later signed his treaty here with the Aboriginal people. It still bears fruit and its recorded on the National Trust's Register of Significant Trees, as the oldest apple tree in Victoria. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p7 Was This John Batman's Tree? An apple tree on the bank of the Plenty River near Leischa Court, Greensborough, is believed to have belonged to Melbourne’s founder, John Batman. It could also stand where John Batman signed his famous treaty with the Aboriginal people.1 Known as Batman’s Tree, it still bears fruit and is recorded on the National Trust’s Register of Significant Trees, as the oldest apple tree in Victoria. It is ‘Believed to have been planted by either John Batman, (c1837) or Martin Batey (1841)’.2 In 1966 a Horticultural Adviser, Mr Rolfe, after extensive questioning of aged Greensborough residents, wrote: ‘it thus seems fairly certain that the old tree on the banks of the Plenty River is an original Batman apple tree’. Mr Rolfe said that the tree stood on a spot formerly called Wattle Bend: ‘one of the sites claimed to be where John Batman signed his famous treaty with the aboriginals. ‘My main source of information has been interviews with people who attended school in the Greensborough area from 70 to 80 years ago. Their parents were close to the days when Melbourne was founded so information passed on by word of mouth.’ Around 1920 the tree was struck by lightning and a concrete block was placed in the split. The concrete is inscribed with the date 1841 when the tree was thought to have been planted. Not everyone agrees with Mr Rolfe however. Former secretary of the Nillumbik Historical Society, Kevin Patterson, said there was no written evidence to support the claim. But he said the tree had been known to locals for decades as Batman’s Tree. In the 1920s a holiday resort in the area advertised: ‘Come to Greensborough and see John Batman’s tree’. Mr Patterson said it was thought that when Batman died in 1839 his land was sold and a Greensborough man Frederick Flintoff bought seedlings from his orchard for £1 each. This was the only one left.3 Mr Rolfe said: ‘If planted in 1837, or even a few years later, it undoubtedly is the oldest living apple tree in Victoria. Title records of the property on which the tree grows show that the land was a crown grant of F D Wickham in 1840. Mr Wickham was reputed to be a friend of John Batman. All the early settlers prior to the crown grants were squatters, by virtue of Batman’s treaty. This treaty was revoked by the then New South Wales Government, so it is likely that Wickham or an agent was in occupation before 1840. ‘According to Mrs Mavis Latham (John Batman – Great Australian Series, Oxford University Press) when Batman came to Port Phillip in 1835 he brought fruit trees with him. He failed to get a crown grant for his selection on Collins Street, which included 20 acres (eight ha) of orchard and cultivation. His residence became the Government Office and Melbourne grew from wild bushland in 1835 to a town of over 20,000 people by 1841. It is possible Batman visited Wickham and presented him with a tree.’ However a Flintoff descendant in 1933 said Frederick Flintoff ordered his bailiff Martin Batey to transplant the Batman Tree from the Spencer Street orchard to its present site as a memorial to his friend Batman.4 Mr Rolfe spoke to many people, including descendants of the Bateys and Flintoffs and pupils at the Greensborough Primary School. Many had gained their information from a ‘very highly respected’ head master Lewis Amiet at the Greensborough School from 1895 to 1917. He must have gained this information from residents in the district and had this information been incorrect, the parents of the children would have promptly corrected him.’ One woman who attended the school before Mr Amiet’s appointment, said the previous teacher also taught that the tree on the Plenty River was a Batman tree, Mr Rolfe said.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, greensborough, john batman tree, plenty river trail

White metal medal issued to commemorate Melbourne's centenary 1934-35. This medal was given out to Victorian school children; 325,600 white metal medals were struck. There were also a few VIP pieces in other metals, including two in gold. The medal references Portland, the location of Victoria's first settlement. The Henty brothers, entrepreneur farmers and whalers, established the state's first permanent European settlement in Portland in 1834. Melbourne was established the following year by a party of settlers led by John Batman. In 1934, as Melbourne planned to celebrate the centenary of European settlement, it seemed to some that there was little to celebrate. The financial strains of the depression, unemployment and the scandal of the city's slums all undercut claims of unbridled progress. Perhaps because of such troubles, the organisers of the centenary celebrations tried doubly hard to be positive. The themes of the celebrations were conservative, reflecting the desire of some Melburnians for security in troubled times. The widely promoted image of the 'Garden City' and 'Queen City of the South' emphasised the idea of Melbourne as a very British city. A visit by the Duke of Gloucester, son of George V, the ageing king, provided a reassuring strengthening of Melbourne's imperial connections. The presented view of Melbourne's history stressed the 'myth of the pioneer', embodied in the person of John Batman. Elevated to heroic status, he was reinvented as a courageous pioneer whose life exemplified the rewards of self-improvement. Such a portrayal ignored Batman's dubious 'treaty' with local Aborigines and the less savoury details of his personal life. Melbourne's indigenous people were excluded from this triumphant view of Melbourne's past. The centenary celebrations now seem dated, but the image of Melbourne as a conservative city largely influenced by Britain has been more enduring.Details the settlement of Portland, Melbourne and Victoria, 1834 - 1935Double sided round white metal medal, featuring on front face, the bay of Portland showing a ship in the harbour. On the reverse side of the medal is John Bateman overlooking the city of Melbourne and the Yarra river.The front is inscribed, "CENTENARY OF VICTORIA" 1934, across the top, bottom right has the words "PORTLAND 1834". Reverse side shows "CENTENARY OF MELBOURNE 1935", and the date 1835 at the bottom. melbourne, medal, portland, centenary of victoria 1935

Article from the Victorian Historical Journal Vol.85, No.1, June 2014. Discusses John Batman's 1835 visit to Port Phillip and possible alternative sites for signing his treaty with Indigenous people of the area.21 pages, maps.john batman, batmans treaty

Ian Hunter, an aboriginal elder, has criticised a proposal by Darebin Council to replace the name Batman Park with that of an aboriginal man.Small newspaper clipping, black and white text.darebin council, john batman, treaty of melbourne, batmans treaty

Features artwork by VACL Project Officer Mandy Nicholson.maps, photographswurundjeri, carlton gardens, alexandria gardens, maysar, batman treaty, oral histories

A comprehensive account of John Batman's life. This is a broad social history of the life and contentions of the original Port Phillip settlement. It includes relations between the European colonists and the Aboriginal population. It shows how the initial Aboriginal policy lay the ground for the near genocide of Port Phillip's original inhabitants.maps, b&w illustrations, b&w photographsbunurong, boonwurrung, wathaurong, woiworung, woiwurrung, wurundjeri, wodewarrou, gerarlture, beingalite, you whamgete, you yangs, yarra river, kurung, john batman, port phillip bay, victorian history, victorian indigenous history, batman treaty

Reproductions of various transactions and reports dealing with the early government of Port Phillip, including laws, surveyors? and administrators? reports, bills, requisitions, prices, police reports, and miscellaneous other documents dealing with the early administration of Port Phillip.victorian history, port phillip, governor bourke, geelong, john batman, treaty, william lonsdale, william buckley, werribee

The kit is designed for the general public, teachers and students, to give an understanding of Australian Indigenous people and culture and to break down stereotypes that are common in the school system and the wider community. The information presented is about the cultural, spiritual, economic and religious aspects of pre-contact societies. The impact of invasion on traditional societies and the post-colonial history of Australian Indigenous people is explored.Maps, b&w illustrations, b&w photographs, colour photographsculture, history, john batman, batman treaty, coranderrk mission, koorie culture, lake condah mission, kinship systems, aboriginal art, dreaming stories, kulin, gunai/kurnai, mara, wotjobaluk, wudjubaluk, koori

This old apple tree situated beside the Plenty River Trail at Greensborough has been associated with Melbourne Founder John Batman. The concrete block is inscribed with the date 1841, when the tree was thought to have been planted. Known as Batman's Tree, this apple tree is on the bank of the Plenty River near Leischa Court, Greensborough. It is said that Melbourne Founder John Batman may have planted the tree and later signed his treaty here with the Aboriginal people. It still bears fruit and its recorded on the National Trust's Register of Significant Trees, as the oldest apple tree in Victoria. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p7This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, greensborough, john batman tree, plenty river trail