Gazetteer of Historical Australian Places
SORT: Placename | State | LGA | Feature_term | Latitude | Longitude | Start Date | End Date |
"The numerous and well beaten paths near the banks of the Estuary indicated the constant presence of considerable numbers, indeed no where had I hitherto seen even on the Murray [not to be confused with the Murray River in SE Australia] where the natives are numerous such distinct paths or so many gropus of deserted huts as here, some of them made with some care of the paper bark." p25
While considering Noongar country around Vasse, Bunbury makes comparison to the rest of Australia, in particular spelling out how Indigenous fire management in Van Diemen's Land had ended and the forests had become overgrown:
"By these fires the country is kept comparatively free from underwood and other obstructions, having the character of an open forest through most parts of which one can ride freely; otherwise in all probability it would soon become impenetrably thick and although the soil would be improved, yet the labor and cost of clearing would be so greatly increased as to take away all the profits, and it would change the very nature of the country depriving it of the grazing and pastoral advantages it now possesses. This has been already proved in the case of Van Diemens Land, where in consequence of the transportation of the Natives to Great or Flinders Island, and the consequent absence of extensive periodical fires the bush has grown up thick to a most inconvenient degree, spoiled the sheep runs and open pastures and afforded harbor to snakes and other Reptiles which are becoming yearly more numerous. It is true we might ourselves burn the bush but we could never do it with the judgement and the same good effect as the Natives do, who keep the fire within due bounds, only burning those parts they wish when they scrub becomes too thick or they have any other object to gain by it. Upon the burnt ground they can easily track the Opossums, Kangaroo Rats, Bandicoots, Iquanas, Snakes and co which can elude their search in the thick scrub which moreover is very painful to walk through..." pp77-78 Bunbury, H.W. Papers, 1834-1837 ACC 6895A/Vol 1 State Library of Western Australia https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1845344_1
p2 (p7) Bunbury, H.W. Papers, 1834-1837 ACC 6895A/Vol 1 State Library of Western Australia https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1845344_1