About

The finding of stone axes in our garden located on the banks of the Mitta Mitta River was the beginning of a search to discover who left them and why.

The ‘who’ was not difficult as we are on Dhudhuroa land but the ‘why’ led me to uncover the tragic truth of what occurred during the rush of overlanders taking up land in the area.

I have lived in rural North East Victoria all my life and grow medicinal plants in a garden containing one of the largest collections in the country. I also collect knowledge of their uses as to whether they are food, medicine or poison.

Stinging nettle has been documented throughout European history as having many medicinal attributes including being a coagulant. The application of the crushed plant staunches blood flow. Whereas, violet leaves have great healing ability for sore throat and cancers of the mouth, throat and stomach while maiden hair fern has been used with good results to treat asthma, coughs and shortness of breath.

These same plants have Native cousins that grow along the waterways where I live. No doubt the Dhudhuroa were aware of the benefits of these plants and used them similarly.

The desire to discover what happened to the Dhudhuroa and their neighboring tribes has seen my time consumed with the events that occurred during what is termed ‘white settlement’ during the late 1830’s in North East Victoria.

However, the term ‘settlement’ is misleading as it implies a gentle event. Nothing could be further from the truth as the people who left the stone axes in the ground did not leave this land willingly.

Twenty years ago I began reading accounts of ‘white settlement’ to try and understand what it was like in those times and quickly found reference to Merriman. His name came up again and again and a picture began to emerge of a youth wanting to know as much as possible about the new comers to his land. It was not long before Merriman’s name was associated with atrocities to the point where it seemed every evil deed where Indigenous people were mentioned, Merriman was there.

Even if half of it is true then Merriman was an exception human being.

But was Merriman deliberately demonised for the sake of story-telling or was he actually responsible for the acts attributed to him? It’s time to find out!

I am extremely grateful to Megan Carter, a descendant of Merriman’s family who has helped guide and progress the research.

Megan and myself connected at Tangambalanga some years ago when she was on the trail for King Billy’s brass plate which had been sold at auction in the 1980s. Her search was successful and the extraordinary story can be read on her blog;

https://dhudhuroaandwaywurruancestors.wordpress.com/

My thanks also go to Historian Jacqui Durrant who has been a great resource on where to seek information and the importance of citing references.

Jacqui Durrant has been researching the history of Beechworth and surrounds and her blog is a far reaching exploration of the era. It can be found at;

 https://lifeonspringcreek.com/about/

Finding Merriman is a site that will change as new information is discovered and I invite anyone who can add to the knowledge to get in touch using the contact window.

Your information no matter how small may be valuable in adding to the bigger picture.