Sackville Aboriginal Reserve MonumentPrint Page

The monument commemorates the Aborigines of the Hawkesbury.

The Aboriginal name for the Hawkesbury River was recorded as Deerubbun. The two main Aboriginal tribes inhabiting the area were the Dhurag or Darug people to the north and west and Darkinjung peoples on the opposite side of the river covering the area of Gosford north to Lake Macquarie and west to Wollombi. 

Arrangements are well in hand for the unveiling of a memorial to the former aborigines of this district, at Sackville on July 5. This date has been selected as it will be the 163rd anniversary of the passing of the site by Governor Phillip and his party in their exploration of the Hawkesbury River. The suggestion came from Mr. P. W. Gledhill, prominent member of the Royal Australian Historical Society, who some time ago made the proposition to the Hawkesbury Valley Tourist Association, offering to donate the stone obelisk suggested as a memorial. The proposal was enthusiastically adopted by the association, and it was decided that the memorial be placed on the area at Sackville set apart in 1896 as a reserve for aborigines, and later handed over to the Colo Shire Council as a public recreation area.
Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW), 18 June 1952.

Some 200 Sydney visitors are expected to supplement a large gathering of district residents at the unveiling of the Aborigines' Memorial at the Sackville reserve on Saturday afternoon, next. Three large buses have already been chartered to bring up from the city members of the Royal Australian Historical Society and others interested, while, many will be coming by car, and it is hoped that all centres in the Hawkesbury district will also be represented, as a general invitation is extended to the public to be present.

The obelisk was donated for the purpose by Mr. P. W. Gledhill, well - known member of the Historical Society, and the monument was 'dressed' and inscribed by public subscription. The unveiling ceremony will be performed at 2 p.m. by the Shire President (Cr. H. C. Matheson), and the dedication by Dr. Barton Babbage, Dean of St. Andrew's Cathedral, will follow. Among those present the aborigines will be represented by Mr. Ridgway, of Chullora, an employee of the Department of Railways, who is a 'prince' in his own right, as a direct descendant of the last official 'king' of the Port Stephens ' tribes, and it is hoped that any descendants of the aborigines of this district will be present.
Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW), 2 July 1952.

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