Our Journey

Our Journey

Explore our story through time

Over 10,000 Years Ago
  • Pleistocene Epoch
  • Archaeological evidence of earliest occupation.​
1827
  • Allan Cunningham observed Aboriginal groups camping andliving in the eastern Bigambul country.​
  • Grinding Grooves at Texas QLD,on Bigambul country.​
1837 - 1839
  • First white settlement attempt in lower Macintyre River region (Merawah run).​
  • Stations abandoned due to Aboriginal resistance.
Early 1840s​
  • John Campbell described Aboriginal semi-permanent dwellings.​
  • Abandoned stations taken up again, including ‘Gundywindi’.​
  • Major Mitchell recorded Aboriginal camps and huts.​
1849
  • Captain Walker and Native Police arrived at Macintyre River.​
  • Commissioner Richard Bligh recorded the ‘Pichamboul’ tribe.
Mid-1800s​
  • Births of Queen Susan, Edward ‘Ned’ Noble, Nellie Yumbeina, James Armstrong, Joe McGregor, William Clevins, DuncanDaniels, Ada Parker, Henry Armstrong, Jim Armstrong.​
  • Ridley described Bigambul people as ‘Pikumbul’.​
  • Jack Noble & Sally Murray received blankets at Goondiwindi.​
Late 1800s​

W.T. Wyndham recorded "Bigumble" tribe participating in bora ceremony.​

1897​

Meston’s Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale ofOpium Act introduced.

Early 1900s​
  • Removal of some Bigambul people to Cherbourg Aboriginal Settlement.​
  • Aboriginal fringe camps at Toobeah and Bungunya.​
1914 – 1963​
  • Toobeah State School operated.​
  • The town takes its name from the Toobeah railway station on the South Western railway line, which was established in 1910.
  • Toobeah Provisional School opened on 12 October 1914. On 1 December 1914 it became Toobeah State School. It closed on 30 April 1964. 
Mid–Late 1900s​

Last Bigambul people left Toobeah Reserve.​

2012 – 2016​
  • Native title determinations over Parts A & B.​
  • Bigambul Native Title Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC registered.​
  • Native Title Determination​
  • The Bigambul People are Traditional Owners for approximately 17,134 sq km of country which lies between the towns of St George, Tara and Texas in the Darling Downs region of Queensland. Our country spans part of the Balonne, Goondiwindi, Toowoomba and Western Downs regional councils.​
  • We were formally recognised as Native Title Holders by the Federal Court of Australia in a two-part native title claim, determined by consent on 1 December 2016 and 23 June 2017 respectively.​
2020s

Goondiwindi-Toobeah Bigambul Elders Aboriginal Corporation registered.​

From history to leadership

See who carries our story forward on behalf of Bigambul people.