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{{Infobox person
|name        = Bennelong
|image       = Bennelong.jpg
|alt         =
|caption     = Portrait (signed "W.W.") thought to depict Bennelong
|birth_date  = c. 1764
|birth_place =
|death_date  = 3 January 1813
|death_place = [[Kissing Point]], [[New South Wales]]
|other_names = Baneelon
|known_for   =
|occupation  =
|nationality = Indigenous Australian
|spouse      = [[Barangaroo]] (d. 1791)
}}

'''Woollarawarre Bennelong''' (c. 1764 – 3 January 1813) ''(also: "Baneelon")''<ref Name="TENCH">{{cite web
  | last =  Tench
  | first = Watkin
  | title = A Complete Account of the Settlement at Port Jackson
  | publisher = Project Gutenberg
  | url = http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3534/3534.txt
  | access-date = 2008-03-15}}</ref> was an [[Indigenous Australian]] man of the [[Eora]] people. He was living in the [[Port Jackson]] area when the British came to Australia in 1788. Bennelong became an unofficial [[ambassador]] between the Eora and the British, both in [[Sydney]] and later in the United Kingdom.<ref Name="TENCH"/>

== Personal details ==
Bennelong was a member of the [[Wangal people|Wangal clan]] who lived on the south side of [[Parramatta River]]. He had close links with the [[Wallumedegal]] clan who lived on the west side of the river, and the Burramattagal clan who lived near today's [[Parramatta, New South Wales|Parramatta]]. He had several sisters, including Warreeweer and Carangarang, who married important men from other clans. This gave Bennelong strong political links to the clans living around the new settlement at Sydney.<ref name="smith">{{cite journal | first = Keith | last = Smith | journal = Aboriginal History | title = Bennelong among his people | volume = 33 | year = 2009 | url = http://epress.anu.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ch0156.pdf}}</ref>{{rp|10–13}} Bennelong had a daughter named Dilboong who died as a baby, and a son who was [[Adoption|adopted]] by Rev. William Walker. Named as Thomas Walker Coke, he died after a short illness aged about 20.<ref Name="adb">
{{Australian Dictionary of Biography 
  |last= Dark
  |first= Eleanor
  |authorlink= 
  |year= 1966
  |id= bennelong-1769
  |title= Bennelong (1764–1813)
  |accessdate= 17 May 2013
 }}</ref>

== Capture ==
[[File:Sydney Harbour welcomes Jessica Watson.jpg|thumb|The Sydney Opera House, the site of Bennelong's hut]]
[[George III of the United Kingdom|King George III]] had ordered the [[Governor of New South Wales|governor]], [[Arthur Phillip]], to set up friendly links with the Aborigines. However this was difficult as the Eora would not come anywhere near the new settlers. Phillip decided to [[kidnap]] an Eora person so that he could learn their language and their customs. A man named [[Arabanoo]] was captured, but he died from [[smallpox]] a few months later in May 1789.<ref name="smith"/>{{rp|11}}<ref>Kate Fullagar, "Bennelong in Britain", ''Aboriginal History'' 33, (2010), pp. 32–3</ref> The disease had caused a lot of deaths among the Aborigines around Sydney. In November 1789, Bennelong, aged about 25, and a woman named [[Colbee]] were taken prisoner by a group of soldiers and taken to Sydney Cove.  Colbee was able to escape two weeks later. The guard was hit with a whip 100 times for not stopping her escape.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hht.net.au/discover/highlights/kids_fact_sheets/bennelong |title=Bennelong – Sydney Living Museums – Historic Houses Trust of NSW |work=hht.net.au |year=2013 |access-date=18 May 2013 |archive-date=11 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511091519/http://www.hht.net.au/discover/highlights/kids_fact_sheets/bennelong |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bennelong was kept as a prisoner in the Governor's house. He wore clothes and enjoyed European food and drink.<ref Name="adb"/> He was able to learn to speak English very quickly and became a friend of Phillip. After six months Bennelong escaped to go back to his clan.

Phillip visited [[Manly, New South Wales|Manly]] where he was speared in the shoulder, most likely as punishment for the kidnappings.<ref>{{Cite episode | title = Revolution | series = Andrew Marr's History of the World | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00xnvtd | access-date = 2012-10-28 | network = [[BBC]] | date = 2012-10-28 | number = 6 }}</ref> Bennelong was at Manly, but did not take part in the attack on Phillip. He was worried about Phillip's injury, and returned to the settlement to make sure he was alright.<ref Name="adb"/> Phillip told Bennelong that he would not be kept as a prisoner, and would be able to come and go as he wished. Bennelong stayed friendly with the new settlers, and even gave Phillip the Aboriginal name ''Wolawaree''.<ref>{{Cite journal | author = Kate Fullagar | title = Bennelong in Britain | journal = Aboriginal History | volume = 33 | year = 2009 | page = 34 | url = http://epress.anu.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ch0257.pdf }}</ref> He learned to speak English.

In 1790, Bennelong asked Phillip to build him a hut on the edge of Sydney Harbour. This became known as [[Bennelong Point, New South Wales|Bennelong Point]], and is now the site of the [[Sydney Opera House]].

== Visit to England ==

Bennelong and another Aborigine named [[Yemmerrawanie]] or Imeerawanyee went with Phillip to England in 1792. They may have met with [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George III]], but this has not been proved.<ref>{{Cite journal | author = Kate Fullagar | title = Bennelong in Britain | journal = Aboriginal History | volume = 33 | year = 2009 | page = 40 | url = http://epress.anu.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ch0257.pdf}}</ref> When they got to England they were quickly made clothes that would have been suitable for a meeting with the King.<ref name=Brook01>{{Cite journal | journal = Australian Aboriginal Studies | title = The Forlorn Hope: Bennelong and Yemmerrawannie Go to England | first = Jack | last = Brook | year = 2001 | pages = 36–47 | url = http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The%20forlorn%20hope:%20Bennelong%20and%20Yemmerrawannie%20go%20to%20England-a082259106}}</ref>

They visited [[St Paul's Cathedral]] and the [[Tower of London]]. They went on boat trips, swimming and to the theatre. While in London they lived with [[Henry Waterhouse]]. When Yemmerrawanie became sick, they were moved to Eltham. They lived at the house of Edward Kent where they were looked after by Mr and Mrs Phillips, and met [[Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney|Lord Sydney]].<ref name=Brook01/>

Yemmerrawanie died from a serious chest [[infection]]. Bennelong wanted to go home and the cold and wet weather was making him sick. He returned to Sydney in February 1795 on [[HMS Reliance (1793)|HMS ''Reliance'']]. This was the ship that took [[surgeon]] [[George Bass]] and the new governor, [[John Hunter]] to Australia. Bennelong taught Bass some of his language.<ref>Miriam Estensen, ''The Life of George Bass'', Allen and Unwin, 2006, {{ISBN|1-74114-130-3}}.</ref>

== Return to New South Wales ==

Bennelong arrived back in Sydney on 7 September 1795.  He had a respected position in the colony, teaching Governor Hunter about the indigenous people. He was also an important position in Eora political and cultural life. He often took part in local battles, and ceremonies, including the last recorded [[initiation]] ceremony in Port Jackson in 1797. By the early 19th century, he was the leader of a 100-strong clan living on the north side of the river, west of Kissing Point in Wallumedagal country.<ref name="smith"/>

A letter he wrote in 1796 to Mr and Mrs Phillips is the first written in English by an indigenous Australian. He thanked Mrs Phillips for caring for him in England, and asked for stockings and a handkerchief.<ref name=Brook01/>

== Death ==

Bennelong's health was probably ruined by drinking [[alcohol]]. He died at [[Kissing Point]] (now known as [[Putney, New South Wales|Putney]], in Sydney's North West) on 3&nbsp;January 1813. He was buried in the [[orchard]] of the [[brewer]] [[James Squire]], a great friend to Bennelong and his clan.<ref name="smith"/>{{rp|23–24}}
On 20 March 2011 Dr Peter Mitchell of [[Macquarie University]] said he had found the grave site in the garden of a private house in Putney.<ref>{{cite news|first=Eamonn |last=Duff |title=Bennelong's grave found under a front yard in Sydney's suburbs |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/bennelongs-grave-found-under-a-front-yard-in-sydneys-suburbs-20110319-1c1l0.html |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|date=20 March 2011|access-date=20 March 2011}}</ref>

The [[Sydney Gazette]]<ref>{{cite news | newspaper = The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser | date = 9 January 1813 | url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article628604 |title=Sydney |access-date = 23 February 2009 }}</ref> wrote about him after his death. They said "...he was a thorough savage, not to be warped from the form and character that nature gave him...". Some people in Sydney's white society said that Bennelong had given up being an [[ambassador]] in his last years. There were increasing problems between the Aborigines and the Europeans as more and more land was cleared and fenced for farming. The settlers were angry that the 'savages' were not willing to give up their country to become useful workers and servants.<ref>{{Cite journal | author = Kate Fullagar | title = Bennelong in Britain | journal = Aboriginal History | volume = 33 | year = 2009 | page = 46 | url = http://epress.anu.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ch0257.pdf }}</ref><ref>Grace Karskens, ''The Colony'', Allen and Unwin, 2009, pp. 83–91, 422</ref>

When he died, Bennelong's people held a traditional payback battle for which about 200 people gathered. A person on the [[Henrietta Packet|schooner Henrietta]] who saw it wrote that spears flew very thick, and about 30 men were wounded.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper = Caledonian Mercury | date = 26 May 1814 | issue = 14424 | title = New South Wales | location = Edinburgh, Scotland | id = Gale Document Number: BB3205365528 | quote = Lately, in the vicinity of the town, a battle took place, where about 200 were engaged, I believe in consequence of the death of the celebrated Bennelong, who visited England some years ago, and was taken great notice of.  The spears flew very thick, and about thirty men were wounded.  To see the children running backwards and forwards, behind the hostile parties, where they share an equal danger, would surprise you.  The fair sex encourage the men to battle, and when the ladies can refrain no longer, they set to themselves with waddies (a heavy short club) and many a broken skull ensues.}}</ref>

[[Colebee]]'s nephew, Nanberry, who died in 1821, was buried with Bennelong at his request.<ref name="epress">{{cite journal | first = Keith | last = Smith | journal = Aboriginal History | title = Bennelong among his people | page = 24 | volume = 33 | year = 2009 | url = http://epress.anu.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ch0156.pdf }}</ref> Bidgee Bidgee, who led the Kissing Point clan for 20 years after Bennelong's death, also asked to be buried with Bennelong, but there is no record of his death or where he is buried.<ref name="epress" />

== Legacy ==

* A park at Kissing Point, near where Bennelong died, is named Bennelong Park.
* The [[Division of Bennelong|seat of Bennelong]] in the [[Parliament of Australia|Federal parliament]] is named after him.  Bennelong was the first Australian Indigenous person to be honoured in the name of an electoral division.
* [[Bennelong Point]], the site of the [[Sydney Opera House]], is named after him.
* A memorial in Cleves Park, in [[Putney, New South Wales]], is marks the spot he is thought to be buried.
* An [[ostracod]] genus, ''[[Bennelongia]]'' has been named after him in 1981. This genus only found in [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]].<ref name=Deckker81>{{cite journal |url=http://people.rses.anu.edu.au/dedeckker_p/pubs/83.pdf |journal=[[Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia (journal)|Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia]] |volume=105 |id=Part 2 |year=1981 |title=''Bennelongia'', A new Cyprididid Ostracod Genus from Australasia |author=Patrick de Deckker & Kenneth G. McKenzie |pages=53–56 |access-date=2013-05-13 |archive-date=2021-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210314204120/http://people.rses.anu.edu.au/dedeckker_p/pubs/83.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== Other websites ==
* [http://www.au.timeout.com/sydney/the-bridge/features/133/bennelong] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405042736/http://www.au.timeout.com/sydney/the-bridge/features/133/bennelong |date=2012-04-05 }} Article in January 2008, Issue 11 of Time Out Sydney giving Bennelong's life story<small> Retrieved 22 March 2008 </small>

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennelong}}
[[Category:1764 births]]
[[Category:1813 deaths]]
[[Category:Indigenous Australian people]]
[[Category:People from Sydney]]