BOOTBARRIE

(1768 - 1833)

Dharawal clan.
Bootbarrie is first mentioned in Macquarie's 1810 journal, though the evidence seems clear that he was closely linked with the Macarthurs and the Camden Park estate from the first years of white settlement in the Cowpastures region (1805-1809).

In 1815 Bootbarrie (now spelt Boodbury) acted as a guide (with John Warby) to Macquarie and his party when they were exploring the region between Stonequarry Creek and the Nattai River. However he came to greater prominence in 1816 when the Sydney Gazette (16 March) reported how he had volunteered to act as an interpreter when the Camden Aborigines attempted to mediate in a conflict between the settlers and more hostile Aborigines towards the south. He was described as "the native known by the name of Mr MacArthur's Budbury."

During, or soon after Macquarie's time, Boodbury seems to have emerged as the leading Aborigine of the Camden area. By 1821 European settlers clearly regarded him as the the leader of the Cowpasture people (following the death of Koggie). Boodbury lived on the Macarthur's Camden estate and in fact may have resided there as late as 1860. In 1833 he is listed (aged 45) in the Stonequarry bench (judicial) records and for the Cawdor district in 1834. There is also a record in the Camden estate records of an adult baptism for 'John Budberry' in the 1840's; while the 1859 electoral roll records John Budberry as a labourer on the estate.

Secondary Sources:
Atkinson, Alan. Camden. Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1988.

Liston, Carol. "The Dharawal and Gandangara in Colonial Campbelltown, New South Wales, 1788-1830." Aboriginal History Vol.12 Part 1: 1988 p.59.

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