The Milleewaddarree People of Nubrygyn

The name Nubrygyn is derived from the Wiradjuri words Yullubirrngiin or Yullubirgen, meaning “rainbow.” The earliest written records of the area date from 1828, 1837 and 1838, documented by surveyors John Rogers and Peter Grant Ogilvie, and by Reverend William Watson, a missionary associated with the Wellington Valley Mission.

From the earliest years of European settlement, the Milleewaddarree people continued to live on and maintain their connection to the land around Nubrygyn. Their presence and activities formed an important part of the early history of the district, alongside the developing European settlements.

Historical records indicate that Indigenous children were christened at Nubrygyn, while members of the Milleewaddarree community also assisted with work on the local farms. Their knowledge of the landscape and country was particularly valuable to early settlers. Jemmy Raine the Elder, for example, became recognised as an Indigenous tracker and guide. He assisted in moving sheep towards Moreton Bay for Charles Wray and Edward Finch of Nubrygyn, demonstrating the important role Aboriginal knowledge and skills played in the development of the region.

The history of Nubrygyn is therefore not solely a history of European settlement. It is also a history of the Wiradjuri people and the Milleewaddarree community, whose continuing connection to Country, knowledge of the landscape and contribution to the early settlement of the district form an important part of the area's cultural heritage.