c.37,000BP

Evidence of human occupation at Ngarraboolgan Cave can be traced back to c.37,000 BP.

1848

Explorer Edmund Kennedy and party follow the Hodgkinson River downstream, where spears were thrown at them by the Djungan People.

1874

J.V. Mulligan led a prospecting expedition to the south-east of the Palmer River, a journey where he re-named the Hodgkinson River and Mount Mulligan (real name Ngarraboolgan).

1875

J.V. Mulligan’s expedition arrives and re-names the Hann’s Range, today known as Hann’s Tableland.

1876

Establishment of Mt Mulligan, Hodgkinson Gold Field and Thornborough.

1870s - 1890s

Frontier violence in North Queensland led to the deaths of many Aboriginal people.

1879

The Parliament of Queensland passes the Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act 1897.

1880s to 1950s

The enactment of the Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act 1897 led to the establishment of reserves to which Aboriginal people could be forcibly removed by designated ‘Aboriginal Protectors’ – civil servants, police and missionaries. During this period many Djungan people were forcibly removed from their traditional lands and sent to missions in Yarrabah, Palm Island and Kowanyama.

c.1881

Djungan People were massacred.

1890

The Byrnes family established the Booloomboola Station, 32km from Thornborough, employing Aboriginal people.

1921

Mount Mulligan colliery explosion. Legend has it that ‘Eekoo’ warned the Djungan People to stay away from the mountain that day.

1930-1945

Removed Djungan families returned to country.

1957

The Mount Mulligan mine closes. The mine plant was taken to Collinsville and many of the miners followed. Businesses and houses were railed to Cairns.

1992

The Djungan people purchase Kondaparinga Station.

2012

The Federal Court of Australia recognises the Djungan people’s native title rights.