John Reilly, in an address to Archbishop Vaughan says “The white man took all our lands from us, and he shoots our possums for eating his corn, but he is very kind to us, and gives our men work in fencing, and stock keeping, and farming, and our women can wash, and sew and fish. The white man signed a petition to Government to give us land. We were promised the land but there is none for cultivation in our [Burragorang] valley the Government could give us; and if we left our valley our hearts would break. Our priest told us you would be our father, and try and get us land for corn and potatoes. If you do we will never leave our valley, and we’ll be sober and good.” Johnson, Sacred Waters pp. 43-44.