Relocation to Purfleet

Relocation to Purfleet. Many Hunter River Aboriginal people end up at Purfleet near Taree. At this time, Aborigines from “black camps” in the Manning district are relocated to the government reserve at Purfleet. It is north of the Hunter Valley on Biripi lands. Worimi occupy the southern part of the region. Taree district is labour intensive with almost no unemployment for Aboriginal people. Some work on wharves and dairy farms, pull maize, cut timber or are domestic servants. 78 Aborigines live in the “black camp” on the river on the margins of society. (Memorial to Darkinjung at Wollombi Museum; Ramsland, The Aboriginal School at Purfleet, 2006).