Borough’s indigenous cricket link honoured
QUEENSCLIFF’S significance in the 154-year-old story of the Australian Aboriginal cricket team will be officially recognised today.
The BPCA B-Grade match between Queenscliff and Anglesea at Queenscliff Recreation Reserve will take on added meaning, with the teams to compete for the Mullagh Wills Foundation Trophy.
The Borough of Queenscliffe will be presented with a leatherbound commemorative message book in a ceremony before the match.
The book will be presented to Queenscliff Mayor Ross Ebbels alongside Wotjobaluk elder Richard Kennedy.
“Queenscliffe’s Aboriginal history is a significant part of what makes this community such a special place,” Cr Ebbels said. “We’re delighted to welcome Richard Kennedy to help us commemorate an important step in the long road towards reconciliation that happened here in the borough.”
Mr Kennedy, whose greatgreat-grandfather was a member of the original Aboriginal cricket team, penned a bilingual Welcome to Country in
English and Wergaia that is inscribed in the book.
The book has journeyed to England and then across Australia over the past four years, making its final stop at Queenscliff before it finds a home at the Johnny Mullagh Cricket Museum in Harrow, Victoria.
“My great-great-grandfather Yangendyinanyuk (dika-dik) was a member of the team,” Mr Kennedy said.
“Not only did this team’s tour present an opportunity for the players to test their skills against some of the best cricketers in the world, it allowed them to share and promote their culture to an international audience.”
Queenscliff’s role in the story of the indigenous team is pivotal, as it was from there where the squad departed in October 1867 for its 1868 tour of England.
Having been prevented by the Central Board for the Protection of Aborigines from leaving Victoria, the trip from Geelong to Queenscliff was disguised as a day’s fishing.
The team then boarded the Rangatira at Queenscliff, Sydney-bound, before travelling to England and playing a 47match tour over six months.