Huts

Bark Mission Hut

by

At the National Museum of Australia.

Mission hut 2000
built in the style of huts from the 1920s to 1950s, by Herbie Harradine, Lionel Chatfield and Joe Chatfield, under the supervision of Uncle Bill Edwards.

Text on outside panel:

Framlingham

"This hut is just like the first home we built, when Kathleen and I got married, only half the size. Come inside. We share our story so you know what it was like for us."
(Uncle Bill Edwards, 2007)

Framlingham, on Victoria's south-west coat, is home to many Koori families who have fought long and hard for the right to continue living as a community.

Established as an Aboriginal reserve by the Church of England Mission in 1856, Framlingham soon fell under the control of the Welfare Board (also known as the Central Board to Watch over the Interests of Aborigines). The board, which comprised pastoralists, philanthropists, government and church officials, made several attempts to close Framlingham and relocated the Koori families to other missions. Each time, the families protected and resisted leaving.

In 1907, under the Aboriginal Lands Act 1970 (Victoria), the reserve was handed over to the Framlingham Aboriginal Trust and continues under Aboriginal ownership.