Author(s): Thom Blake

Australian History

Cherbourg Settlement was a home to many. But it was never the haven the Queensland government intended. The settlement was established in 1901 in the South Burnett region and known as Barambah. It was later renamed Cherbourg. Variously described as bold, well meaning and misguided, it was a social experiment in institutional control that was to impact on the lives of thousands of Aboriginal families in ways that continue to this day. In this revealing, ?rst-over publication on Cherbourg Settlement's history 1900-1940, Thom Blake adds the vital dimension of interviews with former residents. Supported by maps, archival documents and letters, this book illustrates an Aboriginal reserve's evolution under government practice. It also explores the dynamics of cultural resilience through the generation.