Expand the list below for details about all references to Aboriginal breastplates, either in written sources or known to be or have been held in collections, which have been discovered in the course of research for Jakelin Troy's King Plates book, published in 1993.
Not included in the list are the breastplates held in the National Museum of Australia’s collection which are contained in the list of breastplates by state.
The inscription is given first and is followed (where known) by a date, location, brief description of the decoration, shape and metal, dimensions (exact or approximate where known), and (in brackets) a reference to the source of the information.
The source of information is often a museum collection in which the item is held. The list is alphabetical according to the name (in bold type) of the person for whom the gorget was inscribed.
Known Aboriginal gorgets
| Inscription | Date | Location | Source of information | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| blank plate, no inscription | Museum Victoria | 86131 | ||
| King Abraham | mid-19th century | Loddon River, Victoria | Joyce 1949 | 88 |
| Adam, King of Barcoodilla | Australian Museum | TRG Lawrence & Sons Auctioneers, England | ||
| Alice Queen of Mannum | possibly South Australia | Museum Victoria | X87565 | |
| Bagot, King of Coodoobluie | NSW | Australian Museum | Alex Dickensen | |
| Balderoy, Duke of Wallandroo | NSW | Australian Museum | E54300 | |
| Presented to Baraban by Shepherd Laidley | in Remembrance of the 9th Dec 1867 | Shoalhaven district, NSW | Australian Museum | E80460 |
| Barabahn or MacGil, Chief of the Tribe at Bartabah, on Lake Macquarie; a Reward for his assistance in reducing his Native Tongue to a written Langauge — also Biraban | Lake Macquarie, NSW | Gunson 1974 | vol. 1, 6 | |
| Benbo, Chief of the Weirabee | 1830–f40s | Melbourne, Victoria | Haydon 1854 | 49 |
| Bill, Wyoming, Brisbane Water | Hawkesbury district, NSW | Australian Museum | H610 | |
| Billy of Breeze | NSW | Australian Museum | E54302 | |
| Billy Dolly, Chief of Carriwong Creek | NSW | Australian Museum | E54314 | |
| Billy Elingeit, King of the Barweegee Tribe | NSW | Australian Museum | Alan Amstensen | |
| Billy Goat, King of Bumbarlo | Australian Museum | AA Wood, Sydney | ||
| Billy Griffith, King of Waradgery | 1866 | NSW | Australian Museum | E54315 |
| Billy, King of Ena | Australian Museum | H774 | ||
| Billy, King of Myrtle Creek | McCarthy 1952 | |||
| Billy, King of Nanima | Wellington Valley, NSW | Mitchell Library | R251(a) | |
| Billy Natikillie, King of Thundapurthy | Thundapurthy, Birdsville district, Queensland | South Australian Museum | A44871 | |
| King Billy, Wooroowoolgen | 1898 | Richmond River region, NSW | Australian Museum | Casino and District Historical Society, Casino, NSW |
| Bluey, King of Glenariff | Cobar-Bourke district, NSW | Australian Museum |
E54307 McCarthy 1952, 330 | |
| Bob of Boulia | 1930 | Queensland | Noble Numismatics collection | (Captivating & Curious) |
| Bobby King of Canargo | probably NSW | Museum Victoria | X47934 | |
| Bobby Chief of the Yulgilbar Tribe | Yulgilbar, Clarence River, NSW | National Library of Australia: | ||
| Bobby, King of Grafton | NSW | Hooper 1990 | 103 | |
| King Bogan | 1840s | between Bathurst and Baroo, NSW | Graham 1863 | 66 |
| Boongong Numitt, Chief of the Purrier Tribe | Powerhouse Museum | A7767 | ||
| Mr. Brodie, King Kooramarow of Yattimbarilla or Connors River | Queensland | Australian Museum | E80572 | |
| Berry to Broughton for digging a canal single handedly a feat no white man could emulate | Berry, south coast, NSW | Australian Museum | ||
| Bum-Balie, Chief of Whalan | Whalan, north of Moree, NSW | Australian Museum | H780 | |
| Bunya Jimmey, King of the Hastings River | NSW | Hooper 1990 | 103 | |
| Burrawambilly, Chief of Bowbow | Powerhouse Museum | A7769 |
| Inscription | Date | Location | Source of information | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A reward for merit to Charley of Tullungunnully | Mitchell Library | R250(g) | ||
| Charley, King of Birran | Hooper 1990 | 103 | ||
| Charley, Chief of Merri | 5th Feb 1848 | Mitchell Library | ZDR 204 | |
| Tuna Wanjinata Brabrolung Kraotun Kurnai Ngiu, King Charley of the Snowy River, Wanjanai Kangu Brabrolung Djitta Wangu Blayta | Snowy River, Orbost, Victoria | Museum Victoria | X81483 | |
| Charlie, King of Yatton | Queensland | Australian Museum | E80573 | |
| Cobbor Bill, King of Goldbum | Goldbum, Burrill Lake, Milton, NSW | Australian Museum | E75981 | |
| Cockabundy, Chief of Jerrickanora | Jerricknorra, NSW | Australian Museum | E54297 | |
| Cockabundy, Chief of Tollwong | Tollwong, Shoalhaven River district, NSW | |||
| Cockey, Chief of Wooleroo | Hunter Valley, NSW | Australian Museum | Bruce Penfold, NSW | |
| Cramberlown Charlie | Picton, NSW | Australian Museum | Mr E Garrad, NSW | |
| Dan of the Wiljakali | western NSW | Noble Numismatics collection | (Captivating & Curious) | |
| Davey, King of New England | NSW | Australian Museum | E65063 | |
| David, Prince of Alamongarindi | Mitchell Library | R251(c) | ||
| Dawalla of Wagga Wagga | NSW | Noble Numismatics collection | (Captivating & Curious) | |
| King Denny | Hooper 1990 | 103 | ||
| Derry .S., King of Casino | 1885 | Casino, NSW | Australian Museum | Richmond River Historical society, NSW |
| Dubbo, King of Meilmam | Meilmam, NSW | South Australian Museum | A65967 | |
| Duke Pollard of Curraburmah | probably Victoria | Museum Victoria | X80672 | |
| Ellen 1st, Queen of Iluka | Australian Museum | W R Medway-Smith, NSW | ||
| Frederick King of Gouboulion, from Chas. Lawson | Bathurst, NSW | Australian Museum | E49461 | |
| King George, Colungulac | Western District, Victoria | Museum Victoria | X49214 | |
| King George, South Grafton, Clarence River | Biamanga, Wallaga and Bega district, NSW | Hooper 1990 | 103 | |
| George, King of Waterview | Australian Museum | Pam Fritzpatrik [sic] | ||
| Gooseberry, Queen of Sydney to South Head | McCarthy 1952 | 328 | ||
| Cora Gooseberry. Freeman Bungaree, Queen of Sydney | c1800 | Mitchell Library | ZR 251(b) | |
| Harry Mulbah, Chief of Berrallawah | Powerhouse Museum | A7765 | ||
| Headman | Australian Museum | Bruce Ussher | ||
| Prince Henry of Duchess | Mount Isa, Queensland | McCarthy | 1952 | |
| Husky, 1853 King of the Morton Bay Tribe | 1853 | Brisbane, Queensland | Australian Museum | E54303 |
| Inscription | Date | Location | Source of information | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Kapeen, King of Wollongbar | Richmond River region, NSW | Richmond River Historical Society, NSW | ||
| Jackabone | NSW | Australian Museum | E54306 | |
| Jackey, King of Balgaraliung |
Australian Museum McCarthy 1952 | E54313, 330 | ||
| Jacky, King of Illawarra | 1860–80 | Australian Museum | E83852 | |
| King Jacky, Weriss Creek | south-west Tamworth, NSW | Australian Museum | E77633 | |
| Jackey, King of Youwandah | probably Youendah, NSW | Australian Museum | JH Myrtle | |
| Jackey, King of Yowandah | Queensland | private collection | ||
| Jacob, King of Bathurst | private collection | |||
| Jacob Icely, Constable, Coombing | 1863 | Barwon, NSW | Australian Museum | E67345 |
| Jacky Cumbo, Texas | Queensland | Mitchell Library | R250(a) | |
| Presented by His Excellency Sir Charles Augustus Fitz Roy … Governor … NSW, to Jackey Jackey | 1848–49 | Mitchell Library | R453 | |
| Jackey Jackey King of Logan and Pimpama – also John Logan and Aboriginal name Bilinba (meaning ‘king parrot’) | Logan River, Queensland | photo and info from Ysola Best | ||
| Jacky Jacky, constable, King of Toolooby | Mitchell Library | R250(b) | ||
| King James of Baelpin, Patrick Plains | NSW | Museum Victoria | X83038 | |
| James Piper, Thomas Piper, constable | Mitchell Library | R250(c) | ||
| Jemmy Abigail, chief of the Braidwood Tribe | NSW | Australian Museum | E54304 | |
| Jemmy Curraburma | 1843 | Yeo Yeo and Mow Poke Creeks | Graham 1863 | 253 |
| Jemmy Rodd, Constable | Powerhouse Museum | A7766 | ||
| Jemmy Vincent, King of Dogingorogaram | NSW | Australian Museum | E54312 | |
| Jenny, Queen of Broulee | south coast NSW | Hooper 1990 | 103 | |
| Jerro, chief of Waverly | Australian Museum | E54310 | ||
| Jerry, King of Gurah | Gurah later Werrina, Boomi River, NSW | Australian Museum | E77655 | |
| Jerry, Overseer of Woolshed | Wellington district, NSW |
Australian Museum McCarthy 1952 |
E54308
329 | |
| King Jetto, Wallumbi | Wollombi, NSW | Australian Museum | E54309 | |
| Jimbalungie, King of Werai | probably NSW | Museum Victoria | X86901 | |
| Jimey, King of Boondoon | 1892 | Australian Museum | Mrs MM Gudmore, South Australia | |
| Jimmy Thompson, King, Laura Deighton Tribe | Island, north Queensland | South Australian Museum | A14039 | |
| King Joe by T. icely | 1844 | Bangaroo Station, Canowindra district, NSW | Australian Museum | Canowindra Historical Museum, NSW |
| Joe Bungaree – King of the Blacks | 1886 | Australian Museum | Mrs J M Lowry, NSW | |
| Joe Timbrey, Chief of the Five Islands | Illawarra, NSW | Australian Museum | E543111 | |
| John, Chief of Burrooa, Presented by J.J. Howell | Mitchell Library | ZR250(d) | ||
| King John, Navena | northwest NSW or central Queensland | Australian Museum |
RC Williams, NSW; Cook 1981 | |
| King John of Wagala | Australian Museum | WR Medway-Smith, NSW | ||
| John Piper, Conqueror of the Interior | 1836 | Bathurst, NSW | Mitchell | 1839 |
| Kitten, Chief of the Sydney Tribe | Sydney, NSW | Australian Museum | E54316 |
| Inscription | Date | Location | Source of information | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malcolm Chief of Kukuruk Mum | Museum Victoria | X86130 | ||
| Margaret, Queen of Gundurimba | Richmond River region, NSW | Australian Museum | Richmond River Historical Society, NSW | |
| King Merryman, Wallaga Lake | south coast NSW | NMA | Milne Album p.15 | |
| Mickey Johnson, King; Illawarra | Illawarra, NSW | Australian Museum | Chiddick Jamberoo; Kiama Museum | |
| Moororar of Namutch | NSW | Australian Museum | E54299 | |
| Moringally, Chief of Natty | Australian Museum | Mr E Garrad, NSW | ||
| Mushroonah, Aid de camp to the King of Ta-wang-ah | Tawangah, Goodooga, NSW | South Australian Museum | A69211 | |
| Presented to Queen Narjin of the Nyungar, Albany, 11th May 1880 | 11th May 1880 | Albany, Western Australia | private collection | |
| Neddy, King of Windorah | Inverell district, NSW |
Australian Museum McCarthy 1952 |
E54298
330 | |
| Neil, King of Mount Harris, the gift of Robert Martin Junr | Coonamble district, NSW | Australian Museum | E54305 | |
| Nemmit, 1825, Chief of the Sutton Forest Tribe | 1825 | Sutton Forest, NSW | Mitchell Library | ZR 250(f) |
| New Chum Harry, King of the Mulgi | Richmond River region, NSW | Australian Museum | Richmond River Historical Society, NSW | |
| Oombejang-Watson, Wellington Valley, Missionary Stockman | mid 19th century | Wellington Valley, NSW | Robertson 1928 | 81 |
| King Paddy, Buchan | Victoria | private collection | ||
| Peter Chief of Natal Downs | Clermont, Queensland | Museum Victoria | unregistered | |
| Peter Belmy, King of Yerally, Gindenbar and Gundirimbah | Yerally, Wyrallah and Gindenbar, Camp Creek | Australian Museum | Richmond River Historical Society, NSW |
| Inscription | Date | Location | Source of information | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert, King of Tatala | Tatala later Angledool Station, NSW | Australian Museum | E54295 | |
| Mr. Ross, King of Kulkyne and Mornpool | National Library of Australia | RS/NK:1881 | ||
| Rowley – King of Tomki | Tomki, Tomki Creek, north Lismore, NSW | Australian Museum | E78043 | |
| Presented to Queen Rungini of the Nyungar, 11th May 1881, Albany | 11th May 1881 | Albany, Western Australia | private collection | |
| King Sandy, Moreton Bay | 1890 | Brisbane, Queensland |
painting by Oscar Fristrom (1898) Donaldson 1985 | 95 |
| Sandyman and Biddy, King and Queen of Ashby | Australian Museum | WR Medway-Smith, NSW | ||
| Syntax King of Brabcut | Carr’s Plains Western District, Victoria | Museum Victoria | unregistered | |
| Taffy, King of Thundapurty | Birdsville district, Queensland | South Australian Museum | A41782 | |
| Tallboy, King of Moorabie | posterior centre ‘J. Fitzsimys(?), 113 Pitt St, Arts(?) Sydney | National Library of Australia | RS/NK:1880 | |
| Thommy Weavers, King of Curvy, Kangaroo Swamp | Bathurst district, | private collection | ||
| Tinker, King of Teraiche | Chowilla, Queensland | The Adelaide Observer | 4.4.1885, p | |
| Toby King of Ravensbroome | Queensland | Museum Victoria | X87564 | |
| Toby, King of Wambangalang, Wellington | Wellington, NSW | Oxley Museum, Wellington, NSW | ||
| Tommy of Bungebar | Museum Victoria | unregistered | ||
| Tommy, King of Carrs Creek | Grafton, NSW | Australian Museum | E77636 | |
| Tommy Bunn-Berrah, King of Swan Reach | Gippsland, Victoria | Museum Victoria | X86129 | |
| King Tommy Grinnon, Chief of the Muringo Tribe | Mitchell Library | R250(e) | ||
| Tommy, King of Tarngan | Mungindi, NSW-Queensland border | private collection | ||
| Tommy, Chief of Tartongor | probably north-east Victoria | Museum Victoria | X72553 |
| Inscription | Date | Location | Source of information | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Wagor-Day, Black Rock, Bathhurst | Bathurst | private collection | ||
| Wild Duck, King of Windermere | Hooper 1990 | 103 | ||
| Master William, King of Sugarloaf | Powerhouse Museum | A7768 | ||
| Willie Murray, King of Doondi | Doondi Station, southern Queensland | South Australian Museum | GL Wlsh | |
| King Witti of Mudgee | NSW | private collection | ||
| Wombail Oouthenang | mid-19th century | Armidale district, NSW | Noble Numismatics collection | (Captivating & Curious) |
| Womena Oothenang, Chief of Silannon Vieele | Hooper 1990 | 103 | ||
| Youngerrow, Chief of the Rormear Tribe | 1850s | Encounter Bay, South Australia | South Australian Museum | A37624 |
| unknown | Native of New England | Australian Museum | University of New England |
- Download Known Aboriginal gorgets575.1 kb pdf [ PDF | 575.1 kb ]
Known pictures of Aboriginal people wearing breastplates
This list contains all the visual images of Aboriginal people wearing gorgets that were discovered during the course of research for the book.
The list follows this format: the inscription is given first and is followed (where known) by a date, location, brief description and a reference to the source of the information.
The source of information is often a museum collection in which the item is held. The list is alphabetical according to the name (in bold type) of the person for whom the gorget was inscribed. The pictures from the National Library of Australia are in the Pictorial Collection. NLA is National Library of Australia. NMA is National Museum of Australia.
NLA: National Library of Australia
NMA: National Museum of Australia
Benbow King — 1830s, Port Phillip (now Victoria); unsigned, undated sketch, State Library of New South Wales (Cannon 1983, 546)
Billy, King of Gracemere — late 19th century, Queensland (Lumholtz 1889, 363)
King Billy, Australia (NMA: Mr Gary Presland Collection, 1986.81.26)
King Billy, Ulupna — Murray River, Victoria; R emus, trees L kangaroos, trees (Cato 1976)
Billy Boney, King of Poison Creek (NLA: pictures, Australian Aborigines, king plates, Ferguson Collection)
King Brown. Woolumba — Noosa, Queensland (Steele 1983, 183)
King Budd Billy II — photograph of Budd Billy wearing his gorget seated beside his wife (Organ 1990, cover illustration)
Bungaree, Chief of Broken Bay Tribe — 1831, Sydney, New South Wales; drawn from life in 1831 by Charles Rodius, below sketch ‘King Bungaree. Chief of the Broken-Bay Tribe, N.S.Wales. Died 1832.’ (NLA: NK 880/9, d)
King Bungaree — Broken Bay, New South Wales, below sketch ‘Bungaree. Late Chief of the Broken-Bay-Tribe, Sydney’ (Fernyhough 1836, 19)
King Bungaree Native Chief of New South Wales — painting by Augustus Earle (NLA: NK no 2652)
Charlie Maranoa, Kunja Tribe — Maranoa, Queensland (McKellar, 1984, 30)
Fred Embrey, King of Mt Mia Station, Kilkivan, Feb 1st 1927 — Cherbourg, Queensland (South Australian Museum: N1375)
Jackey Jackey King of Logan and Pimpama — also John Logan and Aboriginal name Bilinba (meaning ‘king parrot’); Logan River, Queensland; crescentic, chain (photograph and information from Ysola Best)
King Jimmy of Mara and Queen Polly — Darling River, New South Wales (Jeffcoat 1991)
Jimmy Nyngan, King of Cuttaburra — Maranoa, Queensland (McKellar, 1984, 26)
Koonkoo Nutatucullie — c1920; Mungerrannie, New South Wales; an old Wangkangurru man (Haigh and Goldstein 1979, 55)
Queen Lily and King Billy — photo captioned ‘tribal Aborigines known as Queen Lily and King Billy of Ramahyuck, 1860s, Lily died of consumption in 1886 aged 54’; Victoria (Pepper and De Araugo 1989, title page; Stratford Historical Society)
Maria, Queen of Childers — Childers, Queensland; caption to photo ‘you gibbet sixpence me bin queen’ (Reynolds 1990, 150–51)
King Merryman, also Merriman — died 1909; Wallaga Lake, south coast New South Wales; R emu, tree, L Kangaroo, xanthorrhoea (NMA: Milne Album p. 15)
Mickey Johnson, King — c1896; Illawarra, New South Wales (NMA: Milne Album; NLA: pictures, Australian Aborigines, king plates)
King Morpha — Mt Shadwell Tribe; Portland, Victoria (Massola 1971, 138)
Murray Jack, Malian Yibal ?, King of the Wolgal — [inscription difficult to read] southern uplands New South Wales (Flood 1980, 33; King photograph no. 1061)
Nunberri, Chief of the Nunnerahs — 1837, New South Wales, sketch by Charles Rodius, below sketch ‘Nunberri. Chief of the Nunnerahs, N.S.Wales’ (NLA: 3381)
Tatambo, King — Victoria (NLA: pictures, Australian Aborigines, king plates)
Tommy, King of Noosa, Weyba Gootharaba, Tumburrawa — Cooloothin Creek, Queensland (Steele 1983, 183)
King Tommy, Carrs Creek. Belonging to Hy. Dix. Esq, Grafton — Grafton, New South Wales (NLA: Australian Aborigines, king plates)
Ye-i-nie King of Cairns, 1906 — Queensland, on back of photo ’King Ye-i-nie, Cairns tribe, Collection M. Jean Chayer p.21/6/‘27’ (NLA: SA NK 1880 and 1881)
?nelly/?.ra/M. Lachlan — [almost illegible inscription]; R emu L kangaroo, xanthorrhoea (NLA: pictures, Australian Aborigines, king plates; Ferguson Collection, Lindt Album no. 17 N/572.994/LIN)
unknown — 1834, lithograph by Charles Rodius in his Natives of NSW, 1834, plate 8 ‘Scene in a Sydney Street’
unknown — c1875; photo captioned ‘Alice River Blacks’ taken at Alice River, Queensland (NLA: Views of Queensland Album. 262, p.44, c1875)
unknown — photo captioned ‘At Home. A NSW Aboriginal King’ (NMA: Mr Gary Presland Collection 1986.81.89)
unknown — photo captioned ‘The Casino Tribe’, New South Wales (NLA: Aborigines, New South Wales)
unknown — cartoon captioned ‘Sydney Aboriginals — past and present’ (Illustrated Sydney News 1880–81, 18.5.1880)
unknown — photo captioned ‘Dyrraba Native Camp’ New South Wales (NLA: Aborigines, New South Wales, reg. NL 28280)
unknown — untitled photo of man wearing gorget (NLA: pictures, Australian Aborigines, king plates, photo by HB Ballard; Mitchell Library:HB Ballard album, Muswellbrook, Singleton, 1884–1885, Still 05338)
unknown — photo of man from Warrnambool, Victoria (NLA: pictures, Aborigines-Vic-Warrnambool, RH Croll Photographic Collection)
unknown — photograph captioned ‘Aboriginal encampment, Mt Leura, Camperdown, Vic’ (NLA: pictures, Aborigines-Vic, Album Victorian News 994.5)
unknown — sketch captioned ‘Native Camp near Lake Wellington, Victoria’ (Illustrated Australian News, 15.5.1869:116)
unknown — c1908; photo captioned: ‘Aboriginal Mia Mias, Murray River, N. Queensland’ (NLA: NK 6633 postcard album 1908 278a)
unknown — man in photo captioned: ‘Queensland Natives 1898’ (NLA: Album 256, p.77)
unknown — sketch captioned ‘Black’s Camp. Lake Tyers Mission. Gippsland’, Gippsland, Victoria 1869 (Illustrated Australian News, 7.8.1869:160)
unknown — photo of Elders from the Budjari and Kullila Tribes at the last big gathering at Caiwarro Station, 1913 one wearing a gorget (McKellar, 1984, 45)
unknown — photo captioned ‘The limestone church at Ebenezer, opened 1875’; Victoria (Pepper and De Araugo 1989, 14; Miss Susan Robinson)