Who are the Gadigal people?
The Gadigal are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which central Sydney stands, including Sydney Cove, where the First Fleet landed in 1788. They are one of the clans of the Eora Nation.
Gadigal country stretches along the southern shore of Sydney Harbour from around South Head to Darling Harbour and south toward Botany Bay. The clan's lands include today's CBD, The Rocks, Redfern and Surry Hills.
The Gadigal were among the first Aboriginal people to face the impact of British colonisation. A smallpox epidemic in 1789 killed a large share of the Aboriginal population around Sydney, and settlers took over land and food sources.
A continuing presence
Despite these losses, Gadigal and other Eora descendants continue to live in Sydney and keep their culture alive. Redfern became a centre for Aboriginal activism and community organisations from the 1960s onward.
Welcome to Country ceremonies at major Sydney events are often given by Gadigal elders, and many public places now carry Gadigal names, such as the Gadigal Information Service and dual-named sites.
Barangaroo, the harbourside precinct, is named after a Cammeraygal woman who was the wife of Bennelong and a strong figure in early colonial Sydney.
Did You Know?
Eora is often translated as people or from this place.