Billy Drumley (c. 1853–1951) was an

Aboriginal Aborigine, aborigine or aboriginal may refer to: *Aborigines (mythology), in Roman mythology * Indigenous peoples, general term for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area *One of several groups of indigenous peoples, see ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n community leader whose regular long-distance walk was commemorated in a

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

. Reprinted at Drumley hailed from the Yugambeh clan in South East

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

. He was born near

Nerang Nerang is a town and suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the , Nerang had a population of 16,864 people. Geography The Nerang River flows through the locality from south to east, passing through the town. The river ult ...

, where his mother’s

mob Mob or MOB may refer to: Behavioral phenomena * Crowd * Smart mob, a temporary self-structuring social organization, coordinated through telecommunication Crime and law enforcement * American Mafia, also known as the Mob * Irish Mob, a US crimin ...

was camped at that time. In his youth he competed successfully in

athletics Athletics may refer to: Sports * Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking ** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport * Athletics (physical culture), competiti ...

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

and

boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...

. He was also exceptionally skilled at

woodworking Woodworking is the skill of making items from wood, and includes cabinet making (cabinetry and furniture), wood carving, woodworking joints, joinery, carpentry, and woodturning. History Along with Rock (geology), stone, clay and animal parts, ...

with the broadaxe. He was known as a strong leader at a time when his people needed him most. His wisdom and foresight kept his extended family together at a time when many Aboriginal clans were being torn apart. Drumley often walked from Beaudesert to Southport to visit his sister Jenny Graham and her large clan. Whilst his visits were ostensibly sociable, his underlying motive was to ensure the protection and survival of his clan. Drumley would go to Southport to check that his sister was maintaining her side of the agreement and keeping a tight rein on the family on the coast to keep them out of trouble. Drumley was still doing his walk when he was more than 80 years old. Drumley is remembered by many Aboriginal elders and local people in the regions of Beaudesert, Tamborine, Nerang and Southport. He was known for performing rain dances to calm down storms and would speak in Aboriginal language. The Drumley Walk - was a three-day pilgrimage from Beaudesert to Southport - was established in 2005 to commemorate the courage of Billy Drumley and his talent at bringing the community together. The walk who is organised by a local indigenous museum ( Yugambeh Museum). Drumley is the most well known aboriginal in the tribe.

References

External links

The Drumley Walk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drumley, Billy 1850s births 1951 deaths Indigenous Australian people Colony of Queensland people