Willem Baa Nip

Willem Baa Nip (1836–1885) also known as King Billy, Wormebaneep, William Gore or Billy Wa-wha,[1][2][3] was a member of the Wadawurrung (Wathaurung).

Born in 1836 on the banks of a lagoon believed to be located in central Geelong near what is now Little Malop Street.[4]

In 1861 the Duneed Aboriginal Land Reserve of one acre was set aside for Wadawurrung balug tribe on Ghazeepore Road just south of Andersons Creek, Mount Duneed.[5]

Baa Nip would display his skills with traditional weapons at local parades and ask for money from the white-folk in return. On one occasion in 1883 when someone refused to give, Baa Nip exclaimed "Why do you not give, you should give me money, you live in my country."[6]

Willem Baa Nip died on the 11 November 1885 of tuberculosis – 15 years after the last of his contemporaries Dan Dan Nook died of tuberculosis.[7][8]

He was the last surviving member of the Wadawarrung to witness colonisation.[9] His grave is in Geelong Western Cemetery.[10][11]

A mural of Willem Baa Nip is featured in Dennys Place, Central Geelong.[12]

A road constructed in 2015 in Armstrong Creek, Geelong was name Baanip Boulevard in recognition of him.[13]

References
  1. "Family Notices". Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859–1929). 1885-11-12. p. 2. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  2. "TOWN TALK". Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859–1929). 1885-11-14. p. 2. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  3. Bride, Thomas Francis (1898). Letters from Victorian Pioneers. Melbourne: Government Press. p. 310.
  4. "3214: North Shore Walk". City of Greater Geelong. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  5. "Frontier Conflict". Torquay Museum Without Walls. 2016-01-17. Retrieved 2018-07-19.
  6. "THE INTERCOLONIAL CHAM-PION PLOUGHING MATCH". The Ballarat Star. Vol. XXVIII, no. 173. Victoria, Australia. 21 July 1883. p. 3. Retrieved 7 July 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Family Notices". Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859–1929). 1885-11-12. p. 2. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  8. Pascoe, Bruce (2007). Convincing Ground: Learning to Fall in Love with Your Country. Aboriginal Studies Press. ISBN 9780855755492.
  9. "Geelong HERITAGE STRATEGY 2017–2021" (PDF). City of Greater Geelong. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  10. "Aboriginal 'King' in Telstra battle". Geelong Indy. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  11. "william "King Billy" Gore". Find a Grave. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  12. "Geelong Civic and Cultural Precinct Heritage Walk".
  13. "$90m Baanip Boulevard officially opens early". Geelong Advertiser. June 3, 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
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