Long before Allan Cunningham set foot on our soil, the Aborigines roamed freely.
When Patrick Leslie settled down to life on Canning Downs Station, they found that an old Aborigine was the King of the area they had settled. He and his tribe were friendly and helpful towards the white man and this friendship was so firmly established that it was never broken.
On several occasions the lives of the Leslie’s were threatened by attacks from the fierce McIntyre River Blacks, but the Canning Downs tribe always warned the Leslies of the imminent attack.
Patrick Leslie then named the old King "Blucher" thus giving rise to the name by which this tribe became known locally.
The two groups of Aboriginals explains why we found reports in some family histories of "fierce attacks by blacks", while others tell of very happy and friendly associations with the natives.
Families also have memories of the Aboriginals living among the Apple Trees in the area we now know as the School paddock, with their Corroborees being held on the opposite side of the creek.
Around the turn of the 20th century, it was not uncommon to find a cheery faced aborigine going from the door to door selling jars of wild honey or some other produce to the white families.
Reference for the Canning Downs Aborigines
A Short History of the Downs Blacks by Thomas Hall 1845 - 1928