---
node: au_pemulwuy
type: person
slug: pemulwuy
title: "Pemulwuy"
lead: "A Bidjigal warrior from around Sydney who led organised Indigenous resistance against British settlers in the 1790s."
published: 2026-07-15
updated: 2026-07-15
---

## Who they were

Pemulwuy was a warrior of the Bidjigal clan near Sydney. Against the loss of land and food caused by settlement, he organised resistance through raids and burning of crops.

## What they did

Through the 1790s he repeatedly attacked settlements and farms and became the authorities' most formidable Indigenous resistance leader, escaping again and again despite being wounded.

## Legacy

He was shot dead in 1802, and his head was sent to Britain. Today Pemulwuy is remembered as a hero of Indigenous resistance who fought to defend his land.