In Under the Barkly Sky, Stuart Phillpot provides a comprehensive history of the Barkly Region’s Traditional Owners. This well-researched book chronicles the resilience of the Wumparrani peoples over 150 years in the face of colonisation, cultural erosion, and changing government policies. Phillpot combines historical records, Indigenous voices, and analysis to tell a story of resilience, adaptation, and their ongoing struggle for justice.
From the violent ‘Killing Times’ to land rights victories and the hope for an Indigenous ‘Voice’ to Parliament, Under the Barkly Sky reflects Australia’s colonial legacy and invites us to envision a fairer future.
This book is for those seeking to understand the challenges and resilience of the Barkly’s Aboriginal communities, and offers valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and everyone who is interested in these aspects of Australia’s history.

“Under the Barkly Sky explores the interactions between non-Aboriginal with and the Barkly Traditional Owners, the continuing violence and deaths, land rights successes, and never-ending changes to complex government policies affecting Aboriginal communities over the last 150 years.”
Pat Dodson - Former Minister of Indigenous Affairs (2022-2024)

“Stuart Phillpot powerfully highlights the negative experiences of Australian Indigenous people resulting from Australia’s ongoing contradictory interpretations of internationally accepted human rights. The stories and reflections in Under the Barkly Sky tackle many profound philosophical issues. Reading this book will be rewarding for those seeking the truth.”
Lieutenant General John Sanderson AC - Governor of Western Australia (2000-2005)

My writing of this book has been supported by a team of advisors across many areas of knowledge.
These include Indigenous peoples and their lands, cultures, and histories. politics, society, wealth and poverty, and the resulting inter-woven history of constant change.
Additionally, I wish to thank my friend David Carroll for his invaluable, multifaceted skills and support in framing and guiding the book’s progress towards publication as a valuable chronicle.
Stuart Phillpot 2026

Under the Barkley Sky: Surviving the Arrival of the Papulanyi draws on many roots that the author has carefully nurtured over time. The story is shaped by a rich and varied life experience, which informs the pathways explored within the book.

The author grew up in a family connected to wheat and sheep farming in the Mallee and Wimmera regions of Victoria. During his school holidays, he frequently worked alongside Aboriginal stockmen who nicknamed him ‘Cobber.’ These formative experiences – tending to sheep, cattle, and horses – left a lasting impression on him.

After leaving school at sixteen, he began work as a junior clerk in the Naval Department and briefly considered a career in the Navy. However, a senior officer in the Northern Territory recognised the value of his rural background and encouraged him to become a Patrol Officer working with Aboriginal communities on pastoral properties.

He accepted the opportunity and relocated to Darwin, where he was appointed as a Cadet Patrol Officer. He subsequently served in several reserves across the Northern Territory, including Bagot, Umbakumba, and Lajamanu, undertaking a wide range of responsibilities in the North.