George John Noble

George John Noble
George Noble (left) at the opening of Parliament House in May 1927
Bornc. 1840s
Muttama, New South Wales
Died27 March 1928
Cootamundra, New South Wales, Australia
Other names
  • Ooloogan[1]
  • Marvellous
SpouseAda Curran (1896–1909)
Children7

George John Noble (c. 1840s – 27 March 1928) was an Aboriginal elder from the Wiradjuri tribe in Australia. He was born at Muttama Station in New South Wales and lived intermittently at Gundagai while travelling across the Riverina, the Central and Southern Tablelands, the South Coast and Greater Sydney regions.[2][3] Noble obtained the nickname Marvellous due to his regular use of the word in conversation.[4]

Along with fellow Wiradjuri elder Jimmy Clements, Noble walked from the Brungle Mission, near Gundagai, to Canberra to attend the opening of the Provisional Parliament House in May 1927. They were the only Aboriginal representatives at the event, with the intent of demonstrating their sovereign rights on behalf of their people.[5]

Noble was found in a serious condition in Cootamundra in early March 1928 and was taken to Cootamundra District Hospital.[6] He died on 27 March and was buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Cootamundra Cemetery.[2]

  1. ^ "Week By Week". South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus. Vol. XV, no. 34. New South Wales, Australia. 13 August 1915. p. 10. Retrieved 4 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ a b "Obituary". Cootamundra Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 28 March 1928. p. 2. Retrieved 4 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ ""Marvellous" is Dead". The Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser. No. 7698. New South Wales, Australia. 30 March 1928. p. 2. Retrieved 4 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Old Marvellous Throws His Last Boomerang". The Tumut and Adelong Times. Vol. 47, no. 2239. New South Wales, Australia. 3 April 1928. p. 6. Retrieved 4 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ McKenzie, Robyn (9 July 2021). "Stones prove the genius of our Old People". Living Black. SBS. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Marvellous Is Ill". The Gundagai Independent and Pastoral, Agricultural and Mining Advocate. No. 3030. New South Wales, Australia. 12 March 1928. p. 2. Retrieved 4 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.