James Wandin

James Wandin (28 July 1933 – 20 February 2006), also known as Jim, Jimmy, or Juby, was the ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri till his death in February 2006. He was the first Australian rules footballer of Aboriginal descent to play with St Kilda Football Club in 1952–1953.

Family James Wandin was a great-great nephew to William Barak, the last traditional ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri-willam clan. He was the last person born at Coranderrk Station, in 1933, in the home of his grandmother, Jemima Wandin. When the Station was closed in 1923 Jemima Wandin was one of 5 elderly people who refused to leave. She is buried in the Coranderrk Cemetery.

His father, Jarlo Wandoon, tried to enlist for World War I, but was rejected due to being an Aboriginal. When he attempted to enlist under his whitefella name, James Wandin, he was accepted into the army and served in France and is listed under that name on the honour roll in the Healesville RSL. On returning home, Jarlo Wandoon had to get permission from the police to visit his mother, was escorted onto Coranderrk, and was only allowed half an hour with her before he was sent off to the Lake Tyers Mission in Gippsland.

Much of Coranderrk was divided up and sold for soldier settlement allotments.

Jarlo found work with the Postmaster-General's Department, and was able to buy a block of land at Healesville – a home for his family on Wurundjeri land.

Football One of ten children, James left school at 15 in 1949 and played Australian rules football with the Healesville seconds. The team won the Yarra Valley Football League (YVFL) premiership and Wandin was awarded the YVFL Seconds Best and Fairest.

He moved on to play with the Healesville seniors who won a premiership in 1951.

He joined St Kilda Football Club in 1952, after a period of training with them at Junction Oval. He was the first Aboriginal footballer with St Kilda, playing centre half forward. He left St Kilda Football Club after just 17 games due to "homesickness" and what he later reflected as a lack of support.

Wandin was appointed as captain-coach of Healesville in 1954, a position he held until 1960.

Wandin won the YVFL best and fairest medal in 1954, 1957, 1958 and 1959 and led Healesville to the 1954 premiership. Wandin was also Healesville's senior football captain from 1968 to 1970.

The best and fairest award in the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League Division Two competition was called the James Wandin Medal. The Wandin Medal continued as the best and fairest award in the now Outer East Football Netball League.

He was called up for National Service in 1952.

He concluded his speech to parliament saying:

Death While ill with cancer in February 2006 he prepared a statutory declaration declaring his nephew Murrundindi his successor as Wurundjeri Ngurungaeta. After his death his partner, Judy Freeman, symbolically passed to Murrundindi a lil-lal, or hunting boomerang, and a sprig of pale yellow wattle. Several hundred people attended Healesville football oval to pay their respects to a respected Wurundjeri elder and great footballer. He was buried at Healesville Cemetery, in the shadow of Mount Riddell, as he requested.

The Annual best and fairest player award in division two of the Yarra Valley Mountain Football League is called the Wandin Medal. The James (Juby) Wandin Memorial Match has been established by Yarra Glen Football Club to commemorate James Wandin's 55 years contribution to the sport as a player and coach at local level and at Apollo Bay. The inaugural match in May 2008, won by Yarra Glen Football Club, was used to raise funds to erect a memorial at James Wandin's grave and for a perpetual trophy.