 Despite being just a young man in his early to mid-twenties, Windradyne arose as the key figure from the Aboriginal community resisting this change, in what would come to be known as the "Bathurst War".It is suggested that the first hostilities led by Windradyne took place in early 1822 on the Cudgegong River, when some stockmen were attacked and livestock were released or killed.A number of other attacks on settlers—and in particular their convict workers often working as stockmen or shepherds in isolated areas—as well as their stock were reported.