Sarawak Township

By Township of Georgian Bluffs - Mar 06, 2026

Then...

Nahneebahweequay, also known as Catharine Sutton, was an Ojibwe (Anishnaabe) woman and early Indigenous rights advocate in the mid-1800s. Her name translates to “Upright Woman”. When government policies threatened to take away her family’s land in former Sarawak Township (because she had married a white man) she decided to take matters up with the Queen herself. In 1860, she travelled to England to present Indigenous land concerns directly to Queen Victoria and government officials at Buckingham Palace. Although her efforts did not fully restore her family’s rights, she drew attention to unfair treatment of Indigenous people in Canada. Her courage and advocacy made her one of the earliest Indigenous women to challenge colonial land policies on an international stage.

Now...

Sarawak Township where Catharine Sutton’s family land was located is now home to the Cobble Beach Resort. Established in 2007, Cobble Beach is a waterfront golf resort community on Georgian Bay featuring an award-winning 18-hole course designed by Doug Carrick, along with a clubhouse, inn, spa, restaurant, and year-round amenities for visitors and residents. Cobble Beach began development in 1998 with plans that respected the interests of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, followed by a comprehensive three-year cultural and archaeological study in 1999 approved by the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation. This study was the first of its kind in Grey County. Cobble Beach also hosts the annual Concours D’Elegance; Canada’s premier classic automotive event that celebrates the artistry and heritage of vintage vehicles on the shore of Georgian Bay.

To keep reading about Nahneebahweequay (Catharine Sutton) here are our sources for this feature:

Subscribe Back to News Search

Contact Us

Township of Georgian Bluffs
177964 Grey Road 18,
Owen Sound, ON N4K 5N5

Send Email to Georgian Bluffs
Phone: 519-376-2729
Fax: 519-372-1620