The aftermath
Eleven of the twelve settlers involved in the massacre were arrested for the murders but were found not guilty. Seven of the men were then re-arrested and tried again. The second trial delivered a guilty verdict and the judge sentenced all seven to death.
Why did the Myall Creek trial happen?
In 1838 a vicious attack on some Aboriginal people happened at Myall Creek, north of Sydney. Some settlers, outraged at an attack on their cattle, wanted revenge. On Sunday 10 June 1838, over 30 Aboriginal men, women and children were surrounded by a group of stockmen, tied up and then almost all of them were murdered.
What was the main cause of the conflict of the Myall Creek massacre?
“conflict was the result of competition for land which settlers required for crops and the grazing of sheep and cattle; Aboriginal people relied upon the same land for food and water (Kidd 1997:14).
What was the biggest Aboriginal massacre?
1838. Myall Creek massacre – 10 June: 28 people killed at Myall Creek near Bingara, New South Wales.
Why do you think Myall Creek is significant today?
The Myall Creek massacre remains one of the darkest events in Australia’s colonial history. In 1838, white stockmen hunted and murdered 28 Aboriginal men, women and children at Myall Creek in New South Wales. … Now 180 years later, the memories of the massacre are laying the foundation for reconciliation.
When was the Myall Creek massacre trial?
On 15 November 1838 the first trial was held in the NSW Supreme Court before Chief Justice Sir James Dowling and a jury of 12 settlers. The first trial set out to establish that murder had been committed at Myall Creek and that the accused were guilty of this crime.
Why did the Aboriginal massacres occur?
The most common motive for a massacre was reprisal for the killing of settler civilians but at least 51 massacres were in reprisal for the killing or theft of livestock or property.
Why did the black war start?
The Black War was prompted by the rapid spread of British settlers and agricultural livestock throughout areas of Tasmania that had been traditional Aboriginal hunting grounds. … From 1830 Arthur offered rewards for the capture of Aboriginal people, but bounties were also paid when Aboriginal people were killed.
How many stockmen were involved in the killing?
Carried out by 12 armed, mounted stockmen on 10 June 1838 at Henry Dangar’s pastoral lease at Myall Creek in north western New South Wales, it is usually cited as an example of the lawlessness that prevailed on the colonial frontier at this time.
What was the black line in Tasmania?
By 1830 a virtual state of war existed and many settlers were demanding that something decisive be done. In response, Lieutenant-Governor George Arthur ordered thousands of able-bodied settlers to form what became known as the ‘Black Line’, a human chain that crossed the settled districts of Tasmania.
Were there any conflicts with the Aboriginal people?
Wars on the plains
From the 1830s British settlement spread rapidly through inland eastern Australia, leading to widespread conflict. Fighting took place across the Liverpool Plains, with 16 British and up to 500 Indigenous Australians being killed between 1832 and 1838.
When was the last Aboriginal massacre?
The most recent incidents included on the map are the Coniston massacres, which occurred between August and October, 1928 on and around Coniston Station in the NT. It is often referred to as the last known massacre of Indigenous Australians, although Ryan says that will prove incorrect.
What is a black line?
blackline (plural blacklines) A document indicating the differences between two versions of another document.
Are Tasmanians extinct?
The Tasmanian tiger is still extinct. Reports of its enduring survival are greatly exaggerated. Known officially to science as a thylacine, the large marsupial predators, which looked more like wild dogs than tigers and ranged across Tasmania and the Australia mainland, were declared extinct in 1936.
What impact did the black war have?
War parties torched dozens of properties, plundered hundreds of homes and speared thousands of sheep and cattle. Even more devastating was the human toll: 223 colonists killed and 226 wounded. This represents an annual per capita death rate two-and-a-half times higher than that of Australians in World War Two.
What did jandamarra?
Jandamarra or Tjandamurra (c. 1873—1 April 1897), known to European settlers as Pigeon, was an Aboriginal Australian man of the Bunuba people who led one of many organised armed insurrections against the European colonisation of Australia.
Who first landed in Australia?
While Indigenous Australians have inhabited the continent for tens of thousands of years, and traded with nearby islanders, the first documented landing on Australia by a European was in 1606. The Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon landed on the western side of Cape York Peninsula and charted about 300 km of coastline.
What did the aboriginals call Australia?
The Aboriginal English words ‘blackfella’ and ‘whitefella’ are used by Indigenous Australian people all over the country — some communities also use ‘yellafella’ and ‘coloured’.
What was Australia first called?
New Holland (Dutch: Nieuw-Holland) is a historical European name for mainland Australia. The name was first applied to Australia in 1644 by the Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman.
What was Australia called before 1901?
Before 1900, there was no actual country called Australia, only the six colonies – New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia. While these colonies were on the same continent, they were governed like six rival countries and there was little communication between them.