Massacre at Sheep Station Bluff Upper McLeay River
According to Geoffrey Blomfield (1981, pp 40-41), 'Two young colonial men were left at Sheep Station Creek to hold a small mob of quiet cattle' while the station boss and other stockmen went after the wild cattle. The boys 'fell asleep' and when 'they awoke they found that some Aboriginal men had speared a vealer and were dragging it off.' They informed the boss when he returned, and he quickly set off in pursuit (presumably with the other stockmen) and 'quite quickly came up with them on the cliff edge. It is said that they forced them over the cliff to their deaths'. Next day one of the two young men left to hold the 'quiet' cattle 'became troubled that some of the Aboriginal people may have been left injured by the fall from the cliff and dying a lingering death in the sun. He rode out to the site of the massacre. He found an infant crawling about and took it to Pee Dee station, the McMaugh home.' 'Later the child was taken to live with the Thompson Family at Towel Creek station' (Blomfield, 1981, pp 40-41).
Notes:
CorroborationRating: *
LanguageGroup: Dhanggati
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 6
CorroborationRating: *
LanguageGroup: Dhanggati
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 6
People involved
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Event mentions
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Massacre at Sheep Station Bluff Upper McLeay River12 Jan 1843 – 31 Dec 1843 — Sheep Station Bluff Upper McLeay River — massacreAccording to Geoffrey Blomfield (1981, pp 40-41), 'Two young colonial men were left at Sheep Station Creek to hold a small mob of quiet cattle' while the station boss and other stockmen went after the wild cattle. The boys 'fell asleep' and when 'they awoke they found that some Aboriginal men had speared a vealer and were dragging it off.' They informed the boss when he returned, and he quickly set off in pursuit (presumably with the other stockmen) and 'quite quickly came up with them on the cliff edge. It is said that they forced them over the cliff to their deaths'. Next day one of the two young men left to hold the 'quiet' cattle 'became troubled that some of the Aboriginal people may have been left injured by the fall from the cliff and dying a lingering death in the sun. He rode out to the site of the massacre. He found an infant crawling about and took it to Pee Dee station, the McMaugh home.' 'Later the child was taken to live with the Thompson Family at Towel Creek station' (Blomfield, 1981, pp 40-41).