Massacre at Mt McKenzie, Barrington Tops

Date: 1 Jan 1835 – 31 Dec 1835
Place: Mt McKenzie, Barrington Tops
Event type: massacre
Direct violence: Yes

Aboriginal people were shot dead and leapt or were thrown over a cliff in retaliation for them killing five convict shepherds at Robert Ramsay Mackenzie's property at Wattenbakh on the western bank of the Barrington River, two miles from Rawdon Vale, at the time known as 'Kiripit'. Survivors fled and were caught and killed on a flat at Bowman River (Wingham Chronicle, April 25, 1922, p 2).
A later article from 1935 claimed 6 shepherds were killed in the lead up to this massacre, and decribed the massacre at McKenzie's Cliffs as follows: 'The settlers from the Williams River side came across to the head of the Gloucester, driving the blacks before them, while the settlers on this side drove all the blacks up the river and at last cornered them on the small flat above McKenzie's cliffs where they shot men, women and children without mercy or consideration. Those who escaped the bullet were killed by falling over the cliffs and being smashed on the rocks below. Thus was the whole tribe of blacks, with one or two exceptions, who inhabited this part of the district exterminated' (The Gloucester Advocate, 22 Mar 1935, p 1).
According to Geoffrey Blomfield, 'The massacre has a strong oral tradition' (Blomfield 1981, p 121-2).
The location marked here is purposefully not the location of the massacre. Please note that 'The Aboriginal community has requested that the actual site is not promoted and visitation is discouraged' (NSW Parks and Wildlife Service. Barrington Tops National Park, Mount Royal National Park and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area: Plan of Management. Parramatta, NSW: Environment and Heritage: Department of Planning and Environment, 2022, p 22).

Notes:
CorroborationRating: *
LanguageGroup: Gathang
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 20

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Sources

Event mentions

  • Massacre at Mt McKenzie, Barrington Tops
    1 Jan 1835 – 31 Dec 1835 — Mt McKenzie, Barrington Tops — massacre

    Aboriginal people were shot dead and leapt or were thrown over a cliff in retaliation for them killing five convict shepherds at Robert Ramsay Mackenzie's property at Wattenbakh on the western bank of the Barrington River, two miles from Rawdon Vale, at the time known as 'Kiripit'. Survivors fled and were caught and killed on a flat at Bowman River (Wingham Chronicle, April 25, 1922, p 2).
    A later article from 1935 claimed 6 shepherds were killed in the lead up to this massacre, and decribed the massacre at McKenzie's Cliffs as follows: 'The settlers from the Williams River side came across to the head of the Gloucester, driving the blacks before them, while the settlers on this side drove all the blacks up the river and at last cornered them on the small flat above McKenzie's cliffs where they shot men, women and children without mercy or consideration. Those who escaped the bullet were killed by falling over the cliffs and being smashed on the rocks below. Thus was the whole tribe of blacks, with one or two exceptions, who inhabited this part of the district exterminated' (The Gloucester Advocate, 22 Mar 1935, p 1).
    According to Geoffrey Blomfield, 'The massacre has a strong oral tradition' (Blomfield 1981, p 121-2).
    The location marked here is purposefully not the location of the massacre. Please note that 'The Aboriginal community has requested that the actual site is not promoted and visitation is discouraged' (NSW Parks and Wildlife Service. Barrington Tops National Park, Mount Royal National Park and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area: Plan of Management. Parramatta, NSW: Environment and Heritage: Department of Planning and Environment, 2022, p 22).

    Source:

    Blomfield, 1981, p 121-2; Wingham Chronicle, April 25, 1922, p 2; Newcastle Morning Herald, July 25, 1964; The Gloucester Advocate, 22 Mar 1935 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/159633029; NSW Parks and Wildlife Service. Barrington Tops National Park, Mount Royal National Park and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area: Plan of Management. Parramatta, NSW: Environment and Heritage: Department of Planning and Environment, 2022 https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/-/media/OEH/Corporate-Site/Documents/Parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/Parks-plans-of-management/barrington-tops-mount-royal-national-parks-barrington-tops-sca-plan-of-management-220192.pdf