Massacre at Mount Burrell

Date: 1 Jan 1875 – 31 Dec 1879
Place: Mount Burrell
Event type: massacre
Direct violence: Yes
Justice John Mansfield's Frances Well Land Claim Report No 64 (2016, p. 10) records that 'By 1877, the claim area and surrounding country had been taken up by pastoralists. The pastoral lease now known as Maryvale was at that time called Mount Burrell. Three pastoralists unsuccessfully tried to run sheep, cattle and horses there. TGH Strehlow and other anthropologists spoke to those who remembered or had heard about these early days and recorded that there was often violence between the original Mount Burrell pastoralists and the local Aboriginal people. The local people resented the intrusion of the pastoralists and speared their cattle. In retaliation, the pastoralists carried out shootings in the Aboriginal camps. Other oral reports suggest that Aboriginal women were kidnapped by early white settlers'.
Notes:
CorroborationRating: **
LanguageGroup: Luritja
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 15

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Sources

Event mentions

  • Massacre at Mount Burrell
    1 Jan 1875 – 31 Dec 1879 — Mount Burrell — massacre
    Justice John Mansfield's Frances Well Land Claim Report No 64 (2016, p. 10) records that 'By 1877, the claim area and surrounding country had been taken up by pastoralists. The pastoral lease now known as Maryvale was at that time called Mount Burrell. Three pastoralists unsuccessfully tried to run sheep, cattle and horses there. TGH Strehlow and other anthropologists spoke to those who remembered or had heard about these early days and recorded that there was often violence between the original Mount Burrell pastoralists and the local Aboriginal people. The local people resented the intrusion of the pastoralists and speared their cattle. In retaliation, the pastoralists carried out shootings in the Aboriginal camps. Other oral reports suggest that Aboriginal women were kidnapped by early white settlers'.
    Source: Mansfield, 2016, Report, Frances Well Land Claim No 64 2016, https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/publications/tabledpapers/856030dd-db65-48f4-8ac6-0e4cfc748b8f/upload_pdf/PMC001_16_Frances_Well_ACCESS_1509.pdf