Massacre at Daly River

Date: 2 Sep 1884 – 17 Oct 1884
Place: Daly River
Event type: massacre
Direct violence: Yes
Markus (1974), Wilson (2000), Nettelbeck (2004), Morris (2019) and others have detailed that on 2 September 1884 at Mt Hayward Copper Mine on the Daly River, four miners were killed in an attack. John Landers and Johannes Noltenius were speared at or near the mine, their cook, Thomas Schollert, was killed near the kitchen and Henry Hauschildt, who was absent at the time, was later found dead some way from the mine (Morris 2019, p 36). A reprisal operation was carried out by Mounted Constable George Montagu and took in Argument Flat and Marrakai Station along the Mary River. Montagu's report documented 20-30 Aboriginal deaths, but other contemporary reports suggest between 70-150, and modern estimates are higher. Inspector Paul Foelsche also led a reprisal party. A third, civilian, party, known as the 'Hauschildt Rescue' party, led by former police officer August Lucanus and split into three groups, was provisioned by the Government but not accompanied by any police and did not account for ammunition used. See also Argument Flat.
Notes:
CorroborationRating: ***
LanguageGroup: Murrinh-patha, Malak Malak, Woolwonga
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 70

People involved

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Sources

Event mentions

  • Massacre at Daly River
    2 Sep 1884 – 17 Oct 1884 — Daly River — massacre
    Markus (1974), Wilson (2000), Nettelbeck (2004), Morris (2019) and others have detailed that on 2 September 1884 at Mt Hayward Copper Mine on the Daly River, four miners were killed in an attack. John Landers and Johannes Noltenius were speared at or near the mine, their cook, Thomas Schollert, was killed near the kitchen and Henry Hauschildt, who was absent at the time, was later found dead some way from the mine (Morris 2019, p 36). A reprisal operation was carried out by Mounted Constable George Montagu and took in Argument Flat and Marrakai Station along the Mary River. Montagu's report documented 20-30 Aboriginal deaths, but other contemporary reports suggest between 70-150, and modern estimates are higher. Inspector Paul Foelsche also led a reprisal party. A third, civilian, party, known as the 'Hauschildt Rescue' party, led by former police officer August Lucanus and split into three groups, was provisioned by the Government but not accompanied by any police and did not account for ammunition used. See also Argument Flat.
    Source: Nettelbeck, 2004; Wilson, 2000; Morrison https://www.australianfrontierconflicts.com.au; Evening Journal, June 4, 1885 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198397078; SA Register, June 11, 1885 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44534459; Roberts, 2005, pp 125-131; Roberts, 2009, np; North Australian, November 27, 1885 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47995004; Markus 1974, p 12-34; 'Report on the pursuit of the Daly River murderers', North Australian, January 8, 1886 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/47995130; SAPP, No.170, 1885; Morris 2019; Reid, B, 2020; Clement & Bridge, 1991, p 16; Daly 1887, pp 257-263; SA Register, 12 February 12, 1886, p 6 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/50184608