Massacre at Victoria Valley

Date: 12 Aug 1840 – 20 Aug 1840
Place: Victoria Valley
Event type: massacre
Direct violence: Yes
Following an earlier massacre in the Grampians (see the 'Grampians' massacre), on 28 August 1840 'the Aborigines drove off nearly 1,300 of Wedge's sheep in the care of Colin Isaacs' (Clark, 1995, p 157). A 'hunting party', comprising Charles and Henry Wedge, Joseph Read, Thomas Grant, William Marsh, John Cox and R.W. Knowles, recovered the sheep in the present day Victoria Valley and then killed 13 Aborigines (Orton Papers 12 January 1841, Orton Papers 1840-1842, ML A1715). When Assistant Protector Charles Sievwright took depositions from the killers and presented them to James Croke, the Crown Prosecutor, Croke 'formed the opinion that the Aborigines had perpetrated the "outrages" and ought to be punished. He considered the killings were in self-defence.' (Croke cited in Clark, 1995, p 157).


In a letter to Governor Latrobe, Charles Wedge wrote,
"I, with my brothers, removed our stock to the country at the foot of the Grampians, now known as the Grange, on the creeks forming the river Wannon in the Australia Felix of Major Sir Thomas Mitchell... Up to this time we had but little trouble with the aborigines, but they now began to attack our shepherds, whom they drove from their flocks, which they took into the mountains known as the Victoria Range, where they disposed of many hundreds of them by killing, maiming by breaking three of their legs, and otherwise mutilating them in a cruel manner to prevent their escape, and resisting (their numbers giving them confidence) recovery. At this time they also killed a valuable horse and cow belonging to me, and drove away the whole of my milking cattle and working bullocks, some of which returned with spears in them ; and these depredations did not cease till many lives were sacrificed, and, I may say, many thousands of sheep destroyed." (Bride, 1899, p 163)
Notes:
CorroborationRating: ***
LanguageGroup: Djabwurrung
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 13

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Sources

Event mentions

  • Massacre at Victoria Valley
    12 Aug 1840 – 20 Aug 1840 — Victoria Valley — massacre
    Following an earlier massacre in the Grampians (see the 'Grampians' massacre), on 28 August 1840 'the Aborigines drove off nearly 1,300 of Wedge's sheep in the care of Colin Isaacs' (Clark, 1995, p 157). A 'hunting party', comprising Charles and Henry Wedge, Joseph Read, Thomas Grant, William Marsh, John Cox and R.W. Knowles, recovered the sheep in the present day Victoria Valley and then killed 13 Aborigines (Orton Papers 12 January 1841, Orton Papers 1840-1842, ML A1715). When Assistant Protector Charles Sievwright took depositions from the killers and presented them to James Croke, the Crown Prosecutor, Croke 'formed the opinion that the Aborigines had perpetrated the "outrages" and ought to be punished. He considered the killings were in self-defence.' (Croke cited in Clark, 1995, p 157).


    In a letter to Governor Latrobe, Charles Wedge wrote,
    "I, with my brothers, removed our stock to the country at the foot of the Grampians, now known as the Grange, on the creeks forming the river Wannon in the Australia Felix of Major Sir Thomas Mitchell... Up to this time we had but little trouble with the aborigines, but they now began to attack our shepherds, whom they drove from their flocks, which they took into the mountains known as the Victoria Range, where they disposed of many hundreds of them by killing, maiming by breaking three of their legs, and otherwise mutilating them in a cruel manner to prevent their escape, and resisting (their numbers giving them confidence) recovery. At this time they also killed a valuable horse and cow belonging to me, and drove away the whole of my milking cattle and working bullocks, some of which returned with spears in them ; and these depredations did not cease till many lives were sacrificed, and, I may say, many thousands of sheep destroyed." (Bride, 1899, p 163)
    Source: Bride, 1899, p 163 https://ia601608.us.archive.org/6/items/lettersfromvicto00publiala/lettersfromvicto00publiala.pdf; Clark ID, 1995, pp 156-158 http://nationalunitygovernment.org/pdf/2014/IanDClark-Scars_in_the_landscape.pdf.pdf ; Orton, 12 January 1841; 1840-1842. See also: Shaw, 1996, p 130; HRA Series I vol 21, p242 https://opal.latrobe.edu.au/articles/book/Historical_records_of_Australia_Series_I_Governors_despatches_to_and_from_England_Volume_XXI_October_1840-March_1842_edited_by_Frederick_Watson_/22300288.