Massacre at Monastery Creek, Selwyn Ranges

Date: 1 Feb 1879 – 28 Feb 1879
Place: Monastery Creek, Selwyn Ranges
Event type: massacre
Direct violence: Yes
Following the killing of stockman Bernard Molvo and three other stockmen by Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta warriors at Wonomo Waterhole on Sulieman Creek between 12 and 21 January 1879, a detachment of native police led by Sub- Inspector Edward Eglington, assisted by settlers Alexander Kennedy, Robert Currie, William Paterson and Frederick Margetts and some stockmen, set out in early February 1879 in search of the alleged perpetrators. (Townsville Daily Bulletin, June 29, 1917, p 2; January 27, 1931, p 4) They carried out five reprisal massacres of men, women and children from the Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta at five different sites. Monastery Creek is the 4th site. It is estimated that 100 Aboriginal people were killed overall, indicating that about 20 were killed at each site. The reprisal massacres were reported in the press and in settler memoirs (Fysh, 1961) and by interviews with Aboriginal descendants (Davidson et al, 2020) .
Notes:
CorroborationRating: ***
LanguageGroup: Yakarrnga, Pitta Pitta
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 20

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Sources

Event mentions

  • Massacre at Monastery Creek, Selwyn Ranges
    1 Feb 1879 – 28 Feb 1879 — Monastery Creek, Selwyn Ranges — massacre
    Following the killing of stockman Bernard Molvo and three other stockmen by Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta warriors at Wonomo Waterhole on Sulieman Creek between 12 and 21 January 1879, a detachment of native police led by Sub- Inspector Edward Eglington, assisted by settlers Alexander Kennedy, Robert Currie, William Paterson and Frederick Margetts and some stockmen, set out in early February 1879 in search of the alleged perpetrators. (Townsville Daily Bulletin, June 29, 1917, p 2; January 27, 1931, p 4) They carried out five reprisal massacres of men, women and children from the Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta at five different sites. Monastery Creek is the 4th site. It is estimated that 100 Aboriginal people were killed overall, indicating that about 20 were killed at each site. The reprisal massacres were reported in the press and in settler memoirs (Fysh, 1961) and by interviews with Aboriginal descendants (Davidson et al, 2020) .
    Source: Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton), March 1, 1879, "Blackall [From our Correspondent]"http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51991181; Brisbane Courier, March 5, 1879, "Murders in the Far West"http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article898062; The Queenslander, January 15, 1921, "Sketcher. Early Days in North-West Queensland" http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22608504; Townsville Daily Bulletin, June 29, 1917, p 2http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article62574187; January 27, 1931http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article61581906; August 16, 1948http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63372166; Fysh, 1961, p 94; Bottoms, 2013, pp 162-164; Davidson et al, 2020, pp 1-16.