Massacre at Goodwood Station, Selwyn Ranges

Date: 1 Feb 1879
Place: Goodwood Station, Selwyn Ranges
Event type: massacre
Direct violence: Yes
Following the killing of stockman Bernard Molvo and three other stockmen at Wonomo Warerhole on Sulieman Creek between 12 and 21 January 1879 by a group of Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta Warriors who were conducting a major ceremony nearby, a detachment of native police led by Sub-Inspector Ernest Eglington and assisted by settlers, William Paterson, Alexander Kennedy and Robert Currie and others, carried out at least five reprisal massacres of Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta people during February 1879. Goodwood Station is the 3rd massacre. Descendants of the massacre survivors estimated that more than 100 were killed overall. This would suggest that about 20 Aboriginal people were killed at each site. The reprisal massacres were reported in the press at the time and many decades later.
Notes:
CorroborationRating: ***
LanguageGroup: Yalarrnga, Pitta Pitts
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 20

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Sources

Event mentions

  • Massacre at Goodwood Station, Selwyn Ranges
    1 Feb 1879 — Goodwood Station, Selwyn Ranges — massacre
    Following the killing of stockman Bernard Molvo and three other stockmen at Wonomo Warerhole on Sulieman Creek between 12 and 21 January 1879 by a group of Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta Warriors who were conducting a major ceremony nearby, a detachment of native police led by Sub-Inspector Ernest Eglington and assisted by settlers, William Paterson, Alexander Kennedy and Robert Currie and others, carried out at least five reprisal massacres of Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta people during February 1879. Goodwood Station is the 3rd massacre. Descendants of the massacre survivors estimated that more than 100 were killed overall. This would suggest that about 20 Aboriginal people were killed at each site. The reprisal massacres were reported in the press at the time and many decades later.
    Source: Brisbane Courier, March 5, 1879, "Murders in the Far West" http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article898062; Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton), March 1, 1879, "Murders in the Far West" http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51991181; Queenslander, January 15, 1921, "Sketcher. Early Days in North West Queensland" http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22608504; Townsville Daily Bulletin, June 29, 1917 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article62574187, January 27, 1931 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article61581906, August 16, 1948 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63372166; Fysh, 1961, p 94; Bottom, 2013, pp 162-164; Davidson, et al, 2020, pp 1-16.