Massacre at Buckingham Downs, Selwyn Ranges

Date: 1 Feb 1879 – 28 Feb 1879
Place: Buckingham Downs, Selwyn Ranges
Event type: massacre
Direct violence: Yes
Between 12 and 21 January 1879, a large group of Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta warriors who were conducting major ceremonies at Wonomo Waterhole on Sulieman Creek, killed stockman Bernard Molvo and three others. It appears that the stockmen were witnessing 'secret' ceremonies and abducting Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta women for sex. In February, Sub-Inspector Ernest Eglington led a detachment of native police, and 'a white vigilante group' (Bottoms, 2013, p 162) of settlers including Alexander Kennedy and Robert Currie from Buckingham Downs Station, William Paterson from Goodwood Station. During February they carried out at least five reprisal massacres of the Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta people. The massacre sites included: Buckingham Downs; Sulieman Creek; Goodwood Station; Monastery Creek; and The Monument. It is estimated by the Yalarrnga descendants of the massacre survivors that more than 100 men, women and children were killed. This would suggest that about 20 Aboriginal people were killed at each of the five sites.
Notes:
CorroborationRating: ***
LanguageGroup: Yalarrnga
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 20

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Sources

Event mentions

  • Massacre at Buckingham Downs, Selwyn Ranges
    1 Feb 1879 – 28 Feb 1879 — Buckingham Downs, Selwyn Ranges — massacre
    Between 12 and 21 January 1879, a large group of Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta warriors who were conducting major ceremonies at Wonomo Waterhole on Sulieman Creek, killed stockman Bernard Molvo and three others. It appears that the stockmen were witnessing 'secret' ceremonies and abducting Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta women for sex. In February, Sub-Inspector Ernest Eglington led a detachment of native police, and 'a white vigilante group' (Bottoms, 2013, p 162) of settlers including Alexander Kennedy and Robert Currie from Buckingham Downs Station, William Paterson from Goodwood Station. During February they carried out at least five reprisal massacres of the Yalarrnga and Pitta Pitta people. The massacre sites included: Buckingham Downs; Sulieman Creek; Goodwood Station; Monastery Creek; and The Monument. It is estimated by the Yalarrnga descendants of the massacre survivors that more than 100 men, women and children were killed. This would suggest that about 20 Aboriginal people were killed at each of the five sites.
    Source: Brisbane Courier, March 5, 1879, p 3 'Murders in the Far West" http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article898062; Evening News, March 10, 1879, "Massacres by Queensland Blacks" http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107155604; Morning Bulletin, March, 1, 1879, "Blackall" http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51991181; Queenslander, January 8, 1921, "Sketcher. Early Days in North-West Queensland" http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22608264; Townsville Daily Bulletin, June 29, 1917 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article62574187, January 27, 1931http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article61581906, August 16, 1948 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63372166; Fysh, 1961, pp 94-96; Bottoms, 2013, pp 162-164; Davidson et al, 2020, pp 1-16.