% 3 0 obj 27 May - 3 June. The manager of the Krowathunkooloong keeping place in Bairnsdale, Rob Hudson, agrees. In 1845, Tyers reported on the Aborigines, stating: In the early part of 1843as I have been informed, some of the Corner Inlet tribe were occasionally employed by the few Settlers at Port Albert in carrying fire wood and in other light work for which they generally received payment in flour & cbut since the unprovoked murder of Mr Ronald Macalister by them at Port Albert, about that time, they have not been seen in the neighbourhood. [37] Again, no proof is offered. <> Second, Hatcher arrived in Gippsland several months after Tyers, so it was just a tad late to be a cover-up. It is about the importance of truth- telling. E lizabeth Balderstone leads a lifestyle that many city dwellers fantasise about, on a farm in Victoria's Gippsland, surrounded by friendly sheep, with a humble little creek just 60 metres from. xX[~`*E}KgnvqEd%$4?9h1s7KDE+>RT*;[(b As Bell indicates the early 1840s certainly were . 0000002903 00000 n However, the region was isolated from the rest of New South Wales by mountains, rivers, forests, swamps and the fierce reputation of the Kurnai. << /Type /Page /Parent 3 0 R /Resources 6 0 R /Contents 4 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 595 842] I sometimes feel scared that there seems to be such an ugly resistance to understanding our past, she says. This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 01:43. At a quiet bend on a beautiful creek they committed one of the worst acts of indiscriminate killing in the Australian colonies. Messrs. Pearson and Cunninghame have been the latest sufferers by those cannibals; it is not only the stock they kill we feel the loss of, but running the remainder off their runs, and the expense the proprietors are put to in collecting their cattle, and procuring guns and ammunition for everyone engaged in their employment.[22]. 91 0 obj <> endobj 0000015443 00000 n This documentary tells the story of the Warrigal Creek massacre of 1843 in Gippsland, Victoria, where as many as 150 Gunai Kurnai children, women and . In July 1843, a European named Ronald Macalister was killed by First Nations men near Port Albert, in Victoria. In an essay on Gippsland from April 1843, Henry Bebb Morris described a mock fight between six Kurnai men using spears, boomerangs and waddies: they are small men, and when in repose would not be remarked for beauty or figure, but under the excitement of the fight they put every muscle into motion, and threw themselves into attitudes which would have graced a Grecian warrior. Light refreshments will be available. 29 May 2018. 0000001936 00000 n If a historical narrative is to be used as the basis for debate or action in the public sphere, it should be grounded in non-partisan, objective research and analysis. Events.com has to offer. 0000888069 00000 n [1], The estimates of numbers of deaths vary: some historical accounts say that 60 people were killed,[citation needed] while other sources suggest that up to 150 people may have been killed. Launch date: Wednesday 4 AprilStratford Courthouse TheatreFree entry but bookings essentialRegister via Eventbrite http://bit.ly/2sTmWsCAbout the filmWhen An. We wish to pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging. Use your same username and password to log in and you'll be 0000116911 00000 n 0001031115 00000 n It was, of course, impossible to identify any blackfellow concerned in the outrage, and therefore atonement must be made by the tribe. Our land of migrants, from the very first in their canoes or who even walked here. )A?8yo]gNV2nj}cR2|#~M >A$M#~A^EQ ~Q{?pO0!&S7),}w4Wf+(L1Qd (wL~MdP{"&r'|2b7##lQ$*GJA]a8[B&DKv-vk@,#dD B79 j2zKD#,mgF(3dz_5W^LaJhs/QwFrqP{q[U}d Within a period of two years, it appears that Gippsland became a haven for escapees. 4751, June, 1980. Bunjileene was a leader of the Gunaikurnai people and Purrine was the head of the Lowanjerri tribe of the Bunurong. This 50-minute documentary directed by Lisa Gye and Andrew Dodd examines a day in 1843 when 150 Indigenous men, women and children were slaughtered on the banks of what is now Warrigal Creek in Gippsland. The Author at Warrigal Creek 2016. qgAHrgAX8]eAVi a"0Uc|sQ d$uIOrE&n2"c,%$qHFWpTWn>!bB):I\PhE17 [25], Tyers noted that the Kurnai were geographically isolated from all of the neighbouring Aboriginal tribes, none of whom could understand their language, and From this circumstance, the Chief Protector [Robinson] on his visit to Gipps Land last year, was unsuccessful in his attempts to communicate with them. The isolation from the other tribes meant that their fierce and predatory habits have received no check.[26]. At the end of 1845, Tyers wrote a follow-up report stating: since the return of the Native Police to Head Quarters the depredations of the Aborigines of the District on the property of the Settlers, including horses as well as horned stock, have increased to an alarming extentand that I cannot at present suggest any other means of prevention, than the continuing service of the Native Police.[27]. McMillans employer, Captain Lachlan Macalister, described the squatters as legally authorised occupiers of Crown lands. This 50-minute documentary directed by Lisa Gye and Andrew Dodd examines a day in 1843 when 150 Indigenous men, women and children were slaughtered on the banks of what is now Warrigal Creek in Gippsland. He also claimed this appeared to be part of a cover-up due to the arrival of Tyers or Robinson. He recorded that there were fifty-five Prisoners of the Crown in Gippsland, nine of whom were in government service. endstream 0000024998 00000 n From 1839, Angus McMillan tried on numerous occasions to reach Corner Inlet from the Monaro District and finally succeeded in February 1841 when he reached the tidal bank of the Albert River. The creek is on a farm 40 kilometres south of Sale, and 200 kilometres east of Melbourne, in the South Gippsland area of Victoria, Australia. Fawkner blamed them for most of the conflict between the Europeans and the Aborigines. 148 0 obj <>stream A documentary was made in 2018 and a federal electorate was renamed that year to remove the legacy of Angus McMillan, the alleged instigator, who is otherwise remembered as an explorer, squatter, MP and Protector of Aborigines. [11] Sydney Morning Herald 6 September 1843, p.2, [13] Port Phillip Patriot 23 December 1841, p. 3, [15] Fels, Marie Hansen (2010) I Succeeded Once: The Aboriginal Protectorate on the Mornington Peninsula 1839-1840 , ANU E-Press, pp 249-271, [16] See also: George Henry Haydon (1846) Five Years Experience in Australia Felix pp151-152 (on-line edition), [17] Port Phillip Gazette 30 April 1845 p.2, [18] Gardner, P D (2005) The Myth of Tribal Warfare On-line essay, [20] Geelong Advertiser 5 August 1843, p.2, [21] Sydney Morning Herald 6 September 1843, p.2. Gardners evidence for Angus McMillans involvement in the Warrigal Creek massacre consists of a story written for The Gap school magazine in 1925 by William Hoddinott under the pseudonym of Gippslander. [38], I knew two blacks who, though wounded, came out of that hole alive. It also suggests that the squatters were unprepared for the resistance they faced. Power your marketing strategy with perfectly branded videos to drive better ROI. Probably even as a child I just sensed something its a really spiritual place, she says. In July 1844 he wrote, I regret however to observe that the depredations of the Aborigines continue and that the small police force at my disposal is inadequate to put a stop to them. He went on to describe how the natives have been very troublesome, killing 90 head of cattle belonging to Mr Sparks, at various times, and many belonging to Mr Jones. ?6m-^a_DD/UJ[ [1] Gardner, P. D. (1993) Gippsland Massacres (third edition) Ngarak Press, Ensay, Victoria, p. 66, [3] Howitt, A W (1880) The Kurnai: Their Customs in Peace and War in Fison, L. and Howitt, A W Kamilaroi and Kurnai Anthropological Publications, Oosterhout, facsimile edition, pp 227-29, [6] Morris, H. B. Drawing on official archives and oral histories that have never died, this is the story of The Warrigal Creek Massacre. NAIDOC Week 2019. Many people accept the massacre as a matter of fact, as a truism. [41] The conspiracy of secrecy is used to explain why Hoddinott probably with good reason, chose to remain anonymous, as the account implicated Angus McMillan as the leader of this murderous retaliation. Gunaikurnai people have visited the land for years to pay their respects, giving Balderstone some understanding of the pain and intergenerational trauma they still experience. First though, it is necessary to establish the circumstances that led to the European settlement of Gippsland and the resulting conflict with the indigenous Kurnai people, which is the root of the massacre story. Launch date: Wednesday 4 AprilStratford Courthouse TheatreFree entry but bookings essentialRegister via Eventbrite http://bit.ly/2sTmWsCAbout the filmWhen Angus McMillian and the Highland Brigade rode through Gippsland in 1843, they aimed to murder as many Gunai Kurnai children, women and men as they could.At a quiet bend on a beautiful creek they committed one of the worst acts of indiscriminate killing in the Australian colonies.Drawing on official archives and oral histories that have never died, this is the story of The Warrigal Creek Massacre.Because to move forward we must acknowledge our past.Produced and directed by Andrew Dodd and Lisa Gye.Production and research by Danielle Bowen, Jonathan Boadle, Jakeb Fair, Alex Owsianka, Don Sheil and Ben Winnell.Supported by Swinburne University. He also stated: There are many persons congregated in Alberton, without any visible means of earning a livelihood, a parcel of the most lawless rogues. 0000116524 00000 n Bells account is matter-of-fact and he did not name McMillan or any other person. [4][1], Despite the widespread belief that MacMillan led several massacres, as of 2021[update] there are over 12 monuments in the Gippsland region dedicated to him. [55] The murder of Macalister may have marked a turning point in which the Europeans went on the offensive. In the spirit of this year's NAIDOC theme Voice.Treaty.Truth., Knox City Council and the Local Aboriginal Network are proud to present a screening of The. One was a boy at the time about 12 or 14 years old. [54] Meyrick arrived in Gippsland in 1845 so he was not a witness to anything before that date. Wayne, a very valuable and comprehensive article. Build a site and generate income from purchases, subscriptions, and courses. Many Bunurong joined the police and used the guise of their role to extract vengeance on the Kurnai. An excellent and detailed correction of Gardner. An important part of Australian history, necessary for reconciliation. The Warrigal Creek Massacre on Vimeo. Advice: This page does not contain images of people who have died. y]\lt`(+WT5[y&Z}_~PbEH/XFN4Kz+Vb)44BQ?Zh*Y Eo4/xhJk Presumably he had reasons for both, but he did not say why and he did not reveal the source of his information. The Gippslander account mentions the Highland Brigade and a death toll of 100 to 150, but McMillans involvement, Scotsmen, the swearing to God and the Queen, and secrecy, are entirely Gardners creation. Some basic research puts Hatchers account into context. This provides a contrast to Gardners analysis, which is based largely on a story from a schoolchildrens magazine from 1925. This included five in the Border Police, one of whom held a ticket-of-leave. Peter Gardner[1]. 0000008955 00000 n ]V)cxN:*e%{ZXi8C -[Y1d-ZZ. She worries Australia is still not ready to listen. The newspapers and Charles Tyerss reports indicate that attacks by the Kurnai continued in 1844 and 1845; they did not end at Warrigal Creek in 1843. Convicts were entitled to a daily ration of fresh meat, as were the military and the civilian authorities. 2 0 obj Gardner regards tribal warfare as a myth.[18]. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a77bf3dc11d263ed9065ff8247406b97" );document.getElementById("bc64d4fe72").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The reference to Bundalaguah Swamp has previously escaped notice. 0001064309 00000 n 0000017382 00000 n 5 0 obj The Gippslander story consists of just over a page; within it there is a myriad of minor details that are contradicted by the contemporary newspaper reports. In my research for Bitter Harvest, I could find no reference, in original sources, to The Highland Brigade, established, according to the Gardner version of history, to seek out and exterminate blacks. At a quiet bend on a beautiful creek they committed one of the worst acts of indiscriminate killing in the Australian colonies. The Commissariat let annual tenders for the supply of fresh meat and other staples. [3] Their customs and society were studied in detail by Alfred W. Howitt, but due to violence and the effects of disease, alcohol and the mission system, much traditional knowledge had already been lost by the time he began recording information in the mid-1860s. Establishing this will entail the evaluation of all historical themes and not rejecting or ignoring evidence because it does not fit a preconceived narrative. [30] Escapees living outside the law would therefore have posed a dire threat to the Kurnai. 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