Site NameMount Ida (1)
Aboriginal Place Name
Language GroupWongai
Present State/TerritoryWA
Colony/State/Territory at the timeWA
Police DistrictGoldfields
Latitude-28.62
Longitude122.4
DateBetween 1 Jan 1890 and 31 Jan 1890
Attack Time
VictimsAboriginal People
Victim DescriptionsAboriginal
Victims Killed30
Victims Killed Notes
AttackersColonists
Attacker DescriptionsSettler(s), Miner(s)
Attackers Killed0
Attackers Killed Notes
TransportHorse
MotiveReprisal
Weapons UsedCarbine(s)
NarrativeA newspaper (The Southern Cross Times of December 24, 1904 p25) reported on the exploits of a 'plucky pioneer' Harold Cocking who was a gold prospector in the Goldfields district in the 1890s. The article reports that following the death of a prospector named Cahill, 30 Aboriginal people were shot in reprisal. 'It took them four days to get there and they had to be extremely cautious and careful as the blacks were very wild and dangerous. Some of them had murdered a prospector named Cahill and his mate and it was said that a party of whites avenged this by shooting about 30 of the aboriginals' (The Southern Cross Times, December 24, 1904 p25).
SourcesThe Southern Cross Times, December 24, 1904 p 25 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/209357650/22601199 (Sources PDF)
Corroboration Rating*