Site NameGrampians
Aboriginal Place Name
Language GroupDjabwurrung
Present State/TerritoryVIC
Colony/State/Territory at the timePPD
Police DistrictGeelong
Latitude-37.467
Longitude142.257
DateBetween 12 Aug 1840 and 12 Apr 1840
Attack Time
VictimsAboriginal People
Victim Descriptions
Victims Killed10
Victims Killed Notes
AttackersColonists
Attacker DescriptionsShepherd(s), Pastoralist(s)
Attackers Killed0
Attackers Killed Notes
Transport
Motive
Weapons UsedFirearm(s)
Narrative'On 12 August 1840, a further ten Aborigines were shot by Wedge and his brothers near the Grampians.' (Reece 1974, p 22, cited in Clark, p 157). In a letter to Governor Latrobe, Charles Wedge wrote, "I, with my brothers, removed our stock to the country at the foot of the Grampians, now known as the Grange, on the creeks forming the river Wannon in the Australia Felix of Major Sir Thomas Mitchell... Up to this time we had but little trouble with the aborigines, but they now began to attack our shepherds, whom they drove from their flocks, which they took into the mountains known as the Victoria Range, where they disposed of many hundreds of them by killing, maiming by breaking three of their legs, and otherwise mutilating them in a cruel manner to prevent their escape, and resisting (their numbers giving them confidence) recovery. At this time they also killed a valuable horse and cow belonging to me, and drove away the whole of my milking cattle and working bullocks, some of which returned with spears in them ; and these depredations did not cease till many lives were sacrificed, and, I may say, many thousands of sheep destroyed." (Bride, 1899, p 163) See also the 'Victoria Valley' massacre.
SourcesBride, 1899, p 163 https://ia601608.us.archive.org/6/items/lettersfromvicto00publiala/lettersfromvicto00publiala.pdf; Clark ID, 1995, pp 156-158 http://nationalunitygovernment.org/pdf/2014/IanDClark-Scars_in_the_landscape.pdf.pdf (Sources PDF)
Corroboration Rating*