| Site Name | Freshwater Creek, Gippsland |
| Aboriginal Place Name | |
| Language Group | Brataualung |
| Colony | PPD |
| Present State/Territory | VIC |
| Police District | Gippsland |
| Latitude | -38.48 |
| Longitude | 147.016 |
| Date | Between 15 Jul 1843 and 31 Jul 1843 |
| Attack Time | day |
| Victims | Aboriginal People |
| Victims Killed | 25 |
| Victims Killed Notes | Killed: M F C; Probable: M F C; . |
| Attackers | Colonisers: Settler, stockmen |
| Attackers Killed | 0 |
| Attackers Killed Notes | Killed: M F; Wounded: M F |
| Transport | Horse |
| Motive | Reprisal |
| Weapons Used | Firearms, double-barrelled Purdy |
| Narrative | In July 1843, Ronald Macalister, nephew of squatter Lachlan Macalister, was murdered by Brataualang Aborigines, near Port Albert. An avenging party of 20 horsemen, known as 'The Highland Brigade' was organised by Angus McMillan, Lachlan Macalister's former overseer, to look for the killer. The 'brigade' was 'sworn to secrecy'. After slaughtering about 75 at Warrigal Creek Waterhole and a further 25 at Warrigal Creek mouth, they then shot down another family group of 25 at Freshwater Creek, before moving on to Gammon Creek. |
| Sources | Gardner 2001: 47-61; Pepper and de Araugo 1985: 24; Cannon 1990: 171; Shaw 1996: 133; Bartrop 2004: 99-207. (Sources PDF) |
| Corroboration Rating | *** |
