| Site Name | Yarramanbah, Quirindi, Liverpool Plains |
| Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Place Name | |
| Language Group, Nation or People | Gamilaraay or Guyinbaraay |
| Present State/Territory | NSW |
| Colony/State/Territory at the time | NSW |
| Police District | Wallis Plains (Maitland) |
| Latitude | -31.815 |
| Longitude | 150.379 |
| Date | Between 1 Apr 1828 and 30 Apr 1828 |
| Attack Time | Day |
| Victims | Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People |
| Victim Descriptions | Aboriginal |
| Victims Killed | 6 |
| Victims Killed Notes | |
| Attackers | Colonists |
| Attacker Descriptions | Stockmen/Drover(s) |
| Attackers Killed | 0 |
| Attackers Killed Notes | |
| Transport | Foot |
| Motive | Reprisal |
| Weapons Used | Musket(s), Pistol(s), Sword(s) |
| Narrative | According to a report in The Monitor newspaper, 4 August 1828, p.8, 'Dr Little, of Upper Hunters River,' crossed the Liverpool Range 'and, on coming to a hut, found, to his horror and astonishment, the bodies of some half dozen of black natives, stretched along the earth. From the putrid state of the corpses, it was evident they had been slaughtered a long time. He pursued his journey till he fell in with the white people, stock-keepers and others. He learnt from them, that a large body of blacks had suddenly made their appearance, but whether they paid their visit hostilely, or merely came in great numbers for self-protection, the stock-keepers admitted they could not tell. However, acting in concert, our people commenced a destructive fire of musquetry upon them, and the blacks presently fled. Such were the circumstances of the fight, that some of the black fugitives on being pursued, ascended the trees in hopes of escaping, whence they were brought down by the balls of the assailants.' According to Milliss 1992, p 78-82, at least ten stockmen were involved in the attack on an Aboriginal camp in reprisal for cattle theft. Three stockmen, 'Captain Pike' and two others nicknamed 'The Barber' and 'The Londoner' were 'remarkably active' in the affair. Milliss indicates that more Aboriginal people were killed for it took the stockmen several days to burn the bodies. Despite two letters from other settlers reporting the incident to the Colonial Secretary, the incident was not followed up. |
| Sources | The Monitor, August 4, 1828, p 8 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article31760465; Milliss 1992, p 78-82; SRNSW 4/1983, CSR 28/7772, Letters Received 1828; Dunn to McLeay, May 6, 1828; Sadlier to McLeay, September 19, 1828. (Sources PDF) |
| Corroboration Rating | *** |
