| Site Name | Bluff Rock, New England Pastoral District |
| Aboriginal Place Name | |
| Language Group | Bundjalung, Marbal or Ngarbal |
| Present State/Territory | NSW |
| Colony/State/Territory at the time | NSW |
| Police District | Armidale |
| Latitude | -29.163 |
| Longitude | 152.003 |
| Date | 17 Oct 1844 |
| Attack Time | Day |
| Victims | Aboriginal People |
| Victim Descriptions | Aboriginal |
| Victims Killed | 10 |
| Victims Killed Notes | Killed: M 10-20, F; Probable: M F; Possible: M F; Wounded: M F |
| Attackers | Colonists |
| Attacker Descriptions | Settler(s), Stockmen/Drover(s) |
| Attackers Killed | 0 |
| Attackers Killed Notes | Killed: M F; Wounded: M F |
| Transport | Horse |
| Motive | Reprisal |
| Weapons Used | Firearm(s), Musket(s) |
| Narrative | In daylight on 17 October 1844, Edward Irby and Thomas Windeyer and the latter's two servants Connor and Weaver, chased and then lost and then came upon, more by chance than by skill, a group of Bundjalung or Ngarabal (Marbal or Ngarbal speakers?) sheltering beneath the very rocks Irby and Windeyer found themselves upon. Irby and Windeyer lay on the rocks and began firing at the people below, knowing that their fire would bring up Connor and Weaver who joined the slaughter (Irby cited in Walker, 1996, p30). The massacre was in reprisal for the Aboriginal killing of a shepherd named Robinson, employee of Irby Brothers, lessees of Bolivia station (Schlunke 2005 pp 59-60). |
| Sources | Irby 1908, p 77-80, 88-90, https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2604939357/view?partId=nla.obj-2604971617#page/n76/mode/1up; Schlunke 2005, pp 59-60; Walker, 1966, p 30. (Sources PDF) |
| Corroboration Rating | *** |
