Site Name Yuleba Creek, Maranoa PD
Aboriginal Place Name
Language Group Mandandanji or Barunggam
Colony NSW
Present State/Territory QLD
Police District
Latitude -26.633
Longitude 150.004
Date 4 Mar 1850
Attack Time
Victims Aboriginal People
Victims Killed 40
Victims Killed Notes Killed: M more than 40, F; Probable: M F; Possible: M F; Wounded: M F
Attackers Colonisers: native police, settlers
Attackers Killed 0
Attackers Killed Notes Killed: M F; Wounded: M F
Transport Horse
Motive Opportunity
Weapons Used Firearms, carbines, bayonets, swords
Narrative The Superintendent of Wallan Station, James Bennett said in an affidavit on 15 March 1850: “Mr Marshall … arrived here about the beginning of the month, and I called on him for assistance … Mr John Ferrett of Wallan and myself accompanied by Mr Marshall and the Native Police, on the tracks of the Blacks and in three days came up on them. Some blacks ran away, and a portion of them remained and resisted Mr Marshall’s endeavours to apprehend them. It was therefore deemed necessary to fire upon them, and an affray took place, in which some fell. Having dispersed the Natives we examined their camp, and found several articles ... taken from this station when it was burnt down in April last. We also recognised amongst the Blacks who had fallen two natives who were present on the occasion referred to when I may add that the Hut Keeper was murdered. I did not count the number of natives slain ---signed James Bennett’ (Collins 2002:96). Collins considers that the massacre was an ‘extended encounter’ of ‘cataclysmic’ proportions in which Aboriginal people were ‘pursued’ through the scrub in preparation for putting the station up for sale and assure potential buyers that it was safe from Aboriginal attack. (Collins 2002:96-101) Carried out by Lt Richard Marshall and his detachment of native police and James Bennett & John Ferrett, superintendents of Wallan station, as revenge for Mandandanji attack on Wallan Station and burning it down in April 1849.
Sources MBC, April 6, 1850 - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3712394; MMHRGA, June 26 - https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/126527, 1850; Collins 2002: 92-101; Copland et al. 2006: 62 (Sources PDF)
Corroboration Rating ***