Site NameGravesend Mountain
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Place Name
Language Group, Nation or PeopleGamilaraay (Gomeroi)
Present State/TerritoryNSW
Colony/State/Territory at the timeNSW
Police DistrictWallis Plains (Maitland)
Latitude-29.554
Longitude150.306
DateBetween 15 Oct 1837 and 31 Oct 1837
Attack TimeDay
VictimsAboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
Victim DescriptionsAboriginal
Victims Killed150
Victims Killed Notes
AttackersColonists
Attacker DescriptionsStockmen/Drover(s)
Attackers Killed0
Attackers Killed Notes
TransportHorse
MotiveReprisal
Weapons UsedFirearm(s), Musket(s), Sword(s), Blade(s)
NarrativeConflict in the Gwydir region intensified in 1837 including armed attacks on Gomeroi people to abduct women, and the killing of livestock and 5 colonists by Gomeroi people in several incidents (Milliss, 1992, p 159).
Men at Mr Bowman's station were killed by Gomeroi people as punishment for abducting women. Henry Bingham reported that 'I am well informed those men armed themselves with Muskets and made a rush, on the camp of those Blacks in order to deprive them by force, of their women and in revenge for this they have fallen sacrifice to their own lawless conduct' (Bingham, cited in Milliss, 1992, p 153). The killing of these men prompted the massacre of a large number of Gomeroi people at Gravesend.
In 1837 Missionary L.E. Threlkeld wrote of a massacre preceding the killing of two more shepherds at Anambah which is probably the Gravesend massacre: 'two shepherds of Mr Cobb's station, Anambah,' on the Gwydir River, 'who were unfortunately murdered by the Blacks, suffered it is said, in consequence of the atrocities being committed against the Blacks by the stockmen in another part of the country, which drove them towards Mr Cobb's station, where they met the two shepherds and wreaked their vengeance, in retaliation, on the unhappy sufferers.: so I am informed by one who was there at the time of the catastrophe' (Threlkeld in Gunson 1974, vol.II, p.145).
A chronology of killings of colonists records the date as November, 1837 (The Sydney Herald, 10 Dec 1838, p 2).
Milliss discusses the Gravesend massacre in his book Waterloo Creek: 'In evidence given in 1839 Mayne reported that a "dreadful massacre" was said to have been committed by stockmen in which as many as 200 Aboriginal people were killed. According to Milliss, Commissioner Edward Mayne 'gave no date for this massacre, except to say that it had taken place "previous to the murder of the two shepherds at Mr Cobb's station", which was itself, reputedly "done in revenge for another outrage of a similar kind upon the blacks"' (Mayne cited in Milliss 1992, p.159).
Mayne's evidence to the Committee on Police and Gaols is as follows: 'I was encamped with various of the tribes in my District for about three months; there were at times 700 collected together, from a distance of one hundred miles. They were induced to come in and collect together from the messages I sent to them; there is at times great difficulty in inducing them to come in. I was anxious to have an opportunity of explaining to them the object of my coming among them; they seemed much pleased when I did so explain. Between the Rivers Namoi, Peel, and Gwyder (or Big River) there is a Black Native Population of between 2,000 and 3,000 persons. When I arrived in that part of my District, such was the want of confidence subsisting between the Whites and the Blacks, that wherever they encountered each other, the Whites expected themselves or cattle to be speared, and the Blacks expected to be fired at. It seemed to be the general impression among the Overseers and Stockmen in the Upper District, that the Namoi and Gwyder Blacks would unite and make a general attack on the Herds and Stations. I think it probable there were grounds for that impression. I consider that the desire of revenge on the part of the Blacks originated in various outrages committed on them by Stockmen and persons of that class. Previous to my arrival in the district, I believe many instances occurred in which the whites fired upon the Blacks when merely meeting them on the runs. I am informed that the whites have been known to rush them in the scrubs, and to fire upon their women and children; and that the Stockmen and Hutkeepers always went about with fire-arms. I issued a notice, cautioning the Stockmen from appearing with arms; it was obeyed, and acknowledged by themselves generally to be attended with the best effects. I caused it to be explained to the blacks, and it tended much to a more friendly and confidential feeling between both parties than had yet been exhibited. Previous to this, there were few of the runs that the blacks dared not show themselves upon without being either fired at, or hunted off like native dogs; nor were they permitted to approach the rivers without being subject to attack. I have scarcely ever seen joy more strongly depicted in any countenances, than in those of the blacks when I assured them that they might again fish quietly in the rivers without being driven away. I have found such accounts and information as I have received from time to time from the blacks to have proved substantially true. I would instance particularly the case of the murder of the blacks which took place near to Mr. Crawford's station, called Ardgowan Plains, situated on the Gwyder or Big River, and which was afterwards fully corroborated on oath by an approver. This murder took place about twelve days before Mr. Cobb's two shepherds were murdered by the blacks; about 1,000 sheep were destroyed at the same time. The blacks informed me that this was done in revenge for the murder in question. They explained the delay to have arisen from the difficulty of getting all the tribes together sooner; there was, in fact, a much larger number of blacks assembled on that occasion than usual; the reports of some of the shepherds say 1,000. Great excitement prevailed at that time among the blacks. I believe two or three attacks had been made on them by the overseers and stock men within a few weeks on that part of the river. They stated, that finding it impossible to retaliate on the mounted stockmen, they determined to attack the shepherds and sheep. I conceive that the outrages committed upon the blacks were provoked in the first instance by their having speared cattle. The first outrage that I heard of occurred about two years ago. I consider that a good impression has been made upon the blacks by the late proceedings, and that a good opening has been made for the reception of a Protector amongst them. They complained in some instances of the white men interfering with their women, which appears to have been very common formerly; yet there is no doubt that they frequently lend them for a time; but even this is not done without a degree of jealousy, and more or less ill-feeling is likely to be engendered by it. There are some cases of black women living with white men who have families by them, some of whom it will perhaps be necessary to allow to remain, as they would probably be killed if forced to return to their tribes, some of them also have become attached to the men they are living with, and would be unwilling to leave them. There are various reports of a dreadful massacre, said to have taken place some years since, in which the stockmen are stated to have killed a great number of blacks; I have heard it said, as many as 200 were killed on that occasion. I saw the place in which they are are said to be buried. It is known by the name of Gravesend from the number of appearances of graves. This massacre is said to have taken place previous to the first murder of two shepherds at Mr Cobb's station, and which, it is reported, was done in revenge for another outrage of a similar kind upon the blacks. Gravesend is a high mountain, situated about three miles from Mr. Cobb's head station on the Gwydir or Big River. I always issued the strictest orders to my men not to interfere with the black Women; any man doing go in the camp would have been instantly put into irons.' (Mayne, Evidence to Committee on Police and Gaols 5.9.1839, pp 22-24, V&P 1839, V&P pp 22-24)
Mayne's version makes it clear that unusually large numbers of people could have been killed. He estimated 2000 to 3000 Gamilaraay lived in this region and he had witnessed up to 700 gather at a time. The war party against Cobb's Station was said to be 1000 strong. Mayne mentions that 'I believe two or three attacks had been made on them by the overseers and stock men within a few weeks on that part of the river'. From the slightly disjoint narrative, it's not clear if Mayne is describing the same, or two two distinct events at Ardgowan Plains and Gravesend in the lead up to the killing of shepherds at Cobb's station.
SourcesGunson, 1974, vol.1, p. 145 https://hunterlivinghistories.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/threlkeld-gunson-2vols-newscan.pdf; The Sydney Herald, 10 Dec 1838, p 2 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12859902 Milliss 1992, p 159; Mayne, Evidence to Committee on Police and Gaols 5.9.1839, V&P 1839. (Sources PDF)
Corroboration Rating**