Site NameYuleba Creek, Bendemere Station
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Place Name
Language Group, Nation or PeopleYiman
Present State/TerritoryQLD
Colony/State/Territory at the timeQLD
Police DistrictSurat
Latitude-26.461
Longitude149.411
DateBetween 5 Mar 1860 and 8 Mar 1860
Attack TimeDay
VictimsAboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
Victim DescriptionsAboriginal
Victims Killed15
Victims Killed Notes
AttackersColonists
Attacker DescriptionsNative Police
Attackers Killed0
Attackers Killed Notes
TransportHorse
MotiveReprisal
Weapons UsedFirearm(s)
NarrativeAccording to Patrick Collins, historian of the Mandandanji Land War in the Maranoa District, 18 Yiman people were killed by native police on Bendemere Station in East Maranoa in March 1860 in revenge for the Yiman killing of three stockmen.
On 5th March, 1860, William Simms wrote from Bendemere Station to the Leiutenant of Native Police, 'I beg to inform you that there a number of Blacks which I believe to be Dawson, on the upper part of this run, annoying the shepherds, and demanding their rations and amongst them I hear is one of the Dawson murderers named Beilba. I shall esteem it as a great favor, by you comgin or sending some troopers over to disperse them at your earliest convenience.' (QSA COL, ITM3681990, 60/381)
On 8 March 1860, Second Leiutenant Carr of the Native Police reported that on recieving this letter he went with 7 troopers to Bendemere Station, adding that the messenger said, 'that if I did not reach the station at once he believed there would be some outrage committed that night.' Within 2 miles of the station he found a camp. 'Following on the tracks I came on the Blacks (a mob of upwards of 100) all of the Upper Dawson Tribe encamped within 1/4 of a mile of the huts on the station. On my approaching the camp the Blacks gathered in a bod and commenced a most determined assualt on the Police. I myself recieved a wound from a nulla nulla, and several troopers were struck with weapons of one kind or another. I directed the Troopers to fire on the Blacks, but although they did so, and with great effect still the Blacks for more than an hour showed no symptoms of giving in, fortunately they did so at last, just as my ammunition was nearly all expended. During the affray fifteen Blacks were shot amongst others one "Baulie" a notorious Black who is beleived to have been the leader in the Hornet Bank murders.' (QSA COL/A2/1860, 60/381. (DR110779) ITM 846732)
SourcesQSA COL/A2/1860, 60/381. (DR110779) ITM 846732 https://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/items/ITM846732; Collins, 2002, p 213. (Sources PDF)
Corroboration Rating***