Site NameManumbar Station, Burnett River region
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Place Name
Language Group, Nation or PeopleWaka Waka
Present State/TerritoryQLD
Colony/State/Territory at the timeQLD
Police DistrictMaryborough
Latitude-26.367
Longitude152.361
DateBetween 1 Jan 1861 and 31 Dec 1861
Attack TimeDay
VictimsAboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
Victim Descriptions
Victims Killed8
Victims Killed Notes
AttackersColonists
Attacker DescriptionsNative Police
Attackers Killed0
Attackers Killed Notes
TransportHorse
MotiveOpportunity
Weapons UsedFirearm(s), Carbine(s)
NarrativeAccording to historian Timothy Bottoms, RR Morisset and a detachment of native police shot 'more than 8' Aboriginal people near Manumbar Station, 50 km south east of Murgon (Bottoms, 2013, pp 6, 51).
The shootings at Manumbar were reported as part of the Select Committee on the Native Police Force, 1861. On 6 July, 1861 E.M.V. Morisset, Esq., Commandant of the Native Police was called in and examined about several incidents, including the following details about the massacre:
'It appears from the evidence of Mr. Mortimer and another, that the detachment in charge of Lieutenant Morisset was sent up on the remonstrance of Mr Parkinson and some others, and that they killed a number of blacks, and left them lying dead about his run - we have heard of at least eight found dead in that way. Do you think this a justifiable act under the circumstances? Yes, I think so; perhaps I may be allowed to explain. I received a report from Mr. Morisset (Vide appendix B) which is now in the Colonial Secretary's office; he was on his way to head-quarters with a number of horses, and when he got to this district on his way up to Wide Bay, he was informed by several squatters that the blacks were very troublesome killing cattle, and that they threatened to attack the horses. He reported this to Mr. Murray, when he got to Wide Bay, and Lieutenant Murray sent him back with a detachment of his own men. When Mr. Morisset got back, he found the blacks in large numbers at the Bunya Bunya, and, I think, he first dispersed them there, and then met them again somewhere else - at least, the blacks found he was following them, and went in towards the station of the Messrs. Mortimer, and got close to it, when the Police came up with them. I believe they thought the Police were coming to shoot them, and made the first attack, the report that has been sent in to the Colonial Secretary has not explained that as fully as I have done, as I collected more particulars from my brother afterwards, having examined him when he came in to head-quarters' (QP V&P LA 1861(b), p 144).
The report of the incident is included in Appendix B. 'Officer's Report, &c., In Reference To An Attack On The Blacks At Manumbar', as follows:
'Rockhampton, 10th April, 1861.
Sir I have the honor to inform you that I arrived here yesterday, with (32) thirty-two horses, the same having been purchased by me for the use of the Native Police. On my way up from Brisbane I found it necessary to rest the horses for some time at "Wide Bay, and in consequence of the numerous complaints sent in by the squatters, of the frequent and daring outrages of the blacks at the Bunya Bunya, I received instructions from Lieutenant Murray to patrol the district with a detachment of men. I found the blacks collected in several places in very large numbers, and also that they had been killing cattle at nearly all the stations in that district; and on two or three occasions I found it necessary to fire upon them before they would disperse. At Messrs. Frazer and Parkinson's, and also at Mr. Lawless' cattle station, they were spearing cattle even while I was on the station. I have the honor to enclose brands and descriptions of horses purchased by me.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) E. V. MORISSET,
Second Lieutenant Native Mounted Police.' (QP V&P LA 1861(b), p 152)
SourcesQP V&P LA 1861(b) https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-53959485/view?partId=nla.obj-53976025#page/n165/mode/1up; Bottoms, 2013, pp 6, 51. (Sources PDF)
Corroboration Rating**