Site NameYeelanna, Eyre Peninsula
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Place Name
Language Group, Nation or PeopleNawu
Present State/TerritorySA
Colony/State/Territory at the timeSA
Police District
Latitude-34.1
Longitude135.696
Date1 May 1849
Attack TimeDay
VictimsAboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
Victim DescriptionsAboriginal
Victims Killed8
Victims Killed Notes
AttackersColonists
Attacker DescriptionsShepherd(s)
Attackers Killed0
Attackers Killed Notes
TransportFoot
MotiveReprisal
Weapons UsedPoison
NarrativeIn oral histories collected by Christina Smith one account relates that: In May 1849 a 'local shepherd, Patrick Dwyer, annoyed at Aboriginal people taking flour from his hut, laced some of his supply with arsenic. The flour disappeared and eight Aboriginal people became sick after eating it. Five of them died and three others became very ill and later died. Dwyer was arrested on suspicion of murder but released afterwards for lack of evidence.' He then disappeared to California (Foster et al, 2001, p 83).
SourcesFoster et al, 2001, p 83. (Sources PDF)
Corroboration Rating**