| Site Name | Harris Lagoon, Northern Territory |
| Aboriginal Place Name | Yalwarra Lagoon |
| Language Group | Mangarrayi |
| Colony | SA |
| Present State/Territory | NT |
| Police District | |
| Latitude | -14.733 |
| Longitude | 134.699 |
| Date | Between 18 Aug 1875 and 20 Aug 1875 |
| Attack Time | day |
| Victims | Aboriginal People |
| Victims Killed | 40 |
| Victims Killed Notes | |
| Attackers | Colonisers: Mounted Police |
| Attackers Killed | 0 |
| Attackers Killed Notes | |
| Transport | Horse |
| Motive | Reprisal |
| Weapons Used | Rifles, Pistols |
| Narrative | Following the killing of Charles Johnston by Mangarrayi warriors at Roper Bar on 29 June 1875, 2 reprisal parties were formed and commenced a six week campaign of dispersing Aboriginal groups in the region. On 18 August a party departed Roper Bay on foot and attacked an Aboriginal camp at Harris Lagoon, shot the people and returned to Roper Bar on 20 August. |
| Sources | NTTG,September 18,1875, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3144448 1875, p 2; December 4 1875, p 2 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3144612; December 25, 1875, p 2 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3144666; Wilson, 2008, pp 221-222; Roberts,2005: 115-124; 1999; Roper River Police Station Heritage Assessment Report 2015: 9-11; Roper Bar Land Claim Report, 1982:3; Austin 1992 HSNT:15-16.
(Sources PDF) |
| Corroboration Rating | *** |
