The Coniston Massacre took place from the 14th of August to the 18th of September, 1928 and is one of the last known and best recorded massacres of Australia's Indigenous population.
The Coniston Massacre - what happened next
On the 11th of August 1928, the Government Resident J. C. Cawood sent Constable William Murray, the officer in charge at Barrow Creek and the Chief Protecter of Aborigines to Coniston after complaints of cattle spearing. After learning of Brooks' murder, Murray drove back to Alice Springs and asked Cawood for reinforcements but Cawood refused, telling Murray to deal with the Aborigines as he saw fit. When he returned to Coniston, William Murray questioned some of the locals, who went on to outline the circumstances of the murder as well as naming Bullfrog, Padirrka and Marungali as the killers. According to his report, Murray also obtained the names of 20 accomplices though the names were not recorded and he never explained how his informants (who were not eye-witnesses) were able to name them. Murray recruited the help of tracker Paddy, Alex Wilson, Dodger, tracker Major, Randall Stafford and two travellers, Jack Saxby and Billie Brisco to help track down Frederick Brook's killer. One afternoon, two Aboriginal people were arrested by William Murray as he believed that they were involved in Brooks' murder (they were later acquitted). Led by by constable William Murray, a series of reprisal killings ensued, where many members of the Walpari, Anmatjere, and Kaytej tribes were shot and killed in a series of raids. The people killed included women and children as well as many people who had nothing to do with the murder of Frederick Brooks or the spearing of any local cattle. The official death toll stands at 31, however many Aboriginal oral tradition recalls almost 90 dead and it is agreed that the death toll may be as many as 100 Aboriginal people. "The white fella come and shoot all the black fellows. That is why we walk out ... we couldn't stay there. We been frightened .." A survivor of the massacre's testimony in the Aboriginal Land Commissioner's report Testimony from the trial of Arkirkra and Padygar (accused of murdering Frederick Brooks), where Murray states that he shot to kill. "Justice Mallen: Constable Murray, was it really necessary to shoot to kill in every case? Could you not have occasionally shot to wound? Murray: No your honour, what is the use of a wounded black-fellow hundreds of miles from civilisation? Justice Mallen: How many did you kill? Murray: Seventeen your honour. Justice Mallen: You mean you mowed them down wholesale!" --The Northern Territory Times, 9th November 1928 |
The Aftermath & Impact on society -
After the Coniston Massacre: - Constable Murray was removed from his job (though he was not prosecuted) and moved to Adelaide - One of the few survivors, Gwoya Jungarai left the area after the massacre destroyed his family. He was featured on an iconic postage stamp as 'One Pound Jimmy' - Many people moved away from the area The Coniston Massacre caused a great deal of distress for the Aboriginal people, and many people moved away from the area and as a result they lost both their land and the bond they felt to it. It damaged not only the numbers of the Aboriginal population but it also caused a great deal of damage to their morale. It also caused them to develop a fear of white Australians. The Coniston Massacre had a great impact on the treatment of Indigenous Australians. When it occurred, they were seen as less-than and often cattle was considered more important than them but the Coniston Massacre received much media attention and brought attention to the plight of Aboriginal people and many people were disgusted by the events. It also forced much of the white community to consider the way Indigenous Australians were treated. While there was no justice served to the perpetrators of the massacre, their actions were greatly critisized and it was a stepping stone to better the treatment of Indigenous Australians and even today, it's legacy lives on through memorials. The Coniston Massacre was the last known mass-murder of the Aboriginal population. It is often seen as the final truly horrific obstacle that the Aboriginal people had to face. |