Myall Creek Massacre: A horrific reminder of Australia's dark past

The Myall Creek Massacre occurred at a time when the colony of New South Wales was expanding rapidly, and the native people's lands were being taken over by European settlers.

The Wirrayaraay people had lived in the region for thousands of years and had developed a complex culture that was intricately linked to the land.

However, as the colony grew, the indigenous people were forced to move further inland, leading to conflict with the new arrivals.

On the morning of June 10, 1838, a group of European settlers led by stockman John Fleming arrived at the Myall Creek station, a cattle and sheep station owned by Henry Dangar.

The group had been on a mission to find some missing cattle, and they had grown frustrated after their search proved unsuccessful.

Fleming and his men turned their attention to the nearby Wirrayaraay camp, where they attacked and killed at least 28 indigenous men, women, and children.

The Myall Creek Massacre was a shocking event that sent shockwaves through the colony of New South Wales.

The colonial authorities quickly arrested the perpetrators, and a trial was held at the Supreme Court in Sydney.

The trial was significant in that it was one of the first times that white Australians had been charged and found guilty of killing indigenous people.

However, the trial stirred a lot of controversy.

Some settlers felt that the accused men had been unfairly targeted and argued that the Wirrayaraay people had provoked the attack.

Others argued that the indigenous people were not entitled to the same legal protections as white Australians and that the massacre was simply a case of "frontier justice."

In the face of these arguments, seven of the accused men were found guilty of murder and were hanged at the site of the massacre on December 18, 1838.

The trial and subsequent executions were significant in that they marked the beginning of a shift in attitudes towards indigenous people in Australia.

The Myall Creek Massacre helped to galvanize support for the rights of indigenous people and played a significant role in the ongoing struggle for recognition and reconciliation.

Today, the Myall Creek Massacre is remembered as a dark moment in Australia's history, a stark reminder of the violence and injustice that indigenous people have faced throughout the country's history.

The massacre serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice and equality, and it continues to inspire efforts to build a more inclusive and equitable society for all Australians.