Untitled - Australian History Mysteries
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ISBN 978-0-949380-72-2<br />
© 2009 National Museum of Australia and Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd<br />
Written by Robert Lewis, Tim Gurry, David Arnold<br />
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activity 4 Case study 2<br />
Case Study<br />
In 1928 a dingo trapper was killed by one or more Aboriginal people<br />
near the Coniston pastoral station, about 240 kilometres north-west<br />
of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. A month later, a local<br />
pastoralist was attacked, but managed to beat off his attackers. The<br />
two police patrols that were sent out to bring back the offenders<br />
admitted killing 31 Aboriginal people who they claimed had resisted<br />
arrest (although this official figure is disputed), and arrested two —<br />
who were later acquitted at their trial for the murder of the trapper.<br />
A Commonwealth Government inquiry was established to look<br />
into the killing of the 31 Aboriginal people during the two arrest<br />
expeditions. It reported its findings in early 1929.<br />
This event became known as the Coniston Massacre, and is the last<br />
known mass killing of Aboriginal people on the frontier. Aboriginal<br />
people of the area and others say that far more than 31 people were<br />
actually killed, with estimates even up to several hundred.<br />
How could these terrible events have occurred Who was<br />
responsible for them What were the findings of the Board of Inquiry<br />
and what reasons did it give for these findings What impacts did the<br />
killings have on the people who lived in that area at that time How<br />
do these events continue to impact on the families of the Aboriginal<br />
victims today<br />
In this unit students explore evidence that will help them to<br />
understand why these events occurred at this time, in this place,<br />
among these people.<br />
They will also be able to make an informed and balanced judgement<br />
about whether they agree with the verdicts of the enquiry into the<br />
killings, and whether later accounts of the events, including the<br />
display in the National Museum of Australia, are fair and accurate<br />
representations of it.<br />
2What happened<br />
at Coniston in<br />
1928<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
29
Teacher’s guide<br />
Why teach this unit<br />
Frontier conflict is a significant element of the history of frontier contact in <strong>Australian</strong> history. Some of the<br />
incidents of conflict are clear, others are not. The Coniston Massacre of 1928 is well documented both officially<br />
and through oral evidence, and students will probably reach strong conclusions — though they need to be<br />
challenged to justify those conclusions, as much of the evidence is not clear-cut. By studying the Coniston<br />
Massacre students will be able to understand the devastation and horror of frontier conflict, and to apply the<br />
skills of analysis and empathetic reconstruction required to other examples from Australia’s shared history.<br />
Key learning outcomes<br />
By the end of the unit students will be better able to:<br />
> describe the historical events of the Coniston Massacre of 1928<br />
> critically analyse a variety of written, pictorial and oral evidence about the events<br />
> understand and empathise with the views and experiences of a variety of individuals and groups involved<br />
> realise that different cultures saw events differently<br />
> appreciate the difficulty of making an informed decision based on evidence<br />
> make an informed and balanced judgement about the actions of the participants in the events<br />
> understand the consequences and implications of the events, lasting to current times<br />
> critically analyse a variety of representations of the events<br />
> create their own representation or version of the event.<br />
Suggested classroom approach<br />
This unit is a long and detailed one for implementation in the classroom, but has been structured so as<br />
to distribute much of the workload between groups. Students need to grapple with the large amount of<br />
text presented to help them fully appreciate the complexities of the evidence presented and the various<br />
interpretations that have subsequently been placed on that evidence. It is therefore essential that teachers<br />
spend time absorbing this evidence themselves so that they can best decide how to introduce it to<br />
their students.<br />
Understand key concepts<br />
Activity 1 This activity is designed to help students identify with the main concept — killings — in a way that<br />
they can identify with, but without being too personal. Teachers should not dwell too long on this activity.<br />
Visit the scene<br />
Activity 2 Students are now advised to ‘visit’ the area through the DVD segment. They will see the physical<br />
nature of the area, will receive further information, and will have further questions raised.<br />
Examine key evidence<br />
Activity 3 This is the most important part of the unit. The activity consists of five tasks.<br />
Task 1 : analysing the background evidence given to the Coniston Board of Inquiry<br />
Task 2 : understanding the two police expeditions (Evidence set 1–5)<br />
Task 3 : hearing Aboriginal accounts (Documents 1–8)<br />
Task 4 : some final evidence (Documents 1–11)<br />
Task 5 : coming to a conclusion.<br />
Here students find out from the people involved, what they said and did, and how they felt. The evidence<br />
in Task 1 is selected from the official inquiry held from December 1928 – January 1929. The board heard<br />
evidence about general conditions in the area at the time of the killings to try to decide if there had been<br />
provocation of Aboriginal people by the settlers leading to the killing of Brooks and the attempted killing of<br />
Morton. Students can divide the evidence between them. The board has been criticised as a ‘whitewash’,<br />
but students will learn of this assessment later.<br />
The next task (Task 2) draws on the evidence of Mounted Constable Murray who was in charge of the two<br />
expeditions (often referred to as reprisal parties) during which the killings occurred. His evidence allows<br />
students to construct a day-by-day timeline of the first expedition, although his evidence about the second<br />
expedition is much more vague and imprecise. It is mainly during this later expedition that Aboriginal people<br />
claim that far more killings occurred than were officially acknowledged. Some of the terms used by Murray<br />
to describe Aboriginal people are offensive to us today, but were accepted usage at the time. Students are<br />
challenged to make a fair judgement based on the limited evidence.<br />
Language is also an issue of sensitivity in the third part of the activity (Task 3), where much evidence from<br />
Aboriginal people is given in English, not their first language, and is transcribed verbatim. Both the official<br />
evidence and the oral evidence of the Aboriginal witnesses have to be critically evaluated by students,<br />
although this is clearly very challenging.<br />
30<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
Teacher’s guide<br />
Students now see some other evidence (Task 4), often powerful and compelling, but also often not able to be<br />
tested in ways that might make it more reliable. This section also raises the sensitive issue of the involvement<br />
with the police party of some Aboriginal people in the events. Students are challenged again to make<br />
judgements, this time based on new and contradictory evidence, and to come to a final conclusion (Task 5).<br />
Representation and commemoration<br />
Activity 4 The activity consists of four tasks:<br />
Task 1 : comparing three written representations of the Coniston Massacre<br />
Task 2 : how has the Coniston Massacre been commemorated<br />
Task 3 : analysing the National Museum of Australia’s representation of the Coniston Massacre<br />
Task 4 : creating a final representation of the Coniston Massacre.<br />
In Task 1 students are asked to consider how writers present the Coniston Massacre as a frontier conflict<br />
event today.<br />
Task 2 encourages students to think about how the impacts of the past continue to effect the lives of<br />
Aboriginal people of the area today, and the issue of reconciliation, and how the Coniston Massacre relates to<br />
this movement.<br />
Students are now in a position to critically analyse and assess the National Museum of Australia’s Coniston<br />
Massacre display in the Gallery of First <strong>Australian</strong>s (Task 3), and can use that as a model approach to<br />
evaluating museum displays.<br />
Finally, taking into account the evidence presented from the whole unit, we ask students to create their own<br />
representation or version of the Coniston Massacre as a way of recording their final conclusions (Task 4).<br />
Further information<br />
Transcript of the findings of the Board of Enquiry concerning the killing of natives in Central Australia by<br />
Police Parties and others, and concerning other matters, Commonwealth of Australia, 18 January 1929,<br />
http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.aspB=66518&I=1&SE=1<br />
Trish Albert, First <strong>Australian</strong>s: Plenty Stories Series. Remembering Coniston, Pearson Rigby & National<br />
Museum of Australia 2009.<br />
Central Land Council, Making Peace With the Past: Remembering the Coniston Massacre, 1928–2003,<br />
Alice Springs, 2003, www.clc.org.au/Media/publications/coniston/7small.pdf<br />
John Cribbin, The Killing Times, Fontana Collins, Sydney, 1984.<br />
Bruce Elder, Blood on the Wattle, Child and Associates, Sydney, 1988, Chapter 12.<br />
Dick Kimber, ‘Real true history: the Coniston Massacre in 18 instalments’, Alice Springs News 10 September<br />
2003 –11 February 2004.<br />
Justin O’Brien, ‘To infuse an universal terror’: The Coniston killings of 1928,<br />
www.clc.org.au/Media/publications/coniston/coniston2.PDF<br />
Peter Read and Jay Read (eds), Long Time, Olden Time, Institute for Aboriginal Development Publications,<br />
Alice Springs, 1991.<br />
Henry Reynolds, This Whispering in our Hearts, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1998, Chapter IX.<br />
Bill Wilson and Justin O’Brien, ‘‘‘To infuse an universal terror”: a reappraisal of the Coniston killings’,<br />
Aboriginal <strong>History</strong>, vol. 27, 2003 pages 59-76.<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
31
activity 1<br />
Case study 2<br />
Understanding a key concept<br />
Imagine that …<br />
You woke up this morning, not feeling well. ‘Sorry mum, I really can’t go to school today.’<br />
So, you are at home, just taking it easy, when you see a news flash: there has been a shooting at your<br />
school, in your classroom, and three of your friends have been shot!<br />
1 What do you think your feelings might be<br />
2 List and discuss what questions you would want answered about the event.<br />
Your main response would probably be a sense of disbelief and unreality — how could such a terrible event<br />
occur in my normal little world How can you explain and understand such a tragedy<br />
That’s really what this unit is about — understanding and explaining an event in <strong>Australian</strong> history that seems<br />
inconceivable to us today: the killing of a local man near a place called Coniston station, near Alice<br />
Springs in the Northern Territory, which led to the killing of at least 31 other people.<br />
The broad story is clear, though there are disagreements and uncertainties about some of the specific<br />
aspects of the events, and you will need to try and work out the details of what you think happened.<br />
But the key enquiry will be for you to try and understand and explain what happened — why those people in<br />
that place at that time did those specific things.<br />
When you have done that you can think about how history books and museum displays tell us about these<br />
events — and whether they have got it right.<br />
And, finally, you’ll be asked to think about the long-term consequences of these events. Often history is not<br />
confined to the past; what happened years ago can still affect peoples’ lives today.<br />
Start by looking at the DVD to see what the area is like, and to meet some of the key people involved in<br />
the events.<br />
32<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 2<br />
Case study 2<br />
Visiting the scene of the events<br />
DVD<br />
Activity<br />
DVD time code:<br />
24:55–35:20<br />
Visiting the site of the events at Coniston<br />
will help you understand the environment,<br />
to meet some key participants in the event,<br />
and to make sense of some of the evidence.<br />
Watch the episode on the DVD and answer<br />
these questions.<br />
1 Describe the environment of the Coniston<br />
area. What does it look like What might<br />
it have been like to live there in 1928<br />
2 How might ‘visiting’ this place help you<br />
understand or have greater empathy with<br />
the events of the past<br />
3 What do we learn about the leader of the<br />
police party, William George Murray Does<br />
this surprise you Explain your answer.<br />
4 How might Murray’s background help us<br />
to understand what happened<br />
5 According to local Aboriginal researcher<br />
Teresa Napurrula Ross:<br />
> Who killed Brooks<br />
> Who helped<br />
> Why was he killed<br />
> How might this have been a justifiable<br />
action according to Aboriginal law<br />
6 What was the police response to this killing<br />
7 How might this response have been a<br />
justifiable action according to European<br />
law<br />
8 What happened to Kamalyarrpa<br />
Japanangka (sometimes known as<br />
Bullfrog) Does this surprise you<br />
Explain your answer.<br />
9 Napurrula Ross calls Japananga ‘a hero,<br />
a coward and a murderer’. From what you<br />
know so far about the events of Coniston in<br />
1928, explain how he can be each of these<br />
at the same time.<br />
10 In 2003, a ceremony was held to unveil<br />
the new memorial. How might the events<br />
of 1928 still have impacts on people of the<br />
area today<br />
11 The National Museum of Australia has<br />
several objects that relate directly to this<br />
event. How do they add to your knowledge<br />
and understanding of, and your empathy<br />
with, the events<br />
Now that you have an awareness of the<br />
environment and the story you need to go<br />
back and look at some evidence from the<br />
time to try to develop a better understanding.<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928 33
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Examining key evidence<br />
During this stage of your investigation into the 1928 Coniston<br />
Massacre you are going to continue your journey back into the past<br />
by reading the words of people who took part in the event.<br />
There are four main sources of these words:<br />
> evidence given at the Board of Inquiry of January 1929 about<br />
the background to the killing of 31 Aboriginal people in 1928<br />
(you will explore this in Task 1)<br />
> evidence given at the inquiry by Mounted Constable Murray<br />
about the killing of the Aboriginal people on two expeditions<br />
during late 1928 (you will explore this in Task 2)<br />
> oral records of Aboriginal witnesses, recorded mainly in the<br />
1970s (you will explore this in Task 3)<br />
> some final pieces of evidence from various other sources<br />
— such as letters, remembered conversations, private<br />
diaries — that may help you further develop your own<br />
conclusions (you will explore this in Task 4).<br />
WARNING:<br />
• In looking at the evidence<br />
that follows you will find<br />
terms for Aboriginal people<br />
that are considered offensive<br />
today. You need to be sensible<br />
about quoting and referring<br />
to that language in your own<br />
discussion and writing.<br />
• Aboriginal readers are advised<br />
that there are references to<br />
people who are deceased.<br />
• Note also that the spelling<br />
of words (such as Walpiri/<br />
Warlpiri) have been kept as<br />
they appear in the original<br />
documents.<br />
Task 1<br />
Analysing the background evidence given to the<br />
Coniston Board of Inquiry<br />
In December 1928 and January 1929, a Commonwealth Government Board of Inquiry listened to evidence from<br />
people in Alice Springs and the surrounding area about the killings near Coniston station in 1928. They wanted to<br />
decide if there were any particular reasons why Aboriginal people would have attacked local settlers. They looked<br />
for evidence of conflict over water, a shortage of food that would have led to Aboriginal people killing cattle, any<br />
‘provocation’ by settlers, and any other factors, such as the work of missionaries or conflict between different<br />
Aboriginal groups, that might help explain why tensions existed.<br />
1 Look at the following information, based on evidence given to the Board of Inquiry into the Coniston police<br />
killings and on images from the approximate time and place, to summarise information relevant to each of<br />
the questions in this table.<br />
Background to the Coniston Massacre<br />
Which different Aboriginal groups are mentioned<br />
as being in the area<br />
What were the missionaries trying to achieve<br />
How did most of the Europeans react to them<br />
What were the attitudes of Aboriginal people to<br />
the pastoralists<br />
What were the attitudes of Europeans to the<br />
Aboriginal people<br />
Was the drought reducing water resources<br />
Was the drought reducing the availability of<br />
natural food sources<br />
What was the nature of police activities in<br />
the region<br />
What was the overall state of relations between<br />
Aboriginal people and pastoralists<br />
34<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
(i) Background information<br />
Three traditional Aboriginal groups, the Warlpiri,<br />
Anmantyerre and Arrernte, lived near the area.<br />
By 1928 there were only about 40 non-Indigenous<br />
people living at Alice Springs, and a small number<br />
living on large pastoral holdings or stations in<br />
the area. These stations were developed where<br />
permanent water was available in arterial springs<br />
or soaks. The pastoralists grazed sheep, goats and<br />
cattle. The stock needed large areas to forage for<br />
food, and were free to wander — there were no<br />
fences on properties.<br />
Non-Aboriginal people had started settling the period<br />
from the 1860s. By 1928 these pastoralists and town<br />
people identified these four different situations of<br />
Aboriginal people:<br />
> those living in traditional ways (often referred<br />
to by non-Aboriginal people as ‘myalls’ or ‘bush<br />
blacks’) who had limited and casual contacts with<br />
cattle stations adjoining their tribal territory. This<br />
enabled them to obtain occasional food, without<br />
having to give up their independence.<br />
> a few young men who were beginning to work<br />
regularly on stations.<br />
> Aboriginal people who were starting to gather<br />
on mission stations, or around missionaries who<br />
would provide them with food and medicine.<br />
> a few older people camped near stations who<br />
were supplied with food by the station owners.<br />
In 1911, the Northern Territory was separated from<br />
South Australia, and became a Commonwealth<br />
Territory. It was governed by an administrator<br />
in Darwin. However, Central Australia was a<br />
separate jurisdiction within this, and was under the<br />
direct control of the Federal Government, whose<br />
representative in 1928 was JC Cawood.<br />
There were only six policemen to cover the whole<br />
area — with one sergeant in Alice Springs, and five<br />
mounted constables based in different areas. There<br />
were few cars, few roads, and few telephones — yet<br />
people were scattered over huge distances, and<br />
most travelled by horse or camel. Aboriginal people<br />
travelled on foot.<br />
Randal Stafford’s Coniston station was on the edge<br />
of the frontier. To the west lay the Tanami desert, to<br />
the north the Lander River country — both areas<br />
described by Randal Stafford as still ‘myall country’.<br />
Coniston station was considered to be ‘the last<br />
outpost on the edge of the desert.’<br />
The area was in one of its periodical droughts in<br />
1928.<br />
John Cribbin, The Killing Times, Fontana/Collins, Sydney, 1984<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
35
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Barrow Creek Annual Rainfall 1873–2002<br />
www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/weatherData/avp_nccObsCode=139&p_display_type=dataFile&p_startYear=&p_stn_num=15525<br />
Drought brought Aboriginal people closer to the permanent soaks of the more settled district. Drought also<br />
meant that some pastoralists moved their cattle into the Lander River area for feed, and this brought them<br />
closer to Aboriginal people who relied on waterholes and soaks on their traditional lands.<br />
1 Add any relevant information from above to the Background to the Coniston Massacre table.<br />
(ii) Meeting with people from the period and the place<br />
2 Look at the following images from the time and place and add any information to the Background to the<br />
Coniston Massacre table.<br />
Adelaide Register 10 November 1928<br />
Cribbin, The Killing Times, page 194<br />
Padygar and Arkrira, the two Aboriginal men charged<br />
with killing Fred Brooks in 1928<br />
Annie Lock, missionary, with two children that<br />
she cared for<br />
36<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Michael Terry Collection, National Library of Australia<br />
Japananga (Bullfrog) many years after the killing of Fred Brooks<br />
B Dean and V Carell, Dust From the Dancing, Ure Smith, Sydney, 1955<br />
Local pastoralist Jack Saxby in 1928<br />
FE Baume, Tragedy Track: the Story of the Granites,<br />
North Flinders Mines Limited and Hisperian Press, Carlisle, 1994<br />
Terry Collection, National Library of Australia<br />
Aboriginal camp 1920s<br />
Local pastoralist Harry Tilmouth and<br />
a station worker<br />
NTAS Stan Cawood Image Collection NTAS 234<br />
Aboriginal stockmen Bob, Tommy, Hughie and Jack 1929<br />
Police Mounted Constable Murray with his<br />
wife and son in 1931<br />
Sunday Sun February 1931<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
37
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Otto Tschirn collection 1918, permission of the Anderson Family,<br />
provided by Strehlow Research Centre<br />
Otto Tschirn collection 1918, permission of the Anderson Family,<br />
provided by Strehlow Research Centre<br />
Aboriginal women<br />
Near Hermannsburg, c.1918<br />
A pastoralist and a station worker<br />
Near Hermannsburg, c.1918<br />
Otto Tschirn collection 1918, permission of the Anderson Family,<br />
provided by Strehlow Research Centre<br />
Otto Tschirn collection 1918, permission of the Anderson Family,<br />
provided by Strehlow Research Centre<br />
A camp<br />
Near Hermannsburg, c.1918<br />
A men’s ceremony<br />
Near Hermannsburg, c.1918<br />
(iii) Summary of evidence<br />
from pastoralists and<br />
missionaries<br />
In evidence given to the 1928–29 Board<br />
of Inquiry into the killing of Aboriginal<br />
people by police parties in the Coniston<br />
area in 1928, many pastoralists criticised<br />
the work of some missionaries. They saw<br />
these missionaries as spreading ideas of<br />
equality that led to a loss of white authority,<br />
and made Aboriginal people dependent on<br />
handouts.<br />
They also criticised the absence of police<br />
patrols and resources, and the failure<br />
of the courts to impose sentences that<br />
deterred Aboriginal people from killing<br />
stock for food.<br />
A female pastoralist testified that she and<br />
her married daughter on another property<br />
both felt threatened by the Aboriginal<br />
people, and had to carry weapons at<br />
all times.<br />
Missionary Annie Lock, the main target of<br />
the pastoralists’ criticisms, testified about<br />
the abuse she had seen Aboriginal women<br />
suffer from white workers and pastoralists,<br />
and the anger that this caused among the<br />
Aboriginal men.<br />
She agreed that more police were needed,<br />
and that ‘I don’t think a little flogging would<br />
hurt a lot of’ Aboriginal men.<br />
3 Add any information to the<br />
Background to the Coniston<br />
Massacre table.<br />
38<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Task 2<br />
Understanding the two police expeditions<br />
You now have a good idea of the background to the<br />
events at Coniston in 1928, including the tensions<br />
that existed at the time, and the attitudes of some of<br />
the people who lived in the region.<br />
It’s time to look at the evidence of the policeman who<br />
led the two parties that killed (at least) 31 Aboriginal<br />
people over a period of about six weeks.<br />
The next two pages provide a map of the Coniston<br />
area, and a partially completed chronology of the<br />
events at Coniston in 1928.<br />
1 Working in groups, each group should look at<br />
one of the following five pages of evidence from<br />
William Murray. Work through your page and<br />
answer the questions in the timeline. Report<br />
your answers to all other groups so that<br />
everybody can complete the timeline.<br />
The timeline includes the two separate police<br />
expeditions:<br />
> Mounted Constable Murray’s first expedition<br />
— the Brooks expedition — resulting in 17<br />
recorded deaths, and the arrest and trial of two<br />
accused men; and<br />
> Murray’s second expedition — the expedition<br />
with Morton to arrest the Aboriginal men who<br />
had attacked him — resulting in 14 recorded<br />
deaths.<br />
2 After having read the evidence and completed the<br />
timeline, answer these questions using column B.<br />
Leave column C blank for the moment.<br />
Board of Inquiry summary table<br />
A<br />
Key issues<br />
1 Why were the two police parties<br />
sent out<br />
B<br />
Evidence from the<br />
Board of Inquiry<br />
C<br />
Other evidence not given<br />
to the Board of Inquiry<br />
2 What did Murray say he was<br />
trying to achieve<br />
3 What evidence was there for<br />
Murray to suspect each of the<br />
Aboriginal groups he came<br />
across of involvement in the<br />
killing of Brooks<br />
4 According to Murray’s evidence,<br />
how did he try to peacefully<br />
arrest them<br />
5 According to Murray’s evidence,<br />
why were so many suspects<br />
killed<br />
6 According to Murray’s evidence,<br />
how many people did Murray not<br />
arrest<br />
7 According to Murray’s evidence,<br />
why did he let these people<br />
go free<br />
8 According to this evidence,<br />
did Murray commit any crimes,<br />
or were the killings able to be<br />
explained and justified<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
39
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Map of the events at Coniston in 1928<br />
Central Land Council map, National Museum of Australia Coniston display<br />
Names in red are those recognised in the Board of Inquiry as places where killings occurred.<br />
Names in blue are those identified by Aboriginal people as additional places where killings occurred.<br />
40<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Timeline of the two Coniston police party expeditions<br />
Date<br />
1928<br />
Key events<br />
2 August Dingo trapper Frederick Brooks, aged 61,<br />
is a friend of the owner of Coniston pastoral<br />
station, Randal Stafford.<br />
He sets off with two camels and two<br />
Aboriginal assistants, Skipper and Dodger,<br />
for a soak 22 kms away, to trap dingoes.<br />
6 August Brooks is camped. An Aboriginal group is<br />
camped nearby. He has negotiated with<br />
Japananga (Bullfrog) for the use of his wife.<br />
7 August Bullfrog confronts Brooks for payment.<br />
Brooks is killed at the soak — later called<br />
Brooks Soak (Yurrkuru). He is half-buried<br />
in an enlarged rabbit burrow. His camp is<br />
ransacked.<br />
10 August Murray is sent to investigate complaints<br />
of cattle killing on Pine Hill and Coniston<br />
stations. He has Aboriginal trackers named<br />
Paddy and Major with him.<br />
11 August Stafford phones from Ti Tree to Alice<br />
Springs to report the killing of Brooks.<br />
Murray is told of the killing at a station. His<br />
superior, Cawood, tells him to investigate<br />
and arrest the culprits for trial.<br />
12 August –<br />
1 September<br />
1.1 Who is in the party<br />
1.2 What happened at the camp at Coniston<br />
1.3 What were Murray’s orders<br />
What was he trying to do<br />
How did he know where to go to find those<br />
accused of killing Brooks<br />
How did the Aboriginal people react when<br />
Murray arrived<br />
What was the result of the clash<br />
What evidence tied this group to Brooks<br />
2.1 What did Murray do with the group of<br />
Aboriginal people from the previous clash<br />
What did Murray and his party do for these<br />
few days<br />
2.2 How did Murray know to go to 6-mile soak<br />
What contact was there<br />
With what results<br />
What did Murray do<br />
What was the outcome<br />
3.1 What happened overnight<br />
What happened to the women and children<br />
prisoners<br />
What happened to the wounded prisoners<br />
3.2 What happened during the day<br />
4.1 How did Murray get the two prisoners<br />
What did they admit<br />
What happened to these prisoners<br />
What happened in the hills<br />
What happened to the wounded prisoner<br />
at the camp<br />
Date<br />
Key events<br />
4.2 What happened to the last wounded<br />
prisoner<br />
Who returned to Alice Springs<br />
19 September On 21 October, pastoralist John ‘Nugget’<br />
Morton had been attacked by 15 Aboriginal<br />
men. He shot one and escaped, though<br />
badly beaten. Aboriginal oral history says<br />
he was attacked because of his ill-treatment<br />
of Aboriginal women. He reported the<br />
attack and, on 19 September, Murray’s<br />
superior Cawood ordered him to go to<br />
Morton’s Broadmeadows station and arrest<br />
the attackers. Murray arrived there on<br />
24 September.<br />
24 September<br />
– 17 October<br />
5.1 Who was involved in this party<br />
5.2 What happened at Tomahawk waterhole<br />
What did Murray try to do<br />
How many Aboriginal people died in the<br />
clash<br />
How did Murray know they were guilty of<br />
the attack on Morton<br />
5.3 Where did the party now go<br />
How did the Aboriginal people behave<br />
when Murray and Morton arrived<br />
How did Murray know who to arrest<br />
What happened to the Aboriginal people<br />
Murray was trying to arrest<br />
What happened to the other Aboriginal<br />
people there<br />
5.4 Where did the party now go<br />
What happened to the large group<br />
What did Murray try to do<br />
How did the Aboriginal people respond<br />
What was the outcome of the clash<br />
18 October Murray returns to Alice Springs.<br />
19 October Murray writes his report, but does not say<br />
how many people were killed. He later<br />
nominates 14 deaths.<br />
20 October Murray takes the two men accused of killing<br />
Brooks to Darwin for trial<br />
7–8 November The men are tried but the charges are<br />
dismissed. At the trial it is revealed that<br />
Murray killed 17 people during the ‘hunt’ for<br />
those responsible for Brooks’ murder.<br />
28 November The Commonwealth Government<br />
announces a Board of Inquiry into the<br />
17 deaths and the 14 from the second<br />
expedition.<br />
30 December The Board starts hearing evidence.<br />
1929<br />
18 January The Board makes its findings.<br />
Now use all this evidence to complete column B of<br />
the Board of Inquiry summary table.<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
41
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Extracts from evidence of Mounted Constable William George Murray,<br />
16 January 1929.<br />
Evidence set 1 (Brooks expedition)<br />
Use this evidence to answer the various questions in the Timeline about what happened during<br />
the two expeditions.<br />
EXTRACT 1.1<br />
As the result of the Murder of Brooks ... I arrived at Coniston<br />
Station. I organised a party of eight including myself, and<br />
three aboriginals. The other four white men were Randal<br />
Stafford, John Saxby, William Briscoe and Alex Wilson<br />
(Half-caste). I then obtained ... 14 horses and necessary<br />
equipment. On arrival at Coniston Station, I instructed my two<br />
trackers Paddy and Major to see that no natives left the native<br />
camp at Coniston Station. Should any new arrivals arrive they<br />
must be detained and not allowed to depart and spread the<br />
news of my arrival.<br />
EXTRACT 1.2<br />
On the afternoon of 15th August, excited voices were heard<br />
in the native camp [near Coniston Station] ... I found my two<br />
trackers endeavouring to arrest two natives ... On nearing the<br />
trackers, I could see that they were becoming overpowered.<br />
When I arrived on the scene, one native got free with the chain<br />
hanging in his hand and struck me over the shoulders with it.<br />
At this moment I noticed that the second prisoner was free<br />
from the tracker and had turned his attention to me. Realising<br />
that the position was dangerous, I drew my revolver and fired<br />
at one native. The bullet struck him over the left eye and he fell<br />
to the ground ... The wounded native remained unconscious<br />
for about two hours. When he recovered he was secured and<br />
in chains. The two prisoners were tied to a tree for the night.<br />
EXTRACT 1.3<br />
On the morning of the 16th August 1928 ... I<br />
set out with horses and the aforementioned<br />
party also the two prisoners accompanied<br />
me – they having volunteered to show where<br />
the alleged murderers were camped ... I<br />
also instructed them that there was to be no<br />
shooting unless absolutely necessary; that<br />
I would endeavour to arrest the lot. I also<br />
instructed them that women and children<br />
were not to be harmed ... I sighted the camp<br />
first and increased my pace to a gallop. I<br />
noticed the natives were assembling and<br />
coming towards me. They took up their<br />
position in the grass amongst some low<br />
bushes. On riding up to them, I noticed that<br />
they were all in a sitting or kneeling position.<br />
Only one native appeared to be armed. I<br />
dismounted with a view to disarming the<br />
native. Immediately I stepped to the ground,<br />
the whole of the native party rushed me<br />
with weapons in their hands — they having<br />
had them concealed in the grass. I seized<br />
one native and threw him. The others then<br />
commenced to strike me with their weapons.<br />
As the position appeared serious and I could<br />
not see any of my party in sight I drew my<br />
revolver and fired two shots. The reports<br />
attracted other members of the party who<br />
were quickly on the scene. I heard several<br />
shots fired. When other members of the party<br />
arrived the natives ceased to attack ... When<br />
order was restored, it was found that four<br />
natives including one lubra were dead. The<br />
fifth one — a lubra — was found to be badly<br />
wounded ... The natives were instructed by<br />
myself to sit down and remain quiet ... We<br />
collected 23 spears which were concealed<br />
in the grass and bushes, apparently in<br />
readiness for an attack; also a number of<br />
boomerangs, nulla nullas and yamsticks ...<br />
A quantity of property was recovered and<br />
identified by Stafford as the property of Fred<br />
Brooks deceased — consisting of coat, shirt,<br />
singlets, quart pot, blanket, calico, knives,<br />
tobacco. The natives were then instructed<br />
to move down to the creek about 200 yards<br />
distant and remain there for the night. Myself<br />
and Stafford prepared two graves and buried<br />
the four natives. I then went to see the<br />
wounded lubra and found that she was dead.<br />
She was buried and we camped near the<br />
scene for the night.<br />
42<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Extracts from evidence of Mounted Constable William George Murray<br />
16th January 1929.<br />
Evidence set 2 (Brooks expedition)<br />
Use this evidence to answer the various questions in the Timeline about what happened during<br />
the two expeditions.<br />
EXTRACT 2.1<br />
When daylight came all the natives who had<br />
been collected were still there ... The whole of<br />
the day was spent in searching for tracks but<br />
none could be found. In the evening, I instructed<br />
the number of natives whom we had detained<br />
to move to a spring about 4 miles distant and<br />
that could remain there and not be interfered<br />
with. We then packed our horses and moved on<br />
some few miles taking with us the two native<br />
prisoners and one [young boy witness named]<br />
Lala ... We camped for the night.<br />
The third day was again spent in searching for<br />
tracks. No tracks were found. We camped<br />
for the night.<br />
On the fourth day we decided to proceed to<br />
a soakage about 40 miles down the Lander.<br />
We travelled via Coniston Station camping<br />
there for a night. At this point Mr Stafford, the<br />
two prisoners and Lala left the party. Tracker<br />
Jack from Alice Springs had then arrived. I left<br />
instructions that he was to watch the prisoners<br />
and the witness closely.<br />
EXTRACT 2.2<br />
We then proceeded down the Lander, camped at Boundary<br />
Soak, ascertained from some natives there that the alleged<br />
murderers were at the 6 mile soak ...<br />
We covered about 10 miles in two hours, came up to a<br />
natives camp in the scrub. My party was then riding in<br />
extended order. Immediately the natives sighted us six<br />
adult male natives were seen to assemble in the scrub. As<br />
my party was closing around them the natives threatened<br />
to fight and kill us if we did not go away. They were<br />
cautioned by my trackers to put down their weapons. They<br />
refused to do so but commenced throwing boomerangs.<br />
Several of my party narrowly escaped being struck. I again<br />
dismounted and the six natives immediately rushed me.<br />
I received several blows from boomerangs and yamsticks<br />
and was compelled to use my revolver. I fired four shots<br />
also heard shots from other directions.<br />
When order was restored, it was found that three male<br />
natives were dead and three male natives wounded. The<br />
three wounded did not appear to be seriously wounded in<br />
my opinion. They together with a number of women and<br />
children were taken back to the creek arriving there about<br />
midnight. They were instructed to sit down and remain until<br />
morning. They had in their possession a quantity of native<br />
food which they had brought with them from their camp.<br />
The three wounded prisoners were identified as the alleged<br />
murderers of Brooks. A guard was put over the camp<br />
throughout the night.<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
43
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Extracts from evidence of Mounted Constable William George Murray<br />
16th January 1929.<br />
Evidence set 3 (Brooks expedition)<br />
Use this evidence to answer the various questions in the Timeline about what happened during<br />
the two expeditions.<br />
EXTRACT 3.1<br />
Shortly after daylight when I awoke I examined the<br />
prisoners and found that two were dead.<br />
We then had breakfast — the horses were packed.<br />
I instructed my trackers Paddy, Major, Dodger and<br />
Alex Wilson to proceed up the creek with the one<br />
prisoner who was wounded. Myself Saxby and Briscoe<br />
remained behind and buried the two dead some<br />
little distance away from where they had died. I then<br />
instructed the remainder of the natives who were all<br />
women and children numbering 21 that they could<br />
remain at the 6 mile soakage.<br />
Myself and party then mounted and overtook the<br />
packhorses. It was quite noticeable that the wounded<br />
prisoner was becoming weaker. I was doubtful whether<br />
he would be able to get as far as Briscoe’s camp. After<br />
several rests we arrived at Briscoe’s camp. Although I<br />
endeavoured to persuade the prisoner to ride a horse<br />
he refused to do so. The horses were watered, canteens<br />
filled. The prisoner was given water which appeared to<br />
make his condition much worse. I then decided to obtain<br />
camels and have him taken to Coniston Station. Whilst<br />
preparing for transport he died and was buried some<br />
half mile distant from Briscoe’s camp ...<br />
About sundown in the evening we arrived at the spring<br />
where I had instructed the party of natives from the first<br />
camp to camp. We could see no sign of natives so we<br />
camped for the night.<br />
EXTRACT 3.2<br />
In the morning we obtained a saddle horse each<br />
... and went in different directions to pick up<br />
their tracks.<br />
Within an hour I returned to the camp having<br />
found the tracks of a number of natives leaving<br />
the spring. It was quite noticeable that there<br />
were many more bucks’ tracks there than could<br />
have been made by the party we had left there<br />
... We followed them to the foot of the range as<br />
the country was too rough for horses I instructed<br />
Paddy and Major to follow them on foot and the<br />
horses would proceed along the flat ... Paddy and<br />
Major came down from the ranges. They stated<br />
that the tracks were still continuing along the range<br />
in a westerly direction. We had lunch. As the only<br />
known water was 20 miles west, I decided to leave<br />
the tracks and hurry on towards the water. We<br />
could then pick up the tracks on the soft ground<br />
after they left the range.<br />
Later on in the day, we again struck tracks.<br />
We followed them for some distance. At dark we<br />
camped for the night, dug a well and watered<br />
the horses.<br />
44<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Extracts from evidence of Mounted Constable William George Murray<br />
16th January 1929.<br />
Evidence set 4 (Brooks expedition)<br />
Use this evidence to answer the various questions in the Timeline about what happened during<br />
the two expeditions.<br />
EXTRACT 4.1<br />
Shortly after daylight several natives were noticed up<br />
on the ranges probably two miles distant ... The trackers<br />
overtook the natives before I could reach them. When<br />
I arrived on the scene, I found that Paddy had two<br />
male natives handcuffed together with the one handcuff.<br />
Two lubras and one old blackfellow were sitting down.<br />
A number of boomerangs and yamsticks were lying<br />
close handy.<br />
I questioned the two prisoners. They admitted having<br />
been at Stafford Spring and had assisted to kill Brooks<br />
... I noticed that the prisoners had slipped the handcuff<br />
and were making off down the hill. They were called<br />
on to stop several times but it had no effect. I drew<br />
my revolver and fired several shots over their heads.<br />
It had no effect. I then fired at the native closest to<br />
me who was then at least 150 yards distant. He fell.<br />
I considered the second one out of the revolver range<br />
and called on my tracker to get the rifle. Two shots were<br />
fired and the fleeing native fell having been hit through<br />
the head. Both natives were dead. They were buried<br />
... I questioned to the blackfellow and lubras and as<br />
satisfied that they were not implicated in the matter.<br />
They were allowed to go free having been given a few<br />
crusts of bread and a bit of meat.<br />
We then proceeded further west, picked up natives<br />
tracks and followed them for about 36 miles. We sighted<br />
a number of blacks ... Immediately they sighted us they<br />
took up their position amongst some boulders and in<br />
caves ... They were instructed by the trackers but they<br />
replied that they would fight us if we came near them ...<br />
Myself dismounted and went on foot searching for the<br />
natives amongst boulders and caves. After some little<br />
time two natives rushed out of a cave as I was passing.<br />
I received several blows from yam sticks. Having my<br />
hand in readiness, I fired and shot one native dead.<br />
The other native disappeared amongst the rocks. I saw<br />
no more of him.<br />
Later in the afternoon, I came in contact with one male<br />
native and a number of women and children. This native<br />
made off but I overtook him and brought him back to<br />
where the packhorses were.<br />
On arriving at the camp I found the remainder of my<br />
party with the exception of Wilson had assembled. They<br />
had two wounded prisoners. I examined the prisoners<br />
and found that they were very seriously wounded ...<br />
We then had lunch. The two wounded died during our<br />
lunch hour.<br />
We then returned to Cockatoo Spring with the one<br />
prisoner and later returned to Coniston Station. I then<br />
had three prisoners.<br />
EXTRACT 4.2<br />
The following morning, I examined the prisoners<br />
and found that the one with the wound over the<br />
eye was in a serious condition and unable to<br />
walk ... About 11am the wounded prisoner died<br />
and was buried some few hundred yards from<br />
Coniston Station.<br />
In the afternoon I left for Alice Springs with two<br />
prisoners, one witness, and three trackers.<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
45
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Extracts from evidence of Mounted Constable William George Murray<br />
16th January 1929.<br />
Evidence set 5 (Morton expedition)<br />
Use this evidence to answer the various questions in the Timeline about what happened during<br />
the two expeditions.<br />
EXTRACT 5.1<br />
In consequence of a report relative to the<br />
attack on Morton by natives I proceeded<br />
to Broadmeadow Station ... obtained ...<br />
horses from Morton; about 14 in number.<br />
Myself and Morton, Alex Wilson and a<br />
small native boy proceeded down the<br />
Lander to the spot where Morton had<br />
been attacked. Judging by the tracks a<br />
number of natives had travelled down the<br />
river, for about 40 miles.<br />
EXTRACT 5.2<br />
On nearing a place known as Tomahawk<br />
waterhole ... I came across seven male<br />
adult natives. I galloped around and they<br />
assembled in one heap ... I dismounted<br />
and the natives immediately attacked ...<br />
fired several shots wide of the natives<br />
... The position appeared serious and<br />
I fired to stop the natives. The shots<br />
attracted Morton and he was quickly on<br />
the scene. Four natives were shot. The<br />
remaining three were questioned and<br />
gave a satisfactory explanation as to their<br />
movements during the past few weeks.<br />
They further stated that the four dead<br />
had only arrived there some few days<br />
and that they were the cheeky ones who<br />
had tried to kill Morton. The four dead<br />
were recognised by Morton as those who<br />
had attacked him.<br />
EXTRACT 5.3<br />
We then proceeded to a spot on the Lander known as Boomerang<br />
Waterhole. From there we proceeded in a N.E. direction for about<br />
30 miles ... As Morton knew the next water in that direction we<br />
decided to make straight for it, and not delay following tracks.<br />
This water is shown on the maps as Circle Well ... We sighted a<br />
number of male natives. Morton and myself galloped and rounded<br />
them up. They were instructed by Morton who speaks the native<br />
language fluently to throw down their weapons. Two of them<br />
refused although told a number of times to put them down. The<br />
remainder of the natives sat down and appeared quite docile ...<br />
Morton stated that he knew the two of them personally. They had<br />
been casually employed by him recently and that they were the<br />
two who first approached him and assisted to hold him whilst<br />
the remainder of the attackers used their weapons. I decided to<br />
dismount. Immediately I stepped to the ground the two of them<br />
jumped on top of me. I threw them aside and got possession<br />
of a tomahawk from one of them. He then attacked me with his<br />
boomerang. I used a tomahawk to defend myself. The second<br />
blow struck him on the head and he fell dead. The second native<br />
was in the act of driving a spear through me from about two<br />
yards distance. I drew my revolver. Both Morton and I fired at the<br />
same instant and the native was killed. The other natives were<br />
questioned and they told us in which direction the remainder of<br />
the party were.<br />
EXTRACT 5.3<br />
We then proceeded in an easterly direction about 36 miles and<br />
came onto a soakage at the lower end of the Hansen River.<br />
There was a large camp of natives there. They were rounded up<br />
— around 40 in all including nine adult male natives. We got them<br />
rounded up in the bed of the creek which is very wide at that<br />
point. All of the male natives were armed. They were instructed<br />
to put down their weapons ... I then decided to dismount. As soon<br />
as I did so quite a number of the natives rushed me and attacked<br />
with their sticks and boomerangs. Two natives rushed to get the<br />
one spear that was standing upright in a bush. I noticed their<br />
movement and also grabbed for the spear. Myself and a native<br />
got hold of the spear together. I wrenched it from him. It broke<br />
and left the small end in his hand while I had the strong end. The<br />
natives were then so close around me I felt that I could not get<br />
my revolver in time so I drove the spear right through a natives<br />
chest; then jumped back drew my revolver and fired. At the same<br />
time I called to Morton to fire or they would get me. Even after<br />
several shots were fired it did not steady them. When order was<br />
restored it was found that there were eight killed.<br />
We then returned to Broadmeadow Station.<br />
Board of Inquiry members Adelaide Register 15 January 1929<br />
46<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Task 3<br />
Hearing Aboriginal accounts<br />
The only Aboriginal voice heard at the enquiry was<br />
Paddy, one of the trackers with the police party. No<br />
evidence was heard from any Aboriginal people who<br />
came into contact with the two police expeditions.<br />
During the 1970s, some historians spoke to<br />
Aboriginal people who were alive at the time of the<br />
killings. Here are their accounts, usually as recorded<br />
in English, which was often the people’s second, third<br />
or even fourth language.<br />
Documents 1–5 are evidence of events at three<br />
specific places. Documents 6–7 are not specific to<br />
a place.<br />
Use these accounts to complete this summary table.<br />
Summary of Aboriginal evidence of the killings<br />
Deaths<br />
Locations<br />
Tipinpa Dingo Hole Wajinpulungk Not specified<br />
Who<br />
How many<br />
How<br />
Why<br />
By whom<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
47
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Killings at Tipinpa<br />
Document 1: evidence of Jampijinpa<br />
Jampijinpa would have probably been about four or five<br />
years old at this time.<br />
His family was camped at Tipinpa (Patirlirri) along the<br />
route the police party riding north from Coniston to<br />
Morton’s place at Mud Hut would have taken. Murray<br />
made no mention in his report of going to Tipinpa.<br />
But the pastoralist Saxby who joined the exploration<br />
party of Michael Terry in 1929, told Terry that Murray had<br />
been there the year before.<br />
They shot your old father<br />
Yeah ... Down at Tipinpa. That’s this Murray bin shottit.<br />
When I was little feller ... I seen him. I seen him. Murray,<br />
Murray grab me then and he’s hold me on the shoulder<br />
... There was big camp there ... They yardem round,<br />
bringem to one mob, see, make it one heap. And they<br />
shottit. Two or three shotgun is goin’, people is goin’.<br />
Nugget. Whatsaname was there too, Jack Murray ...<br />
Roundem up. Ust like cattle we roundem up ... Just<br />
suddenly. And just shottit there ... [just] man. Woman,<br />
they lettem go free ... Shottem all the man. Shottem.<br />
The old woman was ‘live. And kid.<br />
Read and Read, Long Time, Olden Time, p. 44<br />
Document 2: evidence of Warlpiri witnesses<br />
In 1971, historian Dr Mervyn Hartwig, one of the recognised<br />
authorities on the killings, interviewed a dozen Walbiri who<br />
were definite in their declarations that Murray had been<br />
there, shooting. Alex Wilson [a part-Aboriginal member of<br />
both parties] in 1971 estimated that ‘about six’ were shot at<br />
Tippinba, and he confirmed the Tippinba episode with [this]<br />
author in 1983, although suggesting ‘a lot’ rather than ‘about<br />
six’ had died.<br />
John Cribbin, The Killing Times, Fontana/Collins, Sydney, 1984, p. 160.<br />
48<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Killings at Dingo Hole<br />
Killings at Wajinpulungk<br />
Document 3: Willowra Jimmy<br />
Jungarrayi<br />
Followem this river, through there.<br />
Now, they bin findem ... two old feller,<br />
longa Dingo Hole ... They bin finish<br />
them poor bugger.<br />
That man [Murray] bin turn back, come<br />
back after shoot two man ... and findem<br />
[a group] there longa bush. Girl and<br />
kid and all. They bin finishem again,<br />
whole lot.<br />
Read and Read, Long Time, Olden Time, p. 47.<br />
Document 5: Johnny Nelson Jupurrula<br />
[A large group] bin there tryin’ to makem ... corroborees, you<br />
know, sacred site ... And [the police party] from Willowra, run<br />
into this mob here and givem trouble ... And they prisonem my<br />
father ... And they gaolem my father, you know, put a chain on ...<br />
They coming there now, chasem round now, some all run away.<br />
Right, prisonem whole lot, everyone. Tiem up longa trees. All little<br />
boys, oh, lotta tracker, some stockmans too. And shootem whole<br />
lot, some feller, shootem, heapem up. Tie ‘em up whole lot. And<br />
shootem in the morning ... That’s where my father got shot there<br />
too ... Oh, women and all. Not young girl. No, lettem go… Lettum<br />
go [some children], some of them.<br />
Read and Read, Long Time, Olden Time, p. 49–50.<br />
Document 4: evidence of<br />
Warlpiri witnesses<br />
Mervyn Hartwig writes: ‘Walbiri<br />
interviewed at Willowra in 1971 were<br />
adamant that the posse rode further<br />
down the Lander to Gunadjerai (Dingo<br />
Hole) where a corroboree was in full<br />
swing and to Djaralygu (where the<br />
creek finishes) and that a total of fifteen<br />
(four adult males and eleven women<br />
and children) were shot. They supplied<br />
the full names of only five of these (four<br />
men and one woman) indicating the<br />
sub-section names only of the others’.<br />
Cribbin, The Killing Times, p. 162.<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
49
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Killings in areas that are not specified in the evidence<br />
Document 6: Neddy Jakamarra<br />
All our mob been shot. My grandmother<br />
Maryanne ... bin die poor bugger. A lot<br />
of people bin shot there. Working man,<br />
too. All the working man bin shot too. You<br />
know, they bin go to corroboree, working<br />
people, Stirling [cattle station on the upper<br />
Hanson] men, and from Barrow Creek.<br />
Cribbin, The Killing Times, p. 163.<br />
Document 7: George Jangala as recorded by<br />
historian Dick Kimber<br />
He [George Jangala] said that he was, he must have been<br />
about four or five I reckon, and they shot his father, his big<br />
brother then ran over and threw himself down on his father’s<br />
body, understanding he was likely to be dead and then in<br />
just total shock and sorrow, then the people of the patrol —<br />
and there were at least two involved at that time — shot his<br />
brother and they used an action, a repeater action rifle and<br />
then he said that, ‘they pointed it at me and one of them there<br />
he’ — George wouldn’t have remembered the exact words<br />
because he’s a little Warlpiri boy who hadn’t really known<br />
white people himself — one of them he said lifted the rifle<br />
barrel and said — and this is George’s reconstruction of it I’m<br />
sure — ‘don’t shoot him he’s only a little kid’ and that’s why<br />
he survived. So you have a situation which one might say<br />
even had the father shown a likelihood to throw a spear or<br />
boomerang or fight, the brother who was shot certainly didn’t<br />
… He’s a man who’s thrown himself on the body in sorrow<br />
hoping somehow his father’s alive and he just happens to be<br />
a big boy so he’s shot.<br />
Quoted in Justin O’Brien, ‘To infuse an universal terror’: The Coniston killings of 1928<br />
www.clc.org.au/Media/publications/coniston/coniston2.PDF , p. 23.<br />
Document 8: Where did killings occur<br />
Sites of killing mentioned in the official inquiry<br />
Yurrkuru (Brooks Soak)<br />
Ngarningiri<br />
Yuendumu<br />
Ngarnka (Mt Leichhardt)<br />
Tomahawk Waterhole<br />
Janganpa (Boomerang Waterhole)<br />
Circle Well<br />
Liirlpari (Whitestone)<br />
Thimplengkwe (Baxters Well)<br />
Sites of killing provided by Aboriginal witnesses<br />
Jarrarlyku (Curlew Waterhole)<br />
Kunajarrayi (Dingo Waterhole)<br />
Kurlurlu<br />
Warranyirrtipa<br />
Warlawurrukurlangu<br />
Patilirri (Tipinba)<br />
Yungarnti<br />
Warlukurlangu<br />
Mawu<br />
Mt Denison<br />
1 Identify on the map on page 40 the places<br />
mentioned in the official enquiry.<br />
2 Identify on this map the additional places<br />
mentioned by Aboriginal witnesses.<br />
3 Suggest reasons why these two lists would be<br />
different.<br />
4 Which list are you more likely to believe Why<br />
5 Look back at the Board of Inquiry summary<br />
table on page 39. Add any new ideas and<br />
information to column C that you would now take<br />
into account in answering questions 1–8.<br />
50<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Task 4<br />
Some final evidence<br />
Here is some final information from a variety of<br />
people that may help your decision-making. Some<br />
of this evidence is ‘hearsay’ — that is, one person<br />
reporting what another had to say, and this sort of<br />
evidence cannot be tested. Some is opinion. Be<br />
careful about the weight you give this evidence.<br />
As you work through this evidence add it to the<br />
Board of Inquiry summary table on page 39 to<br />
help you finally answer questions 1 –8 on that page.<br />
Information from Document 1 should go in Column B,<br />
and the rest in Column C.<br />
Document 1: summary of the findings<br />
of the Board of Enquiry<br />
• 30 witnesses gave evidence<br />
• The board examined the witnesses<br />
thoroughly<br />
• The board believed the evidence of the<br />
witnesses<br />
• There was not the slightest evidence that<br />
the two police parties were a reprisal or<br />
punitive expedition. If it was a reprisal, why<br />
were wounded treated, and nearly 30 people<br />
allowed to go free after various encounters<br />
• In all cases, the shootings were justified in<br />
self-defence<br />
• There was no provocation which could have<br />
led to the killing of Brooks and the attempted<br />
killing of Morton<br />
• The drought was not causing pressure on<br />
water and food resources<br />
• The reasons for the Aboriginal unrest at<br />
the time were the advance of the Walmulla<br />
tribe from Western Australia intent on killing<br />
white settlers and their Aboriginal workers,<br />
the influence of individual missionaries<br />
preaching a doctrine of equality,<br />
inexperienced white settlers ‘making free<br />
with the natives’ and treating them as<br />
equals, ‘semi-civilised natives’ migrating and<br />
influencing ‘myalls’, the woman missionary<br />
living with naked blacks, and lowering their<br />
respect for whites, insufficient police to apply<br />
the laws quickly, imprisonment not being<br />
an effective deterrent to crime, escaped<br />
prisoners from Darwin wandering the area<br />
without being arrested.<br />
Based on Board of Enquiry report, 18 January 1929<br />
Document 2: missionary Athol McGregor on Murray<br />
Missionary Athol McGregor wrote in his journal that when Murray<br />
was billeted in police quarters in Darwin for the trial of the two<br />
men accused of killing Brooks, another policeman, Mounted<br />
Constable Victor Hall, told McGregor: ‘[Murray] shocked and<br />
disgusted many or all of the policemen there with his freely<br />
expressed opinions as to what was good enough for a blackfellow,<br />
and he said the number shot was nearer seventy that seventeen.’<br />
Quoted in Cribbin, The Killing Times, Fontana, p. 164.<br />
Document 3: a letter from Annie Lock<br />
The missionary Annie Lock provided evidence of the massacre in a<br />
letter dated 28 September 1929 to the Association for the Protection<br />
of Native Races ... She told a terrible tale: ‘The natives tell me that<br />
they simply shot them down like dogs and that they got the little<br />
children and hit them on the back of the neck and killed them and in<br />
front of the eyes of those they left they knocked the dogs in the head<br />
and threw them in the fire ... They had some prisoners and took the<br />
chains off them and told them to run away and as they were running<br />
they shot them. This is the natives verdict and we have to be careful<br />
and prove it, but, I questioned them in different ways and when they<br />
least expected it, even to boys and girls and they all say the same<br />
thing and instead of 34 it was over 70.’<br />
Quoted in O’Brien, ‘To infuse an universal terror’: The Coniston killings of 1928–2002, p. 31.<br />
[Note that Annie Lock made no reference to the killings in her<br />
evidence to the enquiry.]<br />
Document 4: Randal Stafford in a conversation<br />
recorded by TGH Strehlow<br />
‘Well, four years are gone since it all happened ... I only know of<br />
most of their doings by hearsay, of course ... But I can tell you this:<br />
most of the things they did were hushed up afterwards at the official<br />
enquiry ... I was told that they shot down myalls up and down the<br />
Lander River for many miles ... some of the men who went out with<br />
Murray told me that the true figure was at least twice as high ... to<br />
shoot down whole camps of blacks without leaving any live witnesses<br />
behind is not my idea of justice.’<br />
Quoted in O’Brien, ‘To infuse an universal terror’: The Coniston killings of 1928–2002, pp. 31–32.<br />
Document 5: letter from Government<br />
Resident Cawood about the ‘recent<br />
unfortunate happenings’<br />
‘In the opinion of old residents of this part, trouble<br />
has been brewing for some time, and the safety<br />
of the white man could only be assured by drastic<br />
action on the part of the authorities. In their opinion<br />
the only other alternative was to hand the country<br />
back to the blacks. I am firmly of the opinion that<br />
the result of the recent action by the police will<br />
have the right effect upon the natives.’<br />
Letter, 25 October 1928, National Archives of Australia: A431 1950/2768 Part 2<br />
[Attachment]:50.<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
51
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Document 6: Murray’s motives are questioned<br />
In response to the enquiry and its findings Rev William Morley,<br />
secretary of the Association for the Protection of the Native<br />
Races of Australia and Polynesia, noted ‘an absence of<br />
identification of individual natives as implicated in the murder’<br />
and questioned why there had been so many raids on native<br />
camps: ‘It appears that something more than making an arrest<br />
of individual natives was contemplated.’<br />
Quoted in O’Brien, ‘To infuse an universal terror’: The Coniston killings of 1928–2002, p. 8.<br />
Document 7: historian Dick Kimber on Alex Wilson<br />
When I first met Alex in 1970 ... he had a tendency to boast ...<br />
and, while not giving a specific figure, he indicated that many,<br />
many more than 31 had been shot. I took it that he meant scores<br />
more ... What did emerge, though, was that there were not often<br />
calls to surrender … All of these shootings were, according to<br />
Alex, ‘in cold blood’, with many being shot down while Murray and<br />
Morton were still mounted on their horses.<br />
Quoted by Kimber, 4 February 2004.<br />
Document 8: Randal Stafford on Murray’s character<br />
During his meeting with T.G.H. Strehlow at Coniston in September<br />
1932, Randal Stafford made what Strehlow described as ‘a few<br />
pungent remarks on Murray’s personal character’ ... What real<br />
bushman, I ask you, would believe Murray’s evidence when he<br />
told the court how he grabbed a spear from one of the attacking<br />
blacks and drove it through the chest of the attacker, or how he<br />
killed another black with the boomerang he had wrenched out of<br />
his own hands Those silly Wild West yarns may take in the city<br />
mugs down South, but I know Murray far too well for that. He may<br />
be a killer, but he’d never rush into any real danger all on his own:<br />
the man’s far too cunning for that.<br />
Quoted in O’Brien, ‘To infuse an universal terror’: The Coniston killings of 1928–2002, pp. 41–42.<br />
Document 9: historian Dick Kimber<br />
The account ... of the first attack by Constable Murray’s patrol on<br />
a group of 20 to 30 Aborigines seems straightforward enough,<br />
but it is worth considering from other perspectives. I believe<br />
that the people of the Warlpiri camp, having observed the patrol<br />
approaching, had adopted submission-alert positions, recognising<br />
that they were facing a superior force ... The possibility for a slow<br />
approach, using an interpreter, was there. Mounted Constable<br />
Murray[‘s] ... approach was as a cavalry charge — from walk to<br />
canter to full gallop, yelling out arrest commands in English ... His<br />
gallop to the edge of the camp, and immediate determination to<br />
arrest the standing warrior, meant that the Warlpiri group could<br />
only interpret the action and the approach of the other men in one<br />
way from their own world view: killing of the men was intended, and<br />
capture of the women and children when they were not also killed<br />
in the fighting. Their only options were to pick up their weapons to<br />
fight, and to flee for their lives. They attempted both.<br />
Kimber, 22 October 2003.<br />
Document 10: some character<br />
sketches by historian Dick Kimber<br />
Randal Stafford: A well-educated bushman, who<br />
openly acknowledged his Anmatyerre wife Alice,<br />
a competent shot, best friends with Fred Brooks,<br />
able to speak some Aboriginal language.<br />
Jack Saxby: A young man, an expert marksman.<br />
Billy Briscoe: A frontier cattlemen who lived with<br />
an Aboriginal woman, well-armed, with a basic<br />
ability in the Anmatyerre language.<br />
Dodger: a young man, armed with a revolver,<br />
spoke both local Aboriginal languages and ‘bush<br />
English’.<br />
Nugget Morton: Known to be very strong and<br />
cruel, believed to be a rapist of Aboriginal women<br />
and girls as young as 9 and 10.<br />
Tracker Paddy: A Western <strong>Australian</strong> Aboriginal<br />
man, believed to be a killer and a rapist of local<br />
women.<br />
William George Murray: A World War 1 Light<br />
Horseman, Gallipoli and Western Front veteran,<br />
twice wounded in action, rose to the rank of<br />
sergeant, with no police training.<br />
Based on Kimber, 22 October 2003, and O’Brien, ‘To infuse an universal terror’:<br />
The Coniston killings of 1928–2002.<br />
Document 11: evidence of William<br />
Murray at the enquiry<br />
A The matter of a reprisal or a punitive<br />
expedition in order to massacre all the blacks<br />
never entered my head or the heads of any of<br />
my party that I know of ... If either I or my party<br />
desired to massacre the blacks we would not<br />
have allowed 20 or 23 of them to get away at<br />
Coniston not have allowed others to escape<br />
when we interrogated them and found they had<br />
nothing to do with the murder. If we had desired<br />
to shoot them all we could have done it from<br />
some distance. We would not have separated<br />
and I would not have taken the risk of going up<br />
alone and dismounting to arrest them.<br />
B When I said at [the trial of the two Aboriginal<br />
men in] Darwin in answer to Mr Foster that<br />
we shot to kill I meant that the position was<br />
too dangerous for us to take any chances<br />
... Mr Foster said to me ‘You did not want to<br />
be bothered with wounded blackfellows’<br />
I said ‘Well what could I do with wounded<br />
blackfellows’ meaning I could not render<br />
them any medical treatment to save their lives<br />
hundreds of miles from civilisation ...<br />
Evidence of William Murray at the Board of Enquiry<br />
Now complete the Board of Inquiry summary<br />
table on page 39.<br />
52<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 3<br />
Case study 2<br />
Task 5<br />
Coming to a conclusion<br />
You now have a great deal of information, some of it<br />
contradictory. It’s time to make some decisions. Here<br />
is a set of statements about various aspects of the<br />
Coniston killings. They are some of the main points<br />
Some possible statements about the Coniston Massacre<br />
that witnesses and historians have made. Decide<br />
whether you agree with each one. They will help you<br />
sort out and clarify your own ideas. For each category<br />
you may want to add your own statements.<br />
Background<br />
Brooks<br />
Japananga<br />
(‘Bullfrog’)<br />
The police expeditions<br />
Mounted Constable<br />
Murray<br />
The official<br />
inquiry<br />
Aspect<br />
• The drought meant that Aboriginal people were starving<br />
• Aboriginal people and Europeans generally got on well<br />
• Unrest was caused by settlers taking over Aboriginal people’s water holes<br />
and land<br />
• Unrest was caused by a party of Aboriginal people that wanted to kill settlers<br />
• Unrest was caused by missionaries preaching equality<br />
• Settlers and Aboriginal people respected each others’ laws and culture<br />
• There were too few police to enforce European law<br />
• was killed by Japananga alone<br />
• was killed by several people<br />
• was killed by a large group<br />
• was killed out of sexual jealousy<br />
• was killed because he broke Aboriginal law<br />
• was killed because he abused Aboriginal women<br />
• was killed because Japananga was angry<br />
• was a coward<br />
• was a hero<br />
• was a murderer<br />
• was acting to enforce traditional law<br />
• were punitive expeditions to terrorise Aboriginal people<br />
• were acting to enforce the law<br />
• deliberately killed as many Aboriginal people as possible<br />
• only killed those resisting arrest<br />
• killed 31 people<br />
• killed about 70<br />
• killed 100–200<br />
• communicated effectively with Aboriginal people<br />
• killed everybody they met<br />
• killed only guilty people<br />
• killed women and children<br />
• told the truth<br />
• told lies<br />
• told the full story<br />
• told only those parts of the story that suited him<br />
• acted bravely and was a hero<br />
• acted as a coward and was a murderer<br />
• was just a policeman doing his job<br />
• was fair and impartial<br />
• heard from all the available witnesses<br />
• was unfair and a whitewash<br />
• achieved justice<br />
• was completely unjust<br />
Your conclusion based on all the evidence<br />
Certainly/<br />
probably YES<br />
Not<br />
sure<br />
Certainly/<br />
probably NO<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
53
activity 4<br />
Case study 2<br />
Representation and commemoration<br />
Although we know a lot about the Coniston<br />
Massacre, it is still very difficult to be certain about<br />
exactly what happened, when, where, to whom, by<br />
whom and why.<br />
When people write history they are creating<br />
representations, that is, versions of what happened.<br />
The best versions or representations of history will<br />
use the following criteria such as:<br />
> be factually accurate<br />
> draw on a variety of sources<br />
> look at a variety of viewpoints<br />
> acknowledge strengths and weaknesses of<br />
arguments and evidence<br />
> distinguish between evidence and opinion<br />
> clearly indicate what is fact and what is fiction or<br />
speculation.<br />
You are now in a position to do this in your own<br />
judgements about Coniston, and to critically analyse<br />
others’ versions or representations of it.<br />
Task 1<br />
Comparing three written representations of the<br />
Coniston Massacre<br />
Look at these three accounts of the Coniston Massacre, and answer the questions that follow.<br />
1 Oxford Companion to <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong><br />
The Coniston massacre was the first of a series of<br />
massacres perpetrated on the Anmatyerre as well<br />
as Walbri (or Warlpiri) people in the area around<br />
Coniston, near Yuendumu, NT, in 1928. Prompted<br />
in particular by the slaying of a prospector on<br />
Coniston station that year, the police made<br />
numerous punitive expeditions. The last was led<br />
by Constable William Murray, who fired on a large<br />
group of people. While Murray admitted to killing<br />
only 31, it is more probable that between 70 and<br />
100 Walbri people died. The brutality of the police<br />
achieved its objective of bringing the Aborigines<br />
‘into submission’, and many of the Walbri left<br />
the station. The government resident in Central<br />
Australia justified the massacre, and the police<br />
were exonerated.<br />
Helen Doyle, in Graeme Davison, John Hirst & Stuart Macintyre (eds), The Oxford<br />
Companion to <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong>, OUP, Melbourne, 1999, p. 145.<br />
2 Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia<br />
Coniston Massacre occurred after Frederick Brooks, a<br />
prospector, was killed by Aboriginal people where he was<br />
camped at a soak near Coniston station, east of Yuendumu,<br />
NT, in 1928. His body was discovered in a rabbit warren, and<br />
when the authorities were notified a punitive expedition set out<br />
from Alice Springs. In a subsequent inquiry into the expedition,<br />
the police involved admitted to 17 Aboriginal deaths in relation<br />
to Brooks’s death, and were exonerated. It has subsequently<br />
become clear that a vast number of people were murdered<br />
in a series of raids lasting over a year and covering a wide<br />
area. It is also clear that those killed in the initial expedition<br />
were assembled for ceremonies, and their murder may<br />
have destroyed an entire land-holding or religious ... group,<br />
jeopardising and destabilising land tenure, ceremonial life and<br />
the exchange network for the entire region.<br />
David Horton (ed.), The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia, vol. 1, <strong>Australian</strong> Studies Press,<br />
Canberra, 1994, p. 218.<br />
1 Does each give a good sense of what happened<br />
3 Bruce Elder, Blood on the Wattle<br />
Murray had the particular frontier mentality which<br />
constructs the world in simplistic terms: Aborigines<br />
need to be controlled, white settlers need to be<br />
protected ... Returning to Coniston station on 12<br />
August, Murray was determined, in his own brutally<br />
methodical way, to teach the Aborigines in the area<br />
a lesson about the sacrosanct nature of white life<br />
which they would never forget ...<br />
He realised that, at most, three Aborigines had<br />
been involved in the killing of Old Fred Brooks.<br />
However, as far as he was concerned, all the<br />
Aborigines of the area were guilty by association.<br />
He could see no reason why he should restrict his<br />
attentions to the three offenders.<br />
Bruce Elder, Blood on the Wattle, Child & Associates, Sydney, 1988, p. 145.<br />
2 Identify any factual inaccuracies or distortions that you<br />
can see in these accounts.<br />
3 Identify any places where any of the three has<br />
speculated on a participant’s feelings in a way that is<br />
not supported by the record as you now understand it.<br />
4 Why do you think the author has done this<br />
5 Which of these do you think is the best account Why<br />
6 Is it important for historical accounts to be factually<br />
accurate and to acknowledge where they depart the<br />
historical record and enter into speculation Or doesn’t<br />
it matter as long as they basically get it right Explain<br />
your ideas.<br />
You could also look at history textbooks in your school<br />
library or accounts of Coniston on the internet and critically<br />
analyse how they deal with the Coniston Massacre.<br />
54<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 4 Case study 2<br />
Task 2<br />
How has the Coniston Massacre been commemorated<br />
How do we commemorate significant events What are we declaring that we remember, and what do we want<br />
people to learn about events<br />
Compare these two<br />
memorials, just a few<br />
hundred metres apart<br />
at Brooks Soak, and<br />
both connected with the<br />
Coniston Massacre.<br />
1 Compare what the<br />
two memorials tell<br />
you about the nature,<br />
causes and meaning<br />
of the event.<br />
2 How do you explain<br />
such differences<br />
The message reads in two languages:<br />
IN 1928 NEAR THIS PLACE THE<br />
MURDER OF FREDERICK BROOKS<br />
LED TO THE KILLING OF MANY<br />
INNOCENT ABORIGINAL PEOPLE<br />
ACROSS THE REGION.<br />
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM ALWAYS<br />
24 SEPTEMBER 2003<br />
In Memory Of Frederick Brooks<br />
Murdered On 7th August 1928.<br />
Old Man In The Early Days Of Coniston<br />
Those Days When Our<br />
Troubles Were Great<br />
In The Years You & I Worked Together.<br />
I Found You A True & Staunch Mate.<br />
His Old Mate Randal Stafford.<br />
National Museum of Australia<br />
National Museum of Australia<br />
The Coniston Massacre resulted in the death of many people.<br />
It also had long-term impacts.<br />
3 Look at these two documents and list any long-term impacts<br />
that the Massacre has had on the people of the area.<br />
Source A: personal impacts<br />
Our ancestors, the poor things, that the whitefellas shot —<br />
we will always remember them. We’ll always remember<br />
this. We still remember. That memory, that old people been<br />
get shot there, that won’t go away from the brain— we still<br />
gottem. We are not upset for that problem, but we are just<br />
worrying about our people who got shot just for cold blood,<br />
you know. The trouble makers got other people into trouble.<br />
We’re not upset [i.e. wanting retribution]. We just want it to<br />
be remembered. We want people to remember. We want<br />
people to think why was it that innocent people [having a<br />
ceremony] were killed and not the trouble makers<br />
We remember that my mother’s mother’s father and my<br />
mother’s father’s father also and my aunty’s mother’s father<br />
were killed there (at Athimpelengkwe). My father’s father’s<br />
father too.<br />
Source B: regional and cultural impacts<br />
Escaping from the scene of the massacre,<br />
Aboriginal survivors headed in the directions of<br />
Barrow Creek, Tennant Creek, the Granites, Tanami,<br />
Mount Doreen and other places toward the Western<br />
Australia border. Although many Warlpiri and<br />
Anmatyerre were eventually to return to the Lander<br />
River area, a substantial number remained in the<br />
places to which they had fled. Many members of the<br />
Yurrkuru claimants’ families were among those who<br />
died in the Coniston massacre.<br />
Yurrkuru (Brookes Soak) Land Claim 1992, Yurrkuru (Brookes Soak) Land Claim<br />
Report No. 43, Findings, Recommendation and Report of the Aboriginal Land<br />
Commissioner, Mr Justice Olney, to the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait<br />
Islander Affairs and to the Administrator of the Northern Territory, Commonwealth of<br />
Australia 1992 www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/indigenous/pubs/annualreports/aboriginal_<br />
land_comm_reports/yurrkuru/Documents/43.PDF<br />
www.clc.org.au/Media/publications/coniston/Thommy_Thompson_interview.pdf<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
55
activity 4<br />
Case study 2<br />
In 2003 a ceremony was held at the unveiling of the memorial plaque shown on the previous page.<br />
Banner at 2003 anniversary ceremony at Yurrkuru (Brooks Soak) National Museum of Australia<br />
4 Why do you think that the events of 1928 are still<br />
so strongly remembered, and are passed down<br />
to succeeding generations<br />
5 What are some other events which <strong>Australian</strong>s<br />
keep remembering and commemorating in a<br />
similar way<br />
6 Imagine that you had been asked to make a<br />
short speech about the Coniston Massacre<br />
at the ceremony in 2003. Write out the key<br />
points you would make. You can then compare<br />
your ideas with those of Liza Dale-Hallett, the<br />
great-niece of William George Murray.<br />
Below is the text of the speech actually given in 2003 by Liza Dale-Hallett, the great-niece<br />
of William George Murray.<br />
I would like to thank the Central Lands Council for<br />
making it possible for me to be here today for this special<br />
occasion. I would also like to thank the Elders of this<br />
country for your very warm and generous welcome.<br />
I am here because, like you, I am linked by family to the<br />
tragic killings of many of your people 75 years ago. I am<br />
here as the great niece of Mounted Constable William<br />
George Murray, who played a leading role in these<br />
killings. But more importantly, I am here because I care<br />
about our shared history.<br />
The 1928 Coniston Massacre involved the killing of<br />
between 31 and 100 Aboriginal people. I am deeply sorry<br />
that it happened. I know in my heart it was wrong. Sadly,<br />
I cannot change what happened.<br />
The Coniston Massacre links my life with yours. We share<br />
this past. We also share the future. I hope that being<br />
together today will help us to find new meanings from<br />
our difficult and painful pasts, and to create a future that<br />
gives respect to the diversity and equal rights of<br />
all <strong>Australian</strong>s.<br />
I feel very privileged to be here with you, face to face,<br />
feeling the unjust, painful and tragic events of the<br />
Coniston Massacre. Being involved in this experience<br />
helps me to feel the realities of my past, to grow in<br />
understanding, and to build positive links between us.<br />
My deepest wish is that non-indigenous <strong>Australian</strong>s<br />
will extend the same generosity of spirit to Aboriginal<br />
<strong>Australian</strong>s, as you have extended to me and my<br />
husband Martin.<br />
These are my hopes…May the spirits of those who were<br />
killed find rest. May the pain of those affected by the<br />
Massacre be healed. May we all find peace in our hearts.<br />
Thank you for your hospitality. Thank you for the<br />
opportunity of being here today.<br />
Manuscript of speech provided by author<br />
7 Most <strong>Australian</strong>s today are concerned with the idea of reconciliation. Do you think a knowledge<br />
and understanding of the Coniston Massacre will contribute to reconciliation in Australia today<br />
Explain your ideas.<br />
56<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 4<br />
Case study 2<br />
Task 3<br />
Analysing a museum display<br />
Analysing the National Museum of Australia’s<br />
representation of the Coniston Massacre<br />
The National Museum of Australia has a display<br />
on the Coniston Massacre as part of its Resistance<br />
exhibition.<br />
1 The elements that make up the Museum’s<br />
exhibition module are on pages 58-59.Look at<br />
these and then complete this table about the<br />
display.<br />
Aspects to consider<br />
Your comments<br />
Your initial impression of the<br />
display is:<br />
What is included in the display<br />
Is it historically accurate<br />
Is the historical context explained<br />
clearly<br />
Is the significance of this display<br />
clearly explained<br />
Are the objects displayed authentic<br />
for that event or period as far as you<br />
can tell<br />
Are these objects the best possible<br />
ones to tell the story<br />
Are the text descriptions clear and<br />
informative<br />
Do the surroundings influence your<br />
impression of the display<br />
How is the display arranged<br />
Is the nature of the event clearly<br />
identified (e.g. am I told if it is<br />
controversial or contested)<br />
If so, are a variety of viewpoints<br />
clearly and fairly represented<br />
Do I know where the evidence has<br />
come from and what sort of evidence<br />
it is<br />
Is the display designed to promote<br />
a particular message<br />
Is its purpose to present objects<br />
(neutral), or to explain (impartial), or<br />
to argue a particular view (partisan)<br />
At the end, do you feel that you really<br />
understand the situation<br />
Your final judgement about the<br />
display is:<br />
What have you learnt from this<br />
display about the Coniston<br />
Massacre<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928<br />
57
activity 4 Case study 2<br />
A Yungulu panungku milya-pinyi nyarra-manu kujalu-jana<br />
yapa-patu<br />
Kardiyarlu makiti-kirlirli ngurra nganimpa-nyangurla.<br />
We want everyone to know what the whitefellas with<br />
rifles did to Aboriginal people in our country.<br />
Teresa Napurrula Ross, Warlpiri woman, 2007<br />
C My name is Teresa Napurrula Ross and<br />
I’m telling a story about Coniston. Where<br />
whitefellas (kardiya) shot all the Walpiri<br />
(yapa). Then they were shot with rifles,<br />
everywhere ... My father told me to do this<br />
story when I was 10 years old … He was<br />
at Yurruku at the time of the shooting. He<br />
was about 14 or 15 years old then. And he<br />
saw them. He saw kardiya shooting yapa<br />
... People call [Bullfrog] ‘the whitefella killer’<br />
... After killing Brooks he got away. And he<br />
remained a free man. Some of the elders said<br />
about Bullfrog he shouldn’t have killed Fred<br />
Brooks. Because others got killed for that.<br />
Some of them said it was okay for him to kill<br />
Brooks because Brooks stole his wife. The<br />
whitefella gave him tobacco, to Japananga,<br />
the whitefella killer. And then Japananga<br />
gave him his wife to sleep with. The old men<br />
said no, they killed hundreds and hundreds<br />
... [W]hy did they kill the wrong people They<br />
should have got Bullfrog, the one that killed<br />
the whitefella. At the Remembrance Day [in<br />
2003] when we had that commemoration it<br />
was good to get together and to remember<br />
all the people that had been shot by the ones<br />
with rifles.<br />
B MURDER AND REPRISAL<br />
The Coniston Massacre<br />
In August 1928, a white dingo trapper, Fred<br />
Brooks, was found murdered on Coniston station<br />
in Central Australia. Soon after, a reprisal party<br />
led by Mounted Constable George Murray<br />
shot dead more than 60 innocent men, women<br />
and children. These shootings became known<br />
as the ‘Coniston Massacre’. No charges were<br />
laid against Murray or his followers. They were<br />
considered to have ‘acted in self-defence’.<br />
Warlpiri law<br />
Brooks’s killer was a Warlpiri man, Kamalyarrpa<br />
Japananga (‘Bullfrog’). Bullfrog’s granddaughter,<br />
Rosie Nungurrayi, said in 1975, ‘At Yurruku<br />
my grandfather killed a whitefella. He hit the<br />
whitefella because the whitefella stole his wife’.<br />
In Warlpiri society breaches of marriage law<br />
were considered capital crimes<br />
D Kamalyarrpa (Bullfrog) was never caught or<br />
tried for Brooks’s murder. Three years later,<br />
anthropologists working in the area met<br />
Kamalyarrpa. They photographed him and<br />
collected his spearthrower, without knowing<br />
of his involvement in Brooks’s killing.<br />
Extracts from the video commentary by Teresa Napurrula Ross<br />
South <strong>Australian</strong> Museum<br />
National Museum of Australia<br />
58<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
activity 4<br />
Case study 2<br />
E In 1977, Alec Jupurrurla, who was living nearby<br />
at the time of Brooks’s murder, recalled the<br />
event: ‘One boomerang he put right through here<br />
[indicating throat] and ... he cuttem with stone<br />
knife. Finish’.<br />
G The blacks saw me coming and threw a couple<br />
of spears at me. I jumped off my horse and fired<br />
four or five shots with my rifle. I do not know<br />
whether I hit them or not. I certainly tried.<br />
Jack Saxby, 1928 Board of Enquiry<br />
Jack Saxby, friend of Fred Brooks and member<br />
of the reprisal party, just before the Coniston<br />
Massacre 1928<br />
National Museum of Australia<br />
National Museum of Australia<br />
F Ceremonies old and new<br />
In August 2003 a commemoration was held<br />
to mark the 75th anniversary of the Coniston<br />
Massacre. The event was attended by<br />
Aboriginal people (survivors and their families),<br />
representatives of the Northern Territory Police<br />
and descendants of Constable George Murray,<br />
who led the reprisal party.<br />
Michael Terry Collection, National Library of Australia<br />
Image of feathered ornament worn in the 2003 ceremony. National Museum of Australia<br />
H Killing sites Map<br />
See page 40<br />
Courtesy Central Land Council and Institute<br />
for Aboriginal Development, Alice Springs<br />
I<br />
Nganimparlu kapurnalu-jana manngu-nyanyirni<br />
taarnngangku-juku.<br />
We will remember them always.<br />
Coniston Massacre monument<br />
Case study 2 What happened at Coniston in 1928 59
activity 4<br />
Case study 2<br />
Task 4 Creating a final representation of the<br />
Coniston Massacre<br />
1 From all the evidence you have considered in this unit of work on the 1928 Coniston Massacre, now create<br />
your own representation or version of this event. Use this format to record your final conclusions.<br />
My 1928 Coniston Massacre representation<br />
Key questions<br />
My answers<br />
Who was<br />
involved<br />
When did it<br />
happen<br />
Where did it<br />
happen<br />
How did it<br />
happen<br />
Why did it<br />
happen<br />
What were<br />
the results or<br />
outcomes<br />
How did<br />
people<br />
respond to it<br />
at the time<br />
What is my<br />
response to it<br />
today<br />
2 Compare your final representation of the events of Coniston with those of other students.<br />
How similar or different are the various representations How do you account for these<br />
similarities and differences<br />
60<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong> 3 Five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Mysteries</strong><br />
Investigating five case studies in twentieth century <strong>Australian</strong> history