38-691: The Rufus River Massacre was a massacre of at least 30–40 Aboriginal people that took place in 1841 along the Rufus River , in the Central Murray River region of New South Wales (now Australia). The massacre was conducted by a large group of South Australian Police , who were sent to the region by the Governor of South Australia , George Grey , after Indigenous warriors carried out a series of effective raids against settler overland drives. The police were augmented by armed volunteers and
76-708: A watercourse of the Murray catchment and part of the Murray–Darling basin , is located in south western New South Wales , Australia . The river leaves Lake Victoria , flowing generally west and then south-west, before reaching its confluence with the Murray River , at Lock 7, near Rufus. Rufus River was visited by European explorer, Charles Sturt , in 1830, and named after his red-haired (or rufus ) travelling companion, George Macleay . A number of conflicts between European and Aboriginal people in 1841 led to
114-546: A battle with 500 Maraura warriors at the Rufus River. Most of Langhorne's cattle and provisions had been plundered, and four of his stockmen killed. Five Aboriginal people were shot dead in the skirmish. O'Halloran's group did save the remainder of Langhorne's party and recovered some of his cattle. They scoured the region finding around a thousand carcasses of Inman's sheep, but were unable to engage with or capture any Maraura. Soon after returned to Adelaide. By this stage
152-617: A group of overlanders led by William Robinson and Philip Levi . This detachment of police was commanded by Sub-Inspector Bernard Shaw. The police patrol reached the Rufus River region on 27 August. They learned that Robinson's droving party had already come into conflict with the Maraura on the previous day. In that skirmish, the overlanders had attacked the Aboriginal people blocking their path, killing five men and wounding another ten after shooting at them for around 45 minutes. After
190-530: A high cliff into the Murray River but was re-captured after being shot and wounded three times. Concerns in the colony and in England about the large number of Aboriginal people killed in the massacre, forced Governor Grey to organise an magisterial inquiry into the shootings. Chaired by Sturt, the participants were questioned, including Aboriginal captive Pul Kanta. The magistrates eventually concluded that
228-602: A lieutenant, fought at the Battle of Waterloo . He remained in France with the army of occupation until 1818, and in 1820 married Maria Cox of Friar Gate, Derby who was the niece of Samuel Richardson . Gawler's new sister-in-law, Mary Ann, married William Leeke , a fellow officer from the 52nd. Gawler and his wife were sincerely religious and when the 52nd was sent to New Brunswick in 1823 they did much social and religious work. Gawler returned to England in 1826 and from 1830 to 1832
266-406: A separate party of overlanders who were already battling with Aboriginal people in the Rufus River area. The colony's Protector of Aborigines , Matthew Moorhouse , accompanied the punitive expedition . He was unsuccessful in his efforts to mediate a solution before the massacre occurred. The short Rufus River connects Lake Victoria, New South Wales with the Murray River , very close to both
304-610: The Pestonjee Bomanjee on 12 October 1838, after a four-month journey via Tenerife and Rio de Janeiro . Gawler found the colony had almost no public finances, underpaid officials and 4000 immigrants living in makeshift accommodation. He was allowed a maximum of £12,000 expenditure a year, with an additional £5,000 credit for emergencies. His first goal was to address delays over rural settlement and primary production. He persuaded Charles Sturt to come from New South Wales to work as surveyor-general, personally overseeing
342-507: The Rufus River massacre . 34°03′S 141°15′E / 34.050°S 141.250°E / -34.050; 141.250 This New South Wales river or creek related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . George Gawler Colonel George Gawler KH (21 July 1795 – 7 May 1869) was the second Governor of South Australia , at the same time serving as Resident Commissioner , from 17 October 1838 until 15 May 1841. Gawler, born on 21 July 1795,
380-612: The Jews followed in 1847, and in 1849 he toured Palestine with Moses Montefiore . In a further work, Syria and its Near Prospects , (1853) he made four arguments for the proposition that Jewish settlement was already under way. In 1850 Gawler retired from the army. In the same year, he wrote Present State of Moral Principle in the Supreme Government of the British Colonial Empire , in which he petitioned
418-416: The Maraura had inflicted three significant defeats upon the colonists in three months. They also had evaded two large police punitive expeditions sent to their country. In August 1841, another official police expedition, including 16 troopers, 12 volunteers, 3 Aboriginal guides, and Matthew Moorhouse, Protector of Aborigines, was sent out to the Rufus River. Moorhouse hoped to mediate a settlement, to protect
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#1732776077753456-454: The Maraura took over their 5,000 sheep. One of Inman's shepherds was badly wounded but later recovered. When the news of Inman's defeat reached Adelaide, a strong party of South Australian mounted police, led by Major Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran , was sent to recover the sheep from the Maraura. Fearing a possible scandal if the police shot large numbers of Aboriginal people, Governor George Gawler recalled O'Halloran's party before they reached
494-465: The Queen seeking redress for the injustices done to him by successive secretaries of state. Accusing George Grey of dishonesty, he claimed that it had been through his efforts that South Australia was "the only cheap and brilliantly successful new colony in modern history". Gawler spent his last years at Southsea , where he died of pneumonia on 7 May 1869. He was buried at Portsmouth . Gawler's work
532-529: The Rufus River. Displeased with the government's lack of action, a vigilante group of 14 armed and mounted volunteers, led by Henry Field, a member of the original party, set out on 7 May to recover the sheep. Waiting for them at the Rufus River were around 500 Aboriginal warriors, who inflicted another defeat on the colonists. Field was wounded and two horses were killed. None of the sheep was recovered and Field's group returned to Adelaide. The newly appointed Governor of South Australia , George Grey , ordered
570-475: The actions of the British parties had been justified and even praiseworthy. They also determined that the overall conflict in the region was due in part to the overlanders engaging in sexual relations with Aboriginal women without giving the food and clothing they had promised. An escalating cycle of conflicts resulted. Aboriginal groups stole thousands of sheep in retaliationi. Magistrate Edward John Eyre thought
608-745: The cost of living rapidly. Gawler increased public expenditure to stave off collapse, which resulted in bankruptcy and changes to the way the colony was run. Over £200,000 had been spent and the land fund in London had been exhausted. A£155,000 loan was approved by the British Parliament (later made a gift) and Captain George Grey was sent to replace Gawler, after Grey promised to "maintain the strictest economy". In his time in office Governor Grey helped make South Australia self-sufficient in terms of agriculture and restored public confidence, though
646-521: The current borders with Victoria to the south and South Australia to the west. The local Maraura people probably had their first encounter with the British when Charles Sturt travelled down the river in 1830. There is no record of other colonists in the region until overlanders Joseph Hawdon and Charles Bonney drove 335 cattle from Sydney to Adelaide along the Murray River in 1838. Edward Eyre and Sturt followed this stock route . By April 1841 at least 36 overlanding parties had travelled
684-406: The disapproval of Moorhouse. Four Maraura were taken prisoner, including a wounded boy, two women, and a man named Pul Kanta. The wounded boy and one of the woman were soon released. The other woman (whose husband had been killed in the slaughter) was given to interpreter Pungke Pungke as a wife. Pul Kanta remained in custody to be taken to Adelaide. He tried to escape the following day by diving off
722-439: The extraordinary difficulties with which he was faced are acknowledged. Charles Sturt and other men at the time generally agreed that his administration had greatly benefited the settlement, and the select committee on South Australia reported that the critics of his expenditure were "unable to point out any specific item by which it could have been considerably reduced without great public inconvenience". Much of Gawler's expenditure
760-647: The formation of a large group of police, volunteers, and special constables under the leadership of Major O’Halloran. This group of 68 armed and mounted men was to proceed to the Rufus River to capture some Maraura and protect the overlanding party of Charles Langhorne, which was known to be travelling through the region. The expedition such prominent South Australian colonists as James Rigby Beevor , James Collins Hawker , Henry Inman, Matthew Moorhouse , and Alexander Tolmer . The group left Adelaide on 31 May 1841 and reached Maraura country on 20 June. They were too late to protect Langhorne's droving party, who were defeated in
798-557: The journey. Inman was speared several times as they traveled along the Murrumbidgee River . A spear-head remained lodged in his abdomen for several weeks. When the drive reached the Murray-Darling junction, the Maraura started to spear the sheep and harass the shepherds. On 16 April 1841, Inman's group was confronted by around 300-400 Maraura warriors near the Rufus River. The overlanding party were defeated and fled;
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#1732776077753836-461: The overlanders drove the Maraura away and into the river. A stockman from another group passing through the region around the same time was killed in a separate conflict. A month later, an overlanding group led by stockman Alexander Buchanan and conveying a herd of 18,000 sheep, battled with Maraura warriors near the Murray-Darling junction. An estimated six Aborigines were killed. After the violence of late 1839, overlanding through Maraura country
874-474: The police patrol met up with Robinson's group on 27 August, they came across a group of around 150 Maraura warriors near the junction of the Rufus River and Lake Victoria . This group of Maraura were not preventing the passage of the colonists, nor did they make any hostile motion to the police or the overlanders. Moorhouse, however, after negotiating with them through his Aboriginal interpreter Pungke Pungke, concluded that they were threatening and handed command of
912-515: The punishment meted out at the Rufus River to the Maraura by Shaw and Robinson was not sufficiently harsh enough. Moorhouse's account of casualties was disputed by Robinson, who stated that "thirty to forty were killed, and as many wounded". James Collins Hawker wrote in his book Early Experiences in South Australia (1899: p. 79): "The firing lasted about fifteen minutes, 30 natives were killed, 10 wounded and 4 taken prisoner...this
950-564: The real salvation of the colony may have been the discovery of copper at Burra in 1845. After retirement as governor in 1841, Gawler devoted his time to religious and charitable works. In 1845, Gawler wrote a memorandum, The Tranquillization of Syria and the East , in which he suggested that Jews be allowed to establish Jewish agricultural settlements in Palestine as compensation for their suffering under Turkish rule. The Emancipation of
988-458: The situation over to Sub-Inspector Shaw. Robinson's men began firing at the Aborigines, driving them into the Rufus River. Shaw's group of police and volunteers proceeded to join in the killing. According to Moorhouse's later report, nearly 30 Aboriginal people were killed, and about 10 wounded. Robinson reported that 30-40 were killed, with around the same number wounded. A large majority of
1026-439: The surveys in the meantime, as Colonel William Light had resigned due to ailing health and the demands placed on him with insufficient staff. Gawler promptly increased and reorganised the fledgling police force , promoting its commander Henry Inman . Gawler appointed more colonial officials, took part in exploration, and improved the facilities at Port Adelaide during his tenure as governor. The first permanent Government House
1064-487: The track, bringing with them about 480 people; 90,000 sheep and 15,000 cattle; as well as horses, bullocks , drays and goods through the territory of the Maraura. Serious skirmishes between the overlanders and the Maraura began in 1839. In October of that year, overlander George McLeod (an associate of Charles Sturt), had a significant battle with the Maraura. The Aboriginal warriors had forced McLeod's group to retreat to their drays, but after half an hour of sharp shooting,
1102-423: The wounded would be expected to die from their wounds, because Aboriginal medicine was ill-equipped to deal with gunshot wounds. Only one colonist was wounded; Robinson was speared in his left arm as he shot an Aboriginal man in the river. To conciliate the police and overlanders, Maraura women were brought to the colonists after the massacre. Shaw and Robinson permitted their men to have sex with these women despite
1140-600: Was a diligent and clever student. In October 1810, Gawler obtained a commission as an ensign in the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot and in January 1812 went to the Peninsular War . He was a member of a storming party at Badajoz , and was wounded and saved from death by a soldier who lost his own life. He was in Spain until 1814, taking part in the advance on Madrid . The regiment returned to England and Gawler, now
1178-475: Was built, which is now the East Wing of the present building. The South Australian Company 's greatest source of revenue, the sale of land, had largely dried up due to surveying delays in 1838. The rapid increase in population in 1839 and 1840 due to immigration greatly added to the unemployment problem. Droughts in other Australian colonies in 1840, before South Australia was self-sufficient in food, drove up
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1216-602: Was engaged in recruiting. He reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1834 and in 1837 received the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order (KH), third class. In 1838 Gawler was appointed Governor of South Australia in succession to Captain John Hindmarsh , who had been recalled, as well as being appointed to the role of Resident Commissioner , taking over from the first incumbent, James Hurtle Fisher . Gawler and his wife and children arrived on
1254-481: Was long misjudged, largely because his successor Grey, in his dispatches, made the worst of his predecessor's acts, without suggesting the difficulties under which he had worked. Gawler was a gallant and energetic officer who, when he found the settlers faced with disaster, saw at once what it was necessary to do, and saved the colony. Mills however, accepts the view that Gawler had been guilty of carelessness and extravagance and cannot be wholly acquitted of blame, though
1292-593: Was on works of both immediate and long-lasting benefit to the Colony and the State, such as the Great Eastern Road . Many modern historians put him among the founders of South Australia. The town of Gawler was named after him, as well as the adjoining river . The Gawler Ranges at the north end of Eyre Peninsula are also named after him by the explorer Edward John Eyre in 1839. Gawler's reputation
1330-591: Was relatively uneventful until 1841. In the early months of that year, pastoralist James Chisholm organised a droving party to take 5,000 of his sheep from his property near Goulburn, New South Wales to the markets of Adelaide . Chisholm placed Henry Inman and Henry Field in charge of the party. Inman had previously been appointed as the first chief of the South Australian Police , but was suspended and sacked in 1840. Conflict between Inman's overlanding group and Aboriginal people occurred early in
1368-703: Was somewhat tarnished by his involvement in the Maria massacre in 1840. Derby's Town and County Museum in the 1830s included Gawler in its list of principal benefactors. Gawler had contributed a collection of minerals and exotic stuffed birds which included an albatross from his time as governor. Also, Gawler's gardener in Australia, Joseph Whittaker , contributed hundreds of pressed flowers and plants to Derby Museum and to Kew Gardens . A portrait of him hangs in Parliament House, Adelaide , and another in
1406-544: Was the Protector's report but in after years when I was residing on the Murray and had learnt the language of the natives, I ascertained that a much larger number had been killed". In his travels through the region several years later, Charles Sturt documented that thirty of the killed were interred in a mass grave on the banks of Lake Victoria, the mound of which was still visible. Rufus River Rufus River ,
1444-712: Was the only child of Captain Samuel Gawler, captain in the 73rd Regiment of Foot , and his wife Julia, née Russell. Gawler's father was killed in battle in Mysore , India in December 1804. The Gawler family historically came from Devon . George Gawler was educated by a tutor, then at a school in Cold Bath, Islington . Two years were then spent at the Royal Military College , Great Marlow , where he
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