Battle of Broken River facts for kids

The Battle of Broken River, sometimes called the Faithfull Massacre, was a conflict that happened in 1838. Around 20 Aboriginal Australians attacked 18 European settlers. During this event, eight settlers were killed.

After the battle, there were many revenge attacks against Aboriginal people. These attacks continued for several years. Up to 100 Aboriginal people were killed in these later events.

What Happened at Broken River?

On April 11, 1838, a group of about 18 men were exploring new land. These men worked for George and William Faithfull. They were looking for places for their livestock south of Wangaratta. Their journey brought them to the Broken River, near Benalla.

Historian Judith Bassett states that about 20 Indigenous Australians attacked the group. At least one Koori person and eight European settlers died. For a long time, this event was known in the area as the Faithfull Massacre.

There are different ideas about why the attack happened. One idea is that it was a response to Faithfull's men shooting at Aboriginal men a week earlier. Another idea suggests it was revenge for other actions by the settlers. Historian Chris Clark believes this event should be seen as a battle that the Aboriginal people won, not a massacre.

It's also thought that the settlers might have been camping on land important for hunting or ceremonies. The exact location of this event was found again in 1907.

A Story from the Past

In 1906, a newspaper shared a story about the battle. This story came from the son of one of the men involved.

He said that nine men reached the Broken River in 1837. They camped there with many sheep. George Faithfull and an Aboriginal boy went ahead to explore. Faithfull decided to set up a sheep station near Euroa. He sent the boy back with orders for the men to bring the sheep.

The sheep were split into two groups. Each group had two shepherds. The first group started an hour before the second. After just one mile, the two shepherds were attacked. The men with the second group faced the same fate soon after.

The attackers then moved towards the camp. They met a bullock dray with five men. Three more men were killed. The two survivors, Brown and Glenn, ran away. Glenn grabbed a loaded gun as they fled. They ran alongside the river but kept some distance. The tall reeds by the river offered good hiding spots for the Aboriginal people.

The attackers chased them, wanting no one to escape. One fast pursuer almost caught up. Glenn turned and shot him. The chase continued. Another attacker got close to Brown and threw a spear, but missed. Brown quickly grabbed the spear. The two settlers kept running until they were very tired. They even took off their boots to make tracking harder.

Revenge Attacks After the Battle

After the Battle of Broken River, many revenge killings took place. Around 100 Aboriginal people were killed over several years.

These revenge attacks happened in different places. Some were near Wangaratta on the Ovens River. Others occurred at Murchison, led by the native police. Attacks also happened in Mitchelton and Toolamba.

The government decided to open up lands south of Yass, New South Wales. They wanted to bring these areas under British rule. One goal was to help protect Aboriginal people from further revenge attacks.

See also

• List of massacres of Indigenous Australians