Fighting Hills massacre facts for kids

The Fighting Hills Incident was a sad event that happened in 1840 in a place called The Hummocks, near Wando Vale, Victoria, Australia. During this time, some European settlers, known as squatters, had taken land in the Western District of Victoria. This incident involved a conflict between these settlers and the local Jardwadjali Aboriginal people.

What was the Fighting Hills Incident?

The Fighting Hills Incident refers to a violent clash that occurred in 1840. It involved a group of European settlers and Aboriginal people. The event took place in an area known as The Hummocks, which is close to Wando Vale in Victoria, Australia.

Who was involved?

The main people involved from the settler side were the Whyte brothers: William, George, Pringle, and James Whyte. Their cousin, John Whyte, was also part of their group. They managed a large sheep farm, called a 'run', named Konongwootong, near a town that is now called Hamilton, Victoria. They were joined by three employees who were convicts at the time: Benjamin Wardle, Daniel Turner, and William Gillespie.

What happened during the incident?

On March 8, 1840, the Whyte brothers and their employees went looking for sheep that had been taken the day before. They found a group of Aboriginal people cooking and eating the missing sheep. A conflict then broke out. This attack led to the deaths of many Aboriginal people, including men, women, and children. It is estimated that between 40 and 80 Jardwadjali people died during this event. The settlers managed to get back most of their sheep, all but 45 of them. At least one Aboriginal person survived the incident.

What happened afterwards?

After the incident, an official known as an Aboriginal protector, Charles Sievwright, looked into what happened. He gathered statements from people about the event. However, the Crown prosecutor, James Croke, said these statements could not be used in court because they did not follow the proper legal rules.

The Investigation

John Whyte personally went to report the "affray," which means a public fight or disturbance, to Superintendent Charles La Trobe. La Trobe was a high-ranking government official at the time. Whyte also reported it to the Chief Protector, George Robinson, who was in charge of protecting Aboriginal people. Despite these reports, no further action was taken by the authorities regarding the incident.

Later Events

Only a few months after the Fighting Hills Incident, another similar event occurred. This was known as the Fighting Waterholes massacre, and some of the same people from the Fighting Hills Incident were involved. Later, in 1843, an employee from the Whytes' farm was killed. It was believed that this death happened as a form of payback or retaliation for the earlier conflicts, including the Fighting Hills Incident.