Mount Dispersion, New South Wales facts for kids
Mount Dispersion is a special place in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It is known as the site of a sad event where Aboriginal people were killed by Major Thomas Mitchell and his group on 27 May 1836. In May 2020, this site was officially recognised as an Aboriginal Place. Its full name is the Mount Dispersion Massacre Site Aboriginal Place. This recognition happened under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.
History of Mount Dispersion
In May 1836, Major Thomas Mitchell was exploring and surveying the land. A group of Aboriginal people had been following his party for several days. This started near a place called Lake Benanee, close to the town of Euston.
It's not completely clear what happened next. However, on 27 May, Mitchell and his men attacked the Aboriginal group by surprise. At least seven Aboriginal people died while trying to escape across the Murray River.
Major Mitchell had to explain his actions later in Sydney. His side of the story was written down. But the Aboriginal survivors' accounts were not recorded. Mitchell received only a small warning for what he did.
Mitchell later named the small hill Mount Dispersion. He wrote a book where he tried to explain why the attack happened. He said it was an act of self-defence. He claimed the Aboriginal people were hostile and wanted revenge for an earlier event. In 1835, during another trip, Mitchell's group had shot and injured one man. They had also killed another man and a woman carrying a baby.
Recognising the Site
In September 1963, a monument was built by the Mildura Historical Society. It was a cairn, which is a pile of stones. The monument had an inscription that said "Mt Dispersion / Named by Major Mitchell on May 26th 1836 after an encounter with Aboriginies[sic] at this spot". However, this monument was placed about 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) away from the actual site.
The true Mount Dispersion site has been important to Aboriginal people for thousands of years. It is a sacred site for the Kureinji and Barkindji peoples. There is a special songline (a traditional song that tells a story and maps the land) connected to it. This songline tells "the story of the great warrior and the cod and the spiritual ancestors".
Barry Pearce, an elder from the Muthi Muthi people, lives nearby. He believes that knowing about history, like the Australian frontier wars, helps with reconciliation. Reconciliation means bringing people together and healing past wounds. He also wants visitors to learn about the rich cultural history of the spot. He says it is "more than the massacre".
Mr. Pearce was inspired to get the site officially recognised. Harvey Johnston, an officer from Heritage NSW, led a project to make this happen. They worked to have the site formally listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.
On 24 April 2020, Mount Dispersion was officially recorded in the New South Wales Government Gazette. It was listed as an Aboriginal Place under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW). The site was officially added to the register on 27 May 2020. This date was exactly 184 years after the massacre took place.
Location of Mount Dispersion
Mount Dispersion is located near the border with Victoria. You can find it on Tapalin Mail Road. It is on an old path of the Murray River, close to the town of Euston.
