Wonnerup massacre facts for kids

The Wonnerup massacre, also known as the Wonnerup "Minninup" massacre, was a tragic event where many Waadandi Noongar people were killed by European settlers. This happened near Wonnerup, Western Australia in February 1841. The land where this took place belonged to the Waadandi-Doonan people in the south-west of Western Australia. The massacre happened after a Waadandi man named Gaywal/Gaywaar killed a settler named George Layman on February 21, 1841. Leaders of the attack that followed included Layman's neighbours, John Bussell and Captain John Molloy, who was a local official. This event led to many Waadandi Noongar people being shot at Lake Minninup.

Later, settlers tried to make the event seem less serious than it was.

What Was the Wonnerup Massacre?

The Wonnerup massacre was a very sad and violent event that took place in 1841. It involved the killing of many Indigenous Australian people, specifically the Waadandi Noongar people. They were killed by European settlers who had come to live in the area. This happened near a place called Wonnerup in Western Australia.

The People Involved

The Waadandi Noongar people are the traditional owners of the land where Wonnerup is located. They had lived there for thousands of years. European settlers began arriving in the area in the early 1800s, which sometimes led to conflict over land and resources.

How the Massacre Started

The massacre began after a settler named George Layman was killed. He was killed by a Waadandi man named Gaywal/Gaywaar on February 21, 1841. This event caused a lot of anger among the European settlers.

The Leaders of the Attack

After George Layman's death, some settlers decided to take revenge. The main leaders of this attack were John Bussell and Captain John Molloy. John Molloy was an important local official, known as a resident magistrate. They gathered other settlers to carry out the attack.

The Attack at Lake Minninup

The settlers went to Lake Minninup, where they found a group of Waadandi Noongar people. There, many Waadandi Noongar people were shot and killed. This was a very dark moment in the history of the region.

Remembering the Event

For a long time after the massacre, many settlers tried to hide or downplay what had happened. To "downplay" something means to make it seem less important or less severe than it really was. This made it harder for the true story of the Wonnerup massacre to be known for many years. Today, it is important to remember and understand these events as part of Australian history.