Lutruwita War and Resistance
Summary ▸Listen
The Black War: Tasmania still torn by its history The Point, NITV, 2018 https://www.facebook.com/reel/10155519202722005
Tasmanian Aboriginal resistance warriors still not recognised ABC News, 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e-5e2gpUXQ
Spearim, Bo Frontier War Stories - Teangi Brown - Black Wars Frontier War Stories, 2020 https://open.spotify.com/episode/2pXAVh47HWnenavZNuNr7H?si=1b266e524ae048ed
Spearim, Bo Uncle Rodney Dillon Frontier War Stories, 2022 https://open.spotify.com/episode/5m9k8bobucswrfR1n5E6QT?si=257e7ffbe44a4917
Notes
Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.
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3 May 1804Risdon Cove, River Derwent — massacre
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1 Nov 1815 – 30 Nov 1815Scantlands Plains — massacre
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1 Jan 1826 – 30 May 1826East Bay Neck — massacre
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14 Mar 1826Mayfield, Oyster Bay — massacre
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15 Sep 1826Dairy Plains (2), Meander River — massacre
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9 Dec 1826Bank Head Farm, Pittwater — massacre
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12 Apr 1827Mt Augusta, Ross — massacre
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1 May 1827 – 15 May 1827Sally Peak (1) — massacre
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26 Jun 1827Quamby Bluff (1), Westmoreland Falls — massacre
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27 Jun 1827Quamby Bluff (2), Quamby Brook — massacre
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5 Jul 1827Quamby Bluff (3) — massacre
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13 Jul 1827Quamby Bluff (4) — massacre
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1 Nov 1827 – 10 Nov 1827Blackman River, intersection of Brumby Creek and Lake River — massacre
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1 Dec 1827 – 31 Dec 1827The Retreat, (Cheshunt) Dairy Plains, Meander River — massacre
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1 Dec 1827 – 31 Dec 1827Dairy Plains, Meander River — massacre
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1 Jan 1828 – 31 Jan 1828Cape Grim (1) — massacre
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10 Feb 1828Cape Grim (2) — massacre
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1 Mar 1828 – 31 Mar 1828Lagoon Lower Marshes near Jordan River — massacre
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2 Apr 1828Elizabeth River, Eastern Tiers — massacre
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1 Jul 1828 – 30 Jul 1828Eastern Tiers — massacre
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23 Oct 1828Cockatoo Valley, Hollow Tree — massacre
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6 Dec 1828Tooms Lake, Eastern Tiers — massacre
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31 Jan 1829St Paul's River — massacre
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31 Jan 1829Eastern Marshes — massacre
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18 Feb 1829West Tamar — massacre
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1 Mar 1829 – 5 Mar 1829Richmond, Coal River — massacre
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10 Mar 1829Clyde and Ouse Rivers — massacre
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12 Mar 1829Bullock Hunting Ground — massacre
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28 Mar 1829Jones River, near Miles Opening — massacre
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1 Jun 1829 – 30 Jun 1829Three Thumbs, Pittwater — massacre
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1 Sep 1829East of Ben Lomond — massacre
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1 Apr 1830 – 8 Apr 1830Upper Clyde River — massacre
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18 Apr 1830Whitefoord Hills, Meander River — massacre
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22 Aug 1830 – 27 Aug 1830Clyde River — massacre
The following lists references to some people involved in this conflict. More may be added in future.
This information has been collected from various sources, including the Colonial Frontier Massacres, 1788-1930 project (Ryan et al, 2025) and the South Australian Frontier and it's Legacies project (Foster et al), as well as ongoing research in primary sources. Finding and gathering this much information in millions of pages of colonial texts and other sources would not be possible without the use of computer automation. All information is checked but human and computer error can persist. Please let us know any corrections. Where possible, links are provided to sources to read the full text.
Country/Nation/People/Language indicates which Indigenous group people belonged to. Different people in different places prefer different terminology, and sometimes the 'belonging' relates to one of these not another. In many cases, due to colonists' limited knowledge, the archival record only uses generalised and sometimes racist terms (eg: 'blacks' or 'Murrimbidgee blacks'). In the absence of any other detail, although people travelled and visisted, we may infer the people involved were the people of the region the event occurred.
Listed are:
- Named Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander people. This includes people involved in violent action, or in some other way involved, such as messengers. In many cases only the colonists' name (alias or aka - 'also known as') for the person is available.
- Colonists involved in the conflict. This includes people who were involved in violent actions such as massacres and shooting, or whose stock, runs or huts were raided, or similar. It may include people who played a significant role in the conflict in other ways, such as the Governor or regional administrators who ordered actions or established policies in relation to the conflict.
- Unnamed individuals or groups of people. This is as specific as possible. If a group is mentioned that is indicated and if an individual is mentioned, we also list that individual. It may be difficult to disentangle which individuals and groups in source texts are the same, and which different. Indigenous people go unnamed in colonial records of conflict encounters more commonly than colonists, but sometimes reporting also did not refer to low status workers and convicts by name, and referred to them by role, such as 'a stockman', 'a shepherd', or by their employer's name, such as, 'Mr Smith's men'.
- Auxilliaries. This is a general category for people aiding or working for one side or another, who might not be regarded as 'from' that side. Usually this means Indigenous people working for, or acting on behalf of colonists such as trackers, workers and Native Police. This can also apply to colonists working within and on behalf of Indigenous culture (such as William Buckley). The distinction is not always clear cut and some individuals acted on both sides of the conflict or changed sides. This may be voluntarily or by coercion.
No resolved people found for this war.
Unnamed Aboriginal People
This data has not yet been gathered. Research work is ongoing. To help, please consider donating or contact us to volunteer or about setting up research projects in your area.
Unnamed Colonists
This data has not yet been gathered. Research work is ongoing. To help, please consider donating or contact us to volunteer or about setting up research projects in your area.
Unnamed Auxilliaries
This data has not yet been gathered. Research work is ongoing. To help, please consider donating or contact us to volunteer or about setting up research projects in your area.