Massacre at Batavia area (3), Archer River (2)

Date: 2 Jun 1889 – 14 Jun 1889
Place: Batavia area (3), Archer River (2)
Event type: massacre
Direct violence: Yes
Two weeks after the Aboriginal killing of Edward Watson at Pine Tree Station in early May, 1889, Sub-Inspector Frederick Urquhart arrived at nearby Mein Telegraph station and collected a party of 40 armed men on horseback, comprising three detachments of native police, Watson's brother and settlers and stockmen from the Cape York region and in early June commenced a two-week campaign of dispersal of five Kaanju camps in the Batavia River (Wenlock) area at five sites (Bottoms, 2013, p 124).
Notes:
CorroborationRating: *
LanguageGroup: Kaanju
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 20

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Sources

Event mentions

  • Massacre at Batavia area (3), Archer River (2)
    2 Jun 1889 – 14 Jun 1889 — Batavia area (3), Archer River (2) — massacre
    Two weeks after the Aboriginal killing of Edward Watson at Pine Tree Station in early May, 1889, Sub-Inspector Frederick Urquhart arrived at nearby Mein Telegraph station and collected a party of 40 armed men on horseback, comprising three detachments of native police, Watson's brother and settlers and stockmen from the Cape York region and in early June commenced a two-week campaign of dispersal of five Kaanju camps in the Batavia River (Wenlock) area at five sites (Bottoms, 2013, p 124).
    Source: Brisbane Courier, 20 May 1889, p 5 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3496350; 28 May 1889, p 5 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3496688; Queenslander, 1 June 1889, p 1013 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19814504; Vogan, 1890, p 137; Loos, 1982, p 61; Bottoms, 2013, p 124.