Australian Wars and Resistance
The following list of wars, their titles and dates is provisional. Because these wars were not officially declared and there are no treaties their location and dates must be inferred from real events. Because they were fought as asymmetrical guerilla wars these events are not pitched battles between large armies, but raids, killings and massacres. This list is based on massacres and will be updated as collaborative research continues. To understand how this list and the map were derived, please see the Methods section.
Detialed interactive maps can be found by scrolling down the computational results.
These wars and resistance movements had various stages within them. They were part of broader regional conflict, and within 4 broad periods of frontier violence.
Wars and Resistance Movements
Sydney: 1794-09-01 to 1818-10-01 (6 massacres)
Lutruwita: 1804-05-03 to 1830-08-27 (34 massacres)
Wiradjuri/Bathurst: 1823-06-01 to 1824-09-30 (6 massacres)
Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie: 1824-01-01 to 1828-12-31 (8 massacres)
Tiwi: 1824-01-20 to 1828-07-21 (2 massacres)*
Noongar: 1829-01-01 to 1880-11-30 (13 massacres)
Bays: 1831-07-01 to 1862-08-31 (17 massacres)
Eumeralla: 1833-03-01 to 1860-01-12 (28 massacres)
Northern Rivers: 1834-01-01 to 1895-06-07 (20 massacres)
Torres Strait: 1834-08-01 to 1869-06-30 (6 massacres)
Gomeroi: 1835-01-01 to 1838-08-31 (9 massacres)
South Road: 1836-01-01 to 1843-12-15 (13 massacres)
Murray River: 1836-05-27 to 1848-06-30 (12 massacres)
Southern Wiradjuri: 1839-01-01 to 1854-31-12*
Gunai Kurnai: 1840-01-01 to 1851-05-31 (13 massacres)
Inland Rivers: 1841-01-01 to 1870-12-31 (8 massacres)
Anewan: 1841-05-01 to 1860-06-30 (4 massacres)
McIntyre River: 1842-09-11 to 1849-06-30 (9 massacres)
Mandandanji: 1848-01-01 to 1853-09-29 (10 massacres)
Eyre Peninsula: 1849-05-01 to 1856-01-14 (1 massacres)*
Flinders Ranges: 1852-03-17 to 1863-11-27 (2 massacres)*
Rockhampton: 1855-12-27 to 1872-12-31 (5 massacres)
Upper Dawson: 1857-10-27 to 1864-12-13 (15 massacres)
Northern Downs: 1861-10-30 to 1872-12-31 (7 massacres)
Gulf Country: 1861-12-01 to 1918-12-31 (24 massacres)
Tropical Coast: 1864-01-01 to 1890-06-30 (13 massacres)
Cape York: 1864-12-16 to 1902-12-31 (14 massacres)
Pilbara: 1864-01-01 to 1899-12-31 (5 massacres)
Daly and Mary River: 1864-09-08 to 1895-07-30 (7 massacres)
Channel Country and Thargomindah: 1865-01-01 to 1899-12-31 (9 massacres)
Bowen: 1866-07-01 to 1880-12-31 (4 massacres)
Roper River: 1872-07-01 to 1904-12-31 (12 massacres)
Central Desert: 1873-07-18 to 1928-10-15 (21 massacres)
Yolngu: 1875-08-08 to 1913-12-31 (7 massacres)
Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges: 1879-02-01 to 1884-09-30 (8 massacres)
Kimberley East: 1880-01-01 to 1926-07-31 (31 massacres)
Central WA: 1886-01-01 to 1910-09-11 (5 massacres)
Victoria River: 1886-04-01 to 1924-12-31 (18 massacres)
Bunuba and Kimberley West: 1892-06-01 to 1927-12-10 (10 massacres)
Outliers: 1806-03-01 to 1900-07-20 (3 massacres)*
* There are only one or two massacres in the data for the wars in the Tiwi Islands, Southern Wiradjuri, Flinders Ranges and Eyre Peninsula. i These have been included because they are already known from history. The massacre data has been supplemented with some specific incidents from these wars that are not massacres. All wars will be supplemented with other events like this as research continues. Some massacres have been treated as 'outliers'. One is a massacre occurring long after other massacres in the region which would skew the time period of the intensity of violence in that region. Another was a massacre of Macassans. Twofold Bay occured in the early period, but is far from Sydney and may be considered part of the maritime conflict in the south, related to sealing and whaling. These are none the less important events.
Maritime Conflicts
In addition there were 2 broad areas of conflict focused on ocean resources which lead to violent conflict.
Sealing and Whaling (South)
Sealing and Whaling throughout the south of the continent had focal points where colonists based their operations, and conducted their activity. This includes Twofold Bay, Bass Strait, Kangaroo Island and Eyre Peninsula, and various locations around Perth and Albany. These lead to abductions of women, and violent incidents including a massacre at Twofold Bay and at Convincing Ground. The massacre of shipwrecked colonists from the 'Maria' at the Coorong may also have been a response to prior contact with sealers and whalers.
Pearling and Trepanging (North)
Pearling and trepanging throughout the north of Australia also had various focal points, such as at Broome, the Northern Territory and Cape York. 'Shanghaiing' or abducting people to work on ships was part of this conflict. Blackbirding is also related. The massacre of Macassan trepangers by Aboriginal people is another aspect of this conflict.
Stages within Wars
These wars included various stages. In some cases the focal points of the war began in one region and proceeded to another, such as where colonists expanded further, or Aboriginal people retreated to defensive positions and were later found and attacked there. In other cases fighting became more intense over the region different times.
Anewan: Macleay and Nambucca: 1841-05-01 to 1841-05-31 (1 incidents)
Anewan: Anewan: 1852-08-01 to 1860-06-30 (3 incidents)
Bays: Early: 1831-07-01 to 1832-12-31 (2 incidents)
Bays: Moreton Bay and Darlling Downs: 1841-10-01 to 1847-04-20 (8 incidents)
Bays: Wide Bay: 1849-06-01 to 1854-11-01 (3 incidents)
Bays: Late: 1861-01-01 to 1862-08-31 (4 incidents)
Bowen: Early: 1866-07-01 to 1867-04-30 (2 incidents)
Bowen: Late: 1878-08-01 to 1880-12-31 (2 incidents)
Bunuba: West: 1892-06-01 to 1895-12-31 (2 incidents)
Bunuba: Geike Gorge: 1894-11-19 to 1895-06-30 (3 incidents)
Bunuba: South : 1896-08-14 to 1896-08-14 (1 incidents)
Cape York: Early: 1864-12-16 to 1864-12-18 (2 incidents)
Cape York: Mid: 1873-11-05 to 1881-10-31 (5 incidents)
Cape York: Late: 1889-06-01 to 1902-12-31 (7 incidents)
Central Desert: Early: 1873-07-18 to 1897-12-31 (12 incidents)
Central Desert: Mid: 1902-08-01 to 1921-12-31 (5 incidents)
Central Desert: Late: 1928-08-15 to 1928-10-15 (4 incidents)
Central WA: Outlier: 1886-01-01 to 1886-12-31 (1 incidents)
Central WA: Goldfields: 1890-01-01 to 1910-09-11 (4 incidents)
Channel Country and Thargomindah: Thargomindah: 1865-01-01 to 1865-12-31 (2 incidents)
Channel Country and Thargomindah: Early: 1872-01-01 to 1879-04-30 (4 incidents)
Channel Country and Thargomindah: Late: 1890-01-01 to 1899-12-31 (3 incidents)
Daly and Mary River: Early: 1864-09-08 to 1878-05-01 (4 incidents)
Daly and Mary River: Mid: 1884-09-02 to 1884-10-17 (2 incidents)
Daly and Mary River: Late: 1895-07-01 to 1895-07-30 (1 incidents)
Eumeralla: Sealing and Whaling: 1833-03-01 to 1834-03-31 (1 incidents)
Eumeralla: Henty: 1838-10-15 to 1840-12-31 (6 incidents)
Eumeralla: South East: 1839-10-01 to 1860-01-12 (9 incidents)
Eumeralla: Grampains: 1840-08-12 to 1841-06-30 (3 incidents)
Eumeralla: North East: 1840-11-01 to 1841-07-25 (2 incidents)
Eumeralla: North West: 1843-08-06 to 1854-11-30 (6 incidents)
Eumeralla: Isolated: 1846-08-01 to 1846-08-02 (1 incidents)
Eyre Peninsula: Eyre Peninsula: 1849-05-01 to 1849-05-17 (2 incidents)
Eyre Peninsula: South Australia: 1856-01-14 to 1856-01-14 (1 incidents)
Flinders Ranges: Flinders Ranges: 1852-03-17 to 1852-03-17 (1 incidents)
Flinders Ranges: South Australia: 1856-01-01 to 1863-11-27 (2 incidents)
Outlier: Isolated: 1900-07-20 to 1900-07-20 (1 incidents)
Gomeroi: South : 1835-01-01 to 1836-07-31 (2 incidents)
Gomeroi: Big River/Gwydir: 1837-10-15 to 1838-08-31 (5 incidents)
Gomeroi: West: 1838-01-26 to 1838-01-26 (1 incidents)
Gomeroi: East: 1838-06-10 to 1838-06-10 (1 incidents)
Gulf Country: Burketown: 1861-12-01 to 1868-05-31 (3 incidents)
Gulf Country: Early: 1872-01-01 to 1876-12-20 (4 incidents)
Gulf Country: Mid: 1880-10-01 to 1897-05-15 (15 incidents)
Gulf Country: Late: 1910-07-01 to 1918-12-31 (2 incidents)
Gunai Kurnai: West: 1840-01-01 to 1842-12-31 (4 incidents)
Gunai Kurnai: Lowlands: 1842-12-01 to 1842-12-31 (1 incidents)
Gunai Kurnai: Warrigal Creek: 1843-07-01 to 1843-07-31 (5 incidents)
Gunai Kurnai: East: 1846-12-20 to 1851-05-31 (3 incidents)
Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie: Port Macquarie: 1824-01-01 to 1826-02-28 (3 incidents)
Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie: Yengo: 1825-11-15 to 1825-11-30 (1 incidents)
Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie: Valley: 1826-09-01 to 1827-02-25 (2 incidents)
Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie: Worimi: 1828-01-01 to 1828-12-31 (1 incidents)
Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie: Upper Hunter: 1828-04-01 to 1828-04-30 (1 incidents)
Inland Rivers: Early: 1841-01-01 to 1841-12-31 (1 incidents)
Inland Rivers: Marshes: 1841-10-01 to 1845-09-30 (2 incidents)
Inland Rivers: South : 1854-01-01 to 1854-12-31 (1 incidents)
Inland Rivers: Mid: 1858-01-01 to 1859-02-24 (2 incidents)
Inland Rivers: Late: 1866-08-01 to 1870-12-31 (2 incidents)
Macassans: Outlier: 1893-01-01 to 1893-06-30 (1 incidents)
Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges: Selwyn Ranges: 1879-02-01 to 1879-02-28 (5 incidents)
Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges: Kalkadoon: 1883-08-01 to 1884-09-30 (3 incidents)
Kimberley East: Early: 1880-01-01 to 1899-12-31 (10 incidents)
Kimberley East: Mid: 1893-09-18 to 1900-12-31 (12 incidents)
Kimberley East: Late: 1908-01-01 to 1926-07-31 (10 incidents)
Kimberley West: Late: 1912-01-06 to 1927-12-10 (3 incidents)
Lutruwita: Early: 1804-05-03 to 1815-11-30 (2 incidents)
Lutruwita: South East: 1826-01-01 to 1829-06-30 (11 incidents)
Lutruwita: Gog Range: 1826-09-15 to 1827-12-31 (7 incidents)
Lutruwita: Centre: 1827-11-01 to 1828-03-31 (2 incidents)
Lutruwita: North West: 1828-01-01 to 1828-02-10 (2 incidents)
Lutruwita: South West: 1828-10-23 to 1830-08-27 (5 incidents)
Lutruwita: North East: 1829-01-31 to 1829-09-01 (2 incidents)
Lutruwita: North : 1829-02-18 to 1830-04-18 (3 incidents)
Mandandanji: South : 1848-01-01 to 1853-09-29 (4 incidents)
Mandandanji: North : 1848-10-01 to 1852-11-30 (6 incidents)
McIntyre River: East: 1842-09-11 to 1849-05-31 (4 incidents)
McIntyre River: West: 1844-01-01 to 1849-06-30 (5 incidents)
Murray River: Early: 1836-05-27 to 1839-11-11 (3 incidents)
Murray River: Tar Ru: 1839-12-01 to 1841-08-27 (3 incidents)
Murray River: Coorong: 1840-07-01 to 1840-07-14 (1 incidents)
Murray River: Adelaide Overland: 1841-05-01 to 1841-08-26 (3 incidents)
Murray River: Late: 1846-01-01 to 1848-06-30 (2 incidents)
Noongar: Swan River: 1829-01-01 to 1834-10-28 (5 incidents)
Noongar: York: 1832-07-01 to 1837-11-16 (2 incidents)
Noongar: South West: 1837-01-10 to 1860-12-31 (4 incidents)
Noongar: North : 1854-06-03 to 1854-08-11 (1 incidents)
Noongar: Albany: 1880-10-01 to 1880-11-30 (1 incidents)
Northern Downs: North : 1861-10-30 to 1872-12-31 (2 incidents)
Northern Downs: East: 1864-01-01 to 1870-12-31 (3 incidents)
Northern Downs: West: 1866-10-01 to 1868-12-31 (2 incidents)
Northern Rivers: Worimi: 1834-01-01 to 1841-12-31 (5 incidents)
Northern Rivers: Macleay and Nambucca: 1840-05-20 to 1856-12-31 (6 incidents)
Northern Rivers: Clarence and Richmond: 1841-01-01 to 1854-01-31 (8 incidents)
Northern Rivers: Isolated: 1895-06-07 to 1895-06-07 (1 incidents)
Pilbara: Mid: 1864-01-01 to 1864-08-31 (1 incidents)
Pilbara: North : 1865-04-04 to 1865-04-06 (1 incidents)
Pilbara: South : 1868-05-01 to 1869-07-31 (2 incidents)
Pilbara: Late: 1890-01-01 to 1899-12-31 (1 incidents)
Rockhampton: Early: 1855-12-27 to 1856-01-10 (2 incidents)
Rockhampton: Late: 1865-01-01 to 1872-12-31 (3 incidents)
Roper River: Calico Creek: 1872-07-01 to 1878-12-22 (2 incidents)
Roper River: Roper River: 1872-07-24 to 1875-08-29 (4 incidents)
Roper River: Mataranka: 1875-08-05 to 1882-10-30 (4 incidents)
Roper River: Late: 1901-01-01 to 1904-12-31 (2 incidents)
South Road: East: 1836-01-01 to 1836-12-31 (1 incidents)
South Road: Kulin: 1836-07-16 to 1838-08-31 (3 incidents)
South Road: Yorta Yorta: 1837-11-01 to 1843-12-15 (5 incidents)
South Road: West: 1838-07-01 to 1840-01-31 (3 incidents)
South Road: North : 1839-08-01 to 1839-08-31 (1 incidents)
Southern Wiradjuri: Early: 1839-01-01 to 1839-08-31 (2 incidents)
Southern Wiradjuri: Late: 1854-01-01 to 1854-12-31 (1 incidents)
Sydney: Hawkesbury: 1794-09-01 to 1805-04-27 (3 incidents)
Sydney: Twofold Bay: 1806-03-01 to 1806-03-01 (1 incidents)
Sydney: South : 1816-04-17 to 1818-10-01 (2 incidents)
Tiwi: Tiwi Island: 1824-01-20 to 1828-07-21 (2 incidents)
Tiwi: Peninsula: 1827-07-30 to 1827-07-30 (1 incidents)
Torres Strait: Mainland Islands: 1834-08-01 to 1867-12-31 (2 incidents)
Torres Strait: Islands: 1859-12-01 to 1869-06-30 (4 incidents)
Tropical Coast: Early: 1864-01-01 to 1873-03-27 (8 incidents)
Tropical Coast: Late: 1880-01-01 to 1890-06-30 (5 incidents)
Upper Dawson: Upper Dawson: 1857-10-27 to 1860-03-08 (6 incidents)
Upper Dawson: Nogoa: 1861-10-17 to 1861-10-28 (3 incidents)
Upper Dawson: South West: 1861-10-19 to 1864-12-13 (3 incidents)
Upper Dawson: Expedition Range: 1861-12-10 to 1862-12-31 (3 incidents)
Victoria River: Wave Hill Early: 1886-04-01 to 1890-08-16 (2 incidents)
Victoria River: Willeroo Station: 1892-10-20 to 1895-11-30 (3 incidents)
Victoria River: Downs: 1894-08-01 to 1900-06-30 (4 incidents)
Victoria River: Bradshaw Station: 1895-12-11 to 1896-12-31 (3 incidents)
Victoria River: Ranges: 1910-06-01 to 1914-06-30 (3 incidents)
Victoria River: Wave Hill Late: 1919-12-10 to 1924-12-31 (3 incidents)
Wiradjuri/Bathurst: South : 1823-06-01 to 1824-06-02 (3 incidents)
Wiradjuri/Bathurst: North : 1824-05-24 to 1824-09-30 (3 incidents)
Yolngu: Early: 1875-08-08 to 1875-08-09 (1 incidents)
Yolngu: Mid: 1885-01-01 to 1896-12-31 (2 incidents)
Yolngu: Late: 1903-01-01 to 1913-12-31 (4 incidents)
Regions
These wars occurred within broader regions of conflict.
East: 1794-09-01 to 1900-07-20 (88 incidents)
North East: 1834-08-01 to 1902-12-31 (42 incidents)
North West: 1880-01-01 to 1927-12-10 (59 incidents)
Centre: 1865-01-01 to 1928-10-15 (43 incidents)
North: 1824-01-20 to 1913-12-31 (30 incidents)
South East: 1833-03-01 to 1860-01-12 (66 incidents)
South: 1849-05-01 to 1863-11-27 (6 incidents)
Gulf Country: 1861-12-01 to 1918-12-31 (24 incidents)
Lutruwita: 1804-05-03 to 1830-08-27 (34 incidents)
North East Inland: 1848-01-01 to 1872-12-31 (32 incidents)
South West: 1829-01-01 to 1880-11-30 (13 incidents)
Pilbara: 1864-01-01 to 1899-12-31 (5 incidents)
Periods
Wars and resistance occurred within 4 broad periods of conflict.
Early: 1794-09-01 to 1838-12-31 (72 incidents)
South: 1835-01-01 to 1870-12-31 (142 incidents)
North: 1848-10-01 to 1904-12-31 (188 incidents)
Late: 1903-01-01 to 1928-10-15 (36 incidents)