Myall Creek massacre: remembrance

10 June

Content note: This page discusses colonial violence and loss of life without graphic descriptions. Linked historical sources may contain distressing accounts, outdated language, and names or images of deceased people. You can choose how much to read.

10 June marks the anniversary of the Myall Creek massacre of 1838, when at least 28 Wirrayaraay people were killed near present-day Bingara in northern New South Wales. This is a date for remembrance and truth-telling, honouring the people who died, their families and descendants, and the continuing life of Aboriginal communities.

The history behind the date

The Wirrayaraay people were part of the Gamilaraay nation. The massacre occurred during the expansion of pastoral settlement into their Country, within a wider history of dispossession and frontier violence. Remembering that context helps explain why the events cannot be treated as an isolated tragedy detached from colonisation.

The National Museum of Australia records the killing of at least 28 people on 10 June 1838. The precise final number has not been confirmed. A respectful account acknowledges the limits of surviving records while keeping the lives and humanity of the people affected at its centre.

The trials and the question of justice

The court proceedings that followed were exceptional in a period when perpetrators of violence against Aboriginal people were rarely punished. After an initial acquittal, seven men were convicted in a second trial and executed in December 1838. The legal outcome did not end frontier violence or undo the loss experienced by families.

The trial record is significant historical evidence, but it is not the whole story of Myall Creek. Reading official records alongside descendants’ accounts of remembrance helps avoid allowing the perpetrators and court process to overshadow the people whose lives were taken.

Descendants, remembrance and the memorial

The Myall Creek Memorial opened on 10 June 2000. Its development involved Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, including descendants of those killed and of perpetrators. Friends of Myall Creek describes the memorial as a place for learning, reflection and acknowledgement.

The annual historical anniversary is 10 June. An organised memorial service may take place on a different date around the June long weekend. Check the organisers’ current program before planning attendance; the anniversary entry is not a booking notice for a particular year’s ceremony.

Marking the anniversary with care

Begin with the guidance and resources of the memorial’s community. Give people a choice about participating in discussions, preview material before sharing it, and avoid graphic images or reenactments. Aboriginal students, colleagues and community members should not be expected to explain personal experiences or speak for everyone.

For schools and workplaces, useful questions include whose accounts have been preserved, why public acknowledgement matters, and how remembrance relates to responsibility today. Respect permissions for stories and photographs. Any invitation to a community contributor should agree the purpose, support, payment and use of their contribution beforehand.

Sources and further reading

Myall Creek massacre. National Museum of Australia. Historical context, the date, the trials and the limits of the recorded death toll. Contains distressing historical accounts.
National Museum historical account

The Memorial Story. Friends of Myall Creek. Community account of the creation of the memorial and descendants’ involvement.
The Memorial Story

Myall Creek Massacre and Memorial Site. Australian Government heritage listing. Background on the place and its national historical significance.
National Heritage listing

What’s on. Friends of Myall Creek. Check current memorial arrangements and community activities separately from the historical anniversary.
Current memorial information