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Myall Creek Massacre in Australia: 28 Aboriginal Australians are murdered

The Myall Creek massacre was the killing of at least 28 unarmed Aboriginal people in the Colony of New South Wales by eight colonists on 10 June 1838 at the Myall Creek in the north of the colony.

The Myall Creek massacre was the killing of at least 28 unarmed Aboriginal people in the Colony of New South Wales by eight colonists on 10 June 1838 at the Myall Creek in the north of the colony. Seven perpetrators were convicted of murder and hanged.

This was one of the few alleged massacres of Aboriginal people to have been proven in court. After two trials, seven perpetrators of twelve accused were found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by hanging. Four men were never retried on additional charges following their acquittal in the first trial. The leader of the perpetrators, free settler John Henry Fleming, evaded arrest and was never tried. The trials and guilty verdicts sparked extreme controversy within New South Wales settler society.

Historical Significance

The Myall Creek massacre was the killing of at least 28 unarmed Aboriginal people in the Colony of New South Wales by eight colonists on 10 June 1838 at the Myall Creek in the north of the colony.

Events Before

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  2. German composer Felix Mendelssohn (27) weds French clergyman's daughter Cécile Jeanrenaud (20), until his death in 1847

    German composer Felix Mendelssohn (27) weds French clergyman's daughter Cécile Jeanrenaud (20), until his death in 1847

  3. Charles Goodyear obtains his first rubber patent

    Charles Goodyear obtains his first rubber patent

  4. Earthquake in southern Syria kills thousands

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  5. Michigan admitted as 26th US state

    Michigan ( MISH-ig-ən) is a peninsular state in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwestern United States.

Events After

  1. Louis Daguerre demonstrates his daguerreotype photographic process to the French Academy of Sciences

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  2. English naturalist and "On the Origin of Species" author Charles Darwin (42) marries Emma Wedgwood (41)

    Charles Robert Darwin (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology.

  3. First Grand National steeplechase at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool: Jem Mason wins aboard 5/1 favorite Lottery

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  4. Dutch prince Willem Alexander (later William III) weds cousin Princess Sophia

    Dutch prince Willem Alexander (later William III) weds cousin Princess Sophia

  5. Louis Daguerre's daguerreotype photographic process with complete working instructions is published "free to the world"

    Louis Daguerre's daguerreotype photographic process with complete working instructions is published "free to the world" in Paris as a gift from the French government

More from the 1830s

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Curaçao census: 2,602 white people, 6,531 free people, 5,894 enslaved people

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German Zollverein (Customs Union) comes into effect

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on June 10, 1838?
The Myall Creek massacre was the killing of at least 28 unarmed Aboriginal people in the Colony of New South Wales by eight colonists on 10 June 1838 at the Myall Creek in the north of the colony. Seven perpetrators were convicted of murder and hanged. This was one of the few alleged massacres of Aboriginal people to have been proven in court.
Why is Myall Creek Massacre in Australia: 28 Aboriginal Australians are murdered significant?
The Myall Creek massacre was the killing of at least 28 unarmed Aboriginal people in the Colony of New South Wales by eight colonists on 10 June 1838 at the Myall Creek in the north of the colony.

Explore More

June 10 in HistoryYear 1838