The Myall Creek massacre

The Myall Creek massacre 

Was the killing of at least thirty unarmed Indigenous Australians by twelve colonists on 10 June 1838 at the Myall Creek near the Gwydir River, in northern New South Wales. After two trials, seven of the twelve colonists were found guilty of murder and sentenced to execution by hanging. 

The trials and guilty verdict sparked extreme controversy within New South Wales settler society. The leader of the perpetrators, free settler John Henry Fleming, evaded arrest and was never tried. Four men were never retried on additional charges following their acquittal in the first trial. 

The prosecutions are among the few known to have been successful that were conducted against Australian settlers accused of massacring Aboriginals. They have been described as more akin to war crimes trials than a standard murder prosecution. A contemporary editorial in one newspaper argued at length that "the murders... are, to a serious extent, chargeable upon us as a nation."

 A monument to the victims of the massacre was erected in 2000 by a group of Aboriginal and non-aboriginal people as an act of reconciliation. The site includes a walk with historical plaques explaining background and the trials. A memorial service is held annually to acknowledge the massacre and trials.