Mapping Australian history and culture
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| Name | Aboriginal Resistance - Strategic Areas |
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| Description | At present this layer is just a way to make some quick notes of some important places in the Australian Wars of places where the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resistance used terrain and waters strategically, for example, to evade pursuit in labyrinthine ranges; using rocky and swampy terrain where horses could not easily go; rugged and forested or scrubby terrain where fire and steep slopes could be used to evade capture; etc. |
| Type | Other |
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| Content Warning | Colonial violence. |
| Number of places | 9 |
| Contributor | Dr Bill Pascoe |
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| Allow ANPS? | No |
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| Added | 2024-04-27 12:06:52 |
| Updated | 2026-04-12 15:35:33 |
Rocky and swampy terrain used by Gunditjmara in the Eumeralla wars.
Extremely arid country NW of Coniston used to evade Murray's 1st massacre expedition, where it's not possible to survive without knowing the location of the few soaks. Murray also mentioned the difficulty of pursing people in the ranges to the north west, but there don't seem to be any ranges out here. Perhaps that was the ones west of Yuendumu? Though it seems pretty clear he was going up towards Tanami, where it was supposed that Aboriginal warriors were attacking from.
Very rugged forested and rocky country with precipitous gullies used as a base from which to raid sheep stations on the western plains, and evade horseborne pursuit. Fire and steep rocky inclines were also used in tactical manouvres.
Multiple forested and mountainous areas near Brisbane and Toowoomba used in resistance. See Kerkhove detailed maps and accounts.
Used by Wailwan Aboriginal people during organised resistance a 'secure retreat' where they could be 'generally informed of the approach of any policeman'. Eg: a war party of 40 warriors assembled after a meeting of Aboriginal people from this region, Darling River and Lachlan River region. Large gatherings of 150 or 200 men plus women and children occurred.
Mr W.H. Wright to Colonial Secretary Thomson, 15th January, 1846. pp8-10 in
Watson, Frederick (1925). Historical records of Australia. Series I. Governors' despatches to and from England. Volume XXV, April, 1846-September, 1847 / [edited by Frederick Watson]. La Trobe. Book. https://doi.org/10.26181/22300306.v1
34918_SOURCE01_2_A.pdf
'Almost inaccessible stronghold...' see https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialmassacres/detail.php?r=907
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/233729813
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1986249
As well as using the mountain strongholds, Aboriginal people were given asylum and hospice at particular pastoral runs east of Expedition Range who wanted to collaborate with Aboriginal people and for them to work on runs and were opposed to the Native Police, and other colonists who favoured exile and extermination of Aboriginal people.
'Following these engagements, the Aborigines withdrew to Fraser Island,
which, according to the whites, they seemed to be using as a convenient
natural fortress, for the avoidance of European reprisal raids. At a
meeting of the three Native Police officers with Magistrate Bidwell and
local squatter, Edward B. Uhr, in mid-February 1851, it was maintained that
on previous occasions the natives had retired to the island ’after committing
murders’ and that this place was tactically regarded by them ’as a stronghold
from which they can issue at any time to commit fresh crimes.’ The group
concluded that it must be demonstrated to the natives that ’they will not
be able to continue the above system’ and that the Force must "finally
put a stop to collisions between whites and blacks."75'
p52 Lauer, 1977 https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:1dac35b