Australian Wars and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-09
name Australian Wars and Resistance
description

This is a provisional map of Australian wars and resistance movements from 1788 to the 1930s. It was created using computational 'clustering' methods based primarily on massacres, and checked against historical evidence and secondary sources and some Indigenous knowledge. It was produced in response to a century of demands for recognition of these wars and resistance, from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The methodology to produce the map was developed after 8 years of consultative research into Colonial Frontier Massacres, during the Historical Frontier Violence ARC grant, which was overseen by an Indigenous steering committee, and which included Aboriginal academics. The methodology has been presented without objection to Indigenous forums and in yarns with no outright objection and with feedback and suggestions that have been responded to and included. This map is meant only as a beginning and to prompt collaborative research, done the right way, into each of these wars and resistance movements. Massacres are only part of the story, and more events will be added over time. We hope also to identify hundreds of named and thousands of unnamed people in these wars. This work is supported by a collective of more than 50 historians and Indigenous people. As we learn more this map may change.

url https://tlcmap.org/publiccollections/189
copyrightNotice

Ask first.

comment

This map links to information that may to contain descriptions of violence and historical racist attitudes.

Layers

Anewan War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-09
name Anewan War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url
temporalCoverage 1841-05-01/1860-06-30
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Anewan War and Resistance
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description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Anewan War and Resistance
KML export of Anewan War and Resistance
name KML export of Anewan War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Anewan War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Anewan War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Anewan War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Anewan War and Resistance

Bays War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-09
name Bays War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2477
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Bays War and Resistance
name CSV export of Bays War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Bays War and Resistance
KML export of Bays War and Resistance
name KML export of Bays War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Bays War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Bays War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Bays War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Bays War and Resistance

Bowen War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-09
name Bowen War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2478
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Bowen War and Resistance
name CSV export of Bowen War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Bowen War and Resistance
KML export of Bowen War and Resistance
name KML export of Bowen War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Bowen War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Bowen War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Bowen War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Bowen War and Resistance

Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance
description

Listen

Ross, Joe (Bunuba) Jandamarra, Rebel Films, ICTV https://ictv.com.au/video/3739-jandamarra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://ictv.com.au/video/3739-jandamarra

Ross, Joe (Bunuba) The Jandamarra Story Fancy Films, Vimeo, https://vimeo.com/272681039" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://vimeo.com/272681039

Jandamarra's War Electric Pictures 2011 https://vimeo.com/ondemand/jandamarraswar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://vimeo.com/ondemand/jandamarraswar

Ord, Duncan Jandamarra’s legacy National Museum of Australia, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxvnXG8gl_0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxvnXG8gl_0 

Spearim, Bo Dr Chris Owen, The Kimberley Frontier, 1882-1905 Frontier War Stories, 2021 https://open.spotify.com/episode/2E2CsnuvPGzQYixYKKzWa1?si=4272495dad29454c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://open.spotify.com/episode/2E2CsnuvPGzQYixYKKzWa1?si=4272495dad29454c

Notes

Massacres in this war indicate two main phases, the first in the 1890s, including the Bunuba Resistance and the well known resistance leader Jandamarra, and the second from the mid 1910s to late 1920s.

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url
keywords Event
comment

Contains descriptions of colonial violence. Sources may include racist language and attitudes. References to recordings and works of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people does not necessarily mean they support this work - the intention is only to refer people to the right speakers and sources.

Files

CSV export of Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance
name CSV export of Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance
KML export of Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance
name KML export of Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance

Cape York War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Cape York War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2480
keywords Event
comment

Contains descriptions of colonial violence. Historic sources may contain racist attitudes and language.

Files

CSV export of Cape York War and Resistance
name CSV export of Cape York War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Cape York War and Resistance
KML export of Cape York War and Resistance
name KML export of Cape York War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Cape York War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Cape York War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Cape York War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Cape York War and Resistance

Central Desert War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Central Desert War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2481
keywords Event
comment

Contains descriptions of colonial violence. Historic sources may contain racist attitudes and language.

Files

CSV export of Central Desert War and Resistance
name CSV export of Central Desert War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Central Desert War and Resistance
KML export of Central Desert War and Resistance
name KML export of Central Desert War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Central Desert War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Central Desert War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Central Desert War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Central Desert War and Resistance

Central Western Australia War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Central Western Australia War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2482
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Central Western Australia War and Resistance
name CSV export of Central Western Australia War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Central Western Australia War and Resistance
KML export of Central Western Australia War and Resistance
name KML export of Central Western Australia War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Central Western Australia War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Central Western Australia War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Central Western Australia War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Central Western Australia War and Resistance

Channel Country and Thargomindah

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Channel Country and Thargomindah
description

Events in will be added as research continues as part of the Australian Wars and Resistance work.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2483
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Channel Country and Thargomindah
name CSV export of Channel Country and Thargomindah
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Channel Country and Thargomindah
KML export of Channel Country and Thargomindah
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description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Channel Country and Thargomindah
GeoJSON export of Channel Country and Thargomindah
name GeoJSON export of Channel Country and Thargomindah
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Channel Country and Thargomindah

Daly and Mary River War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Daly and Mary River War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2484
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Daly and Mary River War and Resistance
name CSV export of Daly and Mary River War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Daly and Mary River War and Resistance
KML export of Daly and Mary River War and Resistance
name KML export of Daly and Mary River War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Daly and Mary River War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Daly and Mary River War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Daly and Mary River War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Daly and Mary River War and Resistance

Eumeralla War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Eumeralla War and Resistance
description

Listen

Lovett-Gardiner, Iris Chimney Flats Victorian Collections, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tK1lRxlcv4&t=147s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tK1lRxlcv4&t=147s

Notes

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2485
keywords Event

Files

CSV export of Eumeralla War and Resistance
name CSV export of Eumeralla War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Eumeralla War and Resistance
KML export of Eumeralla War and Resistance
name KML export of Eumeralla War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Eumeralla War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Eumeralla War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Eumeralla War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Eumeralla War and Resistance

Eyre Peninsula War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Eyre Peninsula War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2486
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Eyre Peninsula War and Resistance
name CSV export of Eyre Peninsula War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Eyre Peninsula War and Resistance
KML export of Eyre Peninsula War and Resistance
name KML export of Eyre Peninsula War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Eyre Peninsula War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Eyre Peninsula War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Eyre Peninsula War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Eyre Peninsula War and Resistance

Flinders Ranges War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Flinders Ranges War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2487
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Flinders Ranges War and Resistance
name CSV export of Flinders Ranges War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Flinders Ranges War and Resistance
KML export of Flinders Ranges War and Resistance
name KML export of Flinders Ranges War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Flinders Ranges War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Flinders Ranges War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Flinders Ranges War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Flinders Ranges War and Resistance

Gomeroi War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Gomeroi War and Resistance
description

Events in will be added as research continues as part of the Australian Wars and Resistance work.

See: https://www.mehicentre.com/our-stories" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.mehicentre.com/our-stories on the Mehi Centre website.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2488
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Gomeroi War and Resistance
name CSV export of Gomeroi War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Gomeroi War and Resistance
KML export of Gomeroi War and Resistance
name KML export of Gomeroi War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Gomeroi War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Gomeroi War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Gomeroi War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Gomeroi War and Resistance

Gulf Country War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Gulf Country War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2489
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Gulf Country War and Resistance
name CSV export of Gulf Country War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Gulf Country War and Resistance
KML export of Gulf Country War and Resistance
name KML export of Gulf Country War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Gulf Country War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Gulf Country War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Gulf Country War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Gulf Country War and Resistance

Gunai Kurnai War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Gunai Kurnai War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2490
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Gunai Kurnai War and Resistance
name CSV export of Gunai Kurnai War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Gunai Kurnai War and Resistance
KML export of Gunai Kurnai War and Resistance
name KML export of Gunai Kurnai War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Gunai Kurnai War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Gunai Kurnai War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Gunai Kurnai War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Gunai Kurnai War and Resistance

Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2491
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie War and Resistance
name CSV export of Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie War and Resistance
KML export of Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie War and Resistance
name KML export of Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie War and Resistance

Inland Rivers War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Inland Rivers War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2492
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Inland Rivers War and Resistance
name CSV export of Inland Rivers War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Inland Rivers War and Resistance
KML export of Inland Rivers War and Resistance
name KML export of Inland Rivers War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Inland Rivers War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Inland Rivers War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Inland Rivers War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Inland Rivers War and Resistance

Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2493
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges War and Resistance
name CSV export of Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges War and Resistance
KML export of Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges War and Resistance
name KML export of Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Kalkadoon and Selwyn Ranges War and Resistance

Kimberley East War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Kimberley East War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2494
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Kimberley East War and Resistance
name CSV export of Kimberley East War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Kimberley East War and Resistance
KML export of Kimberley East War and Resistance
name KML export of Kimberley East War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Kimberley East War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Kimberley East War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Kimberley East War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Kimberley East War and Resistance

Lutruwita War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Lutruwita War and Resistance
description

Listen

The Black War: Tasmania still torn by its history The Point, NITV, 2018 https://www.facebook.com/reel/10155519202722005" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.facebook.com/reel/10155519202722005

Tasmanian Aboriginal resistance warriors still not recognised ABC News, 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e-5e2gpUXQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e-5e2gpUXQ

Spearim, Bo Frontier War Stories - Teangi Brown - Black Wars Frontier War Stories, 2020 https://open.spotify.com/episode/2pXAVh47HWnenavZNuNr7H?si=1b266e524ae048ed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://open.spotify.com/episode/2pXAVh47HWnenavZNuNr7H?si=1b266e524ae048ed

Spearim, Bo Uncle Rodney Dillon Frontier War Stories, 2022 https://open.spotify.com/episode/5m9k8bobucswrfR1n5E6QT?si=257e7ffbe44a4917" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://open.spotify.com/episode/5m9k8bobucswrfR1n5E6QT?si=257e7ffbe44a4917

Notes

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2495
keywords Other
comment

Colonial Violence. Sources may include racist language and attitudes. References to recordings and works of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people does not necessarily mean they support this work - the intention is only to refer people to the right speakers and sources.

Files

CSV export of Lutruwita War and Resistance
name CSV export of Lutruwita War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Lutruwita War and Resistance
KML export of Lutruwita War and Resistance
name KML export of Lutruwita War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Lutruwita War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Lutruwita War and Resistance
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description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Lutruwita War and Resistance

Mandandanji War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Mandandanji War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2496
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Mandandanji War and Resistance
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description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Mandandanji War and Resistance
KML export of Mandandanji War and Resistance
name KML export of Mandandanji War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Mandandanji War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Mandandanji War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Mandandanji War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Mandandanji War and Resistance

McIntyre River Wars and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name McIntyre River Wars and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2497
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of McIntyre River Wars and Resistance
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description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of McIntyre River Wars and Resistance
KML export of McIntyre River Wars and Resistance
name KML export of McIntyre River Wars and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of McIntyre River Wars and Resistance
GeoJSON export of McIntyre River Wars and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of McIntyre River Wars and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of McIntyre River Wars and Resistance

Lower Murray War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Lower Murray War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2498
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Lower Murray War and Resistance
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description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Lower Murray War and Resistance
KML export of Lower Murray War and Resistance
name KML export of Lower Murray War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Lower Murray War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Lower Murray War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Lower Murray War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Lower Murray War and Resistance

Noongar War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Noongar War and Resistance
description

Listen

Honouring Indigenous cultural hero Yagan, Stuff The British Stole, ABC TV + iview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3F0x-vliGY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3F0x-vliGY

Notes

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2499
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Noongar War and Resistance
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description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Noongar War and Resistance
KML export of Noongar War and Resistance
name KML export of Noongar War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Noongar War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Noongar War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Noongar War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Noongar War and Resistance

Northern Downs War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Northern Downs War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2500
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Northern Downs War and Resistance
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description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Northern Downs War and Resistance
KML export of Northern Downs War and Resistance
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description KML export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml
FileKML export of Northern Downs War and Resistance
GeoJSON export of Northern Downs War and Resistance
name GeoJSON export of Northern Downs War and Resistance
description GeoJSON export of the layer data
encodingFormat application/geo+json
FileGeoJSON export of Northern Downs War and Resistance

Pilbara War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Pilbara War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2502
keywords Other

Files

CSV export of Pilbara War and Resistance
name CSV export of Pilbara War and Resistance
description CSV export of the layer data
encodingFormat text/csv
FileCSV export of Pilbara War and Resistance
KML export of Pilbara War and Resistance
name KML export of Pilbara War and Resistance
description KML export of the layer data
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Rockhampton War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Rockhampton War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2503
keywords Other

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Roper River War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Roper River War and Resistance
description

The Roper River in the Northern Territory, commences near Mataranka and flows east for about 400km before emptying into the Gulf of Carpentaria at the Limmen Bight. The town of Mataranka is near the western end of the Roper and Ngukurr (Pronounced 'Nook-a', formerly known as 'Roper River Mission') is its eastern terminus.

Aboriginal Peoples

Yugul Mangi collectively includes Alawa, Wandarrang, Ritharrngu/Wagilag, Ngandi, Nunggubuyu, Marra, Ngalakgan, Rembarrng and Binbinga peoples (ANU Centre for Indigenous Policy Research).

Yolngu people represent the traditional owners of north-eastern Arnhem Land, an area generally known as Miwatj. Yolngu literally means ‘people’, which fall into two moieties and numerous clans (National Museum of Australia). Yolngu had frequent interactions with Macassan people from Indonesia and Yolngu language incorporates many Bahasa loan words (Walker & Zorc, 1981, pp 109-133).

Narrative

The Roper River wars began in the early 1870s and endured until the 1940s. There were two catalysts for these wars: the first was associated with surveying and construction of the overland telegraph line; and the second was associated with the westward expansion of pastoralism and droving from Queensland after telegraph stations, which served as supply depots, opened along the line and provided convenient stops for emerging stock routes.

The earliest conflict appears to have occurred in November 1871 when a telegraph construction gang reported several attacks. Gordon Reid wrote:

HD Packard reported that his party had been attacked three times in November 1871 trying to get to Roper Landing [near Ngukurr, formerly Roper River Mission]. Two horses were speared and he was forced to bury some of his stores and beat a retreat to the Katherine River camp. The number of attackers was estimated at between one hundred and two hundred on each occasion (Reid, 1990, p 52).

John Sandefur (1985, p 209) noted that by 1890 the situation began to stabilise after an extremely violent 20 years during which “many Aborigines had been killed” and others retreated into country not yet taken up by colonisers. However: 

This relatively peaceful state of coexistence…was shattered by the large cattle syndicate, the Eastern and African Cold Storage Company. This company leased the entire eastern half of Arnhem Land comprising some 50,000 square kilometres, and purchased several cattle stations in the area, thus taking in virtually all of the country belonging to the seven major tribes of Ngukurr. 

Moreover:

In 1903 the company engaged in what has been described as ‘probably one of the few authenticated instances in which Aborigines were systematically hunted’ (Bauer 1964:157) and without doubt ‘the most systematic extermination of Aborigines ever carried out on the Roper’ (Merlan 1978:87). For a time the company employed two gangs of ten to fourteen Aborigines headed by a European or a part-European to hunt and shoot ‘wild blacks’ on sight. The company went into liquidation in 1908, the year the CMS [Church Missionary Society] established its mission station on the Roper River (Sandefur, 1985, p 210).

Warfare continued into the 1920s and beyond. Alex Smith wrote:

The Reverend Wilbur Chaseling testified at the Gove land rights case in 1970 that he was told by Wonggu while in the Caledon Bay area in 1935 looking for a suitable site for a new mission station, that a Cape Shield clan was ‘effectively wiped out by men on horseback with rifles’. Chaseling formed the impression that all members of the clan were dead by the early 1920s. See Transcript of Proceedings before His Honour Mr Justice Blackburn, in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory between Millirripum v Nabalco Pty Ltd (1st defendant) and the Commonwealth of Australia (2nd defendant) (Smith, 1990, p 134).

These practices are well known to the people of Ngukurr. Peter and Jay Read recorded an interview with Gertie Huddleston Kurrakain about the pastoralists:

Interviewer: These White men in the station, like at Hodgson Downs, they’d pay these Black police1 to come and shoot the Mara and Alawa people. Why didn’t they do it themselves do you think? Why didn’t they go out on horseback and do the shooting?

Kurrakain:  Because they didn’t know where to go, you know.  The native knew where they would hide, you know. They didn’t know where waterholes, too, were (Read and Read, 1991, pp 8-9). 

Claire Smith recorded Bandicoot Robinson’s account of Tom Boddington poisoning workers and their families at Mainoru Station in 1940. The victims were Rembarrng and Nagalkgan people of whom up to 40 died (Smith C, 2004, p 17).

Contributor: Robyn Smith, 2025

Sources

Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (1996) Map of Indigenous Australia
https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia 
Centre">https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia">https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia 
Centre for Indigenous Policy Research (CIPR), Yugul Mangi: Traditional Owners and area of operation, College of Arts & Social Sciences, Australian National University:
https://cipr.cass.anu.edu.au/yugul-mangi-traditional-owners-and-area-operation
Green">https://cipr.cass.anu.edu.au/yugul-mangi-traditional-owners-and-area-operation">https://cipr.cass.anu.edu.au/yugul-mangi-traditional-owners-and-area-operation
Green J, McDinny N, Hoosan S, Kerins S and Ritchie T (c 2019) Lead in my grandmother’s body:
https://www.leadinmygrandmothersbody.com/ 
National">https://www.leadinmygrandmothersbody.com/">https://www.leadinmygrandmothersbody.com/ 
National Museum of Australia (nd) The Yolngu 
https://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/yalangbara/yolngu 
Northern">https://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/yalangbara/yolngu">https://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/yalangbara/yolngu 
Northern Territory Place Names Register search:
https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/index.jsp 
Read">https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/index.jsp">https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/index.jsp 
Read P and Read J (1991) Long Time, Olden Time: Aboriginal accounts of Northern Territory history, Institute for Aboriginal Development, Darwin.
Reid G (1990) A Picnic with the Natives: Aboriginal-European Relations in the Northern Territory to 1910, Melbourne University Press, Victoria.
Sandefur J ‘Aspects of the Socio-Political History of Ngukurr (Roper River) and its Effect on Language Change’ in Aboriginal History Vol 9 No 2, 1985, pp 205-219
Smith A (1990) The White Missus of Arnhem Land: a true story, NTU Press, Darwin
Smith C (2004) Country, Kin and Culture: survival of an Aboriginal community, Wakefield Press, Adelaide.
Walker A and Zorc RD ‘Austronesian Loanwords in Yolngu-Matha of Northeast Arnhem Land’ in Aboriginal History, 1981, Issue 5, No 2, pp 109-133:
https://zorc.net/publications/030=AustronesianlLoanwordsInYolnguMatha.pdf 

">https://zorc.net/publications/030=AustronesianlLoanwordsInYolnguMatha.pdf">https://zorc.net/publications/030=AustronesianlLoanwordsInYolnguMatha.pdf 

creator Robyn Smith and Bill Pascoe
publisher Australian Wars and Resistance
url
copyrightNotice

This information, except for public domain sources, is covered by copyright. Usage and references should respect Indigenous peoples.

keywords Other
comment

Includes information about colonial violence. Historical sources include racist language and attitudes and descriptions of violence.

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South Road War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name South Road War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2505
keywords Other

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Sydney War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Sydney War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2506
keywords Other

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Tiwi and Iwaidja War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Tiwi and Iwaidja War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2507
keywords Other

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Torres Strait War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Torres Strait War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2508
keywords Other

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Tropical Coast War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Tropical Coast War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2509
keywords Other

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Upper Dawson War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Upper Dawson War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2510
keywords Other

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Victoria River War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Victoria River War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2511
keywords Other

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Yolngu War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Yolngu War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2512
keywords Other

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First Wiradjuri War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2024-09-22
name First Wiradjuri War and Resistance
description

Alternate Names: The Bathurst War, Windradyne’s War

Aboriginal people: Wiradjuri

Named Aboriginal people: Windradyne (Saturday), Blucher, Jingler, Simon, Joe, Sunday

Colonial Forces: 40th Regiment of Foot, colonial militia.

Notable Colonists: Major James Morisset

Listen: 

The War on Wiradjuri has never ended | The Blak Lens | NITV, Dec 17, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asq-RPvPyWo

">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asq-RPvPyWo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asq-RPvPyWo

Push for Bathurst to grapple with its brutal past in Wiradyuri-led truth-telling project, 14 Aug 1824
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s94k3VHAouM

">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s94k3VHAouM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s94k3VHAouM

Narrative:

The fightback against the colonists and their tens of thousands of sheep and cattle that were entering Wiradjuri Country was announced by warriors in 1823. They told colonists in no uncertain terms that the Wiradyuri were going to ‘tumble down white man’ – to kill all the white men. 
In early May 1824, the colonists at Bathurst noted that all the Wiradyuri who had been coming into the settlements and outstations – who had assisted the colonists in guiding and tracking and worked with them since 1815 – had suddenly ceased doing so. Communications between Wiradyuri and the colonists completely stopped. In late May 1824, Wiradyuri tactics shifted to a new level. Threats to “tumble down white fellows” were carried out in a series of bloody raids that sent shock waves throughout the entire colony. Full-scale attacks on outstations began right across the region, from the Turon River in the north to O’Connell Plains in the south, as Wiradyuri warbands mobilised. They were under the leadership of men ­- only some of whose traditional names we know today - such as Blucher, Jingler, Simon, Joe, Sunday and Saturday - more famously known as Windradyne.
The resistance in 1824 was total and widespread across the Central West region of New South Wales, with conflict stretching from near Merriwa in the upper Hunter Valley region, to present day Mudgee and Rylestone, and to the south of Bathurst near Blayney.
In early June 1824, people in the township of Bathurst witnessed a cart trundling through the streets with 7 dead convict stockworkers’ bodies heaped in it. Stockworkers across the Bathurst Plains were reported to be ‘cowering in their huts’ unable to leave for fear of being killed. Hundreds of cattle and sheep had either been killed or dispersed, or had been gathered up into herds and claimed by Wiradjuri people. 
By July 1824, the number of dead colonists had risen to 21, with numerous others wounded. The pastoralists and stockholders of Sydney were in an uproar, clamouring for military intervention. A man writing under the name of Fidelis (very likely William Cox, an ex-army officer, first commandant of Bathurst, and with thousands of his own sheep and cattle in the district) wrote to the Sydney Gazette that the Wiradyuri were about ‘to crush the flourishing prospects of our little Colony’. It also seems to have been William Cox who suggested in a meeting with Governor Brisbane that the colonists should form ‘one continuous line’ of soldiers and armed settlers to sweep the Bathurst Plains – a plan later and infamously conducted in Tasmania, called the Black Line. In early August, to emphasise his point, Cox declared that ‘the natives may now be called at war with the Europeans’.
Instead of a Black Line, martial law was declared west of the Blue Mountains and the military garrison reinforced. Commandant Morisset responded with a sweep of three “divisions” of soldiers and armed colonists across the region. The coordinated movements of these units of around 15 to 20 soldiers and armed settlers led by Magistrates was designed to capture or kill the resistance leaders, and to “strike terror” among the rest of the people. 
But it was not the military that ended the Bathurst War. Despite traversing a vast area of terrain (one division travelling to the Hunter River to the north), Morisset’s forces failed to contact any warriors or, as magistrate Ranken disappointedly wrote, failed “seeing the enemy”. Ranken was, like Cox, clear that the colonists at Bathurst were in a state of war. 
In fact it was the well mounted and well armed parties of settlers and convicts who killed indiscriminately, such as that led by ex-Sergeant Thomas Miller who set out with 20 armed men (quote) “to hunt down the blacks”. Miller later admitted in his memoirs they (quote) “shot and killed any they came across little and big young and old shared the same fate”.
The northeast Wiradyuri campaign of warfare against the colonists at Bathurst forced Governor Brisbane to declare martial law west of the Blue Mountains in August 1824. The Bathurst War, or the First Wiradyuri War, was ended not by the soldiers that were sent to the area, but by the heavily armed parties of stockmen and farmers who conducted massacres. From August 1824 there were no more attacks on colonists, and by December Windradyne famously led his people across the Blue Mountains to Parramatta to meet Governor Brisbane. Windradyne came, as Governor Brisbane noted, to “sue for peace”. Perhaps Wyndradyne expected some form of negotiated settlement or agreement. Instead, the Wiradyuri received a feast and blankets and the colonising juggernaut rolled on across their Country.

Contributor: Stephen Gapps, 2025

creator Stephen Gapps and Bill Pascoe
citation

Oral history interviews – various

ADB Australian Dictionary of Biography (various)

AIATSIS Australian Institute of Australian and Torres Strait Islander Studies Gresser Papers, AIATSIS, MS.21a, 21/1

BDHSMA Bathurst and District Historical Society Museum Archives

John Maxwell letters from Bathurst 1824–25

Letters, land grants, diaries, family history folios, etc.: S37, 38; F8, 10, 11, 116, 147; D135, 146; LF208, 240; ML41

Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser – newspaper (and others)

HRA Historical Records of Australia

JRAHS Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society

SRNSW State Records NSW (State Archives and Records Authority)

  • Colonial Secretary’s Papers, Main Series of Letters Received, 1788–1826, NRS 897

  • Colonial Secretary’s Papers, Main Series of Letters Received, 1826–1982, NRS 905

  • Colonial Secretary’s Papers, Special Bundles, 1794–1825, NRS 898

  • Land and Stock Returns, NSW, 1818–22, NRS 1268

  • Returns of the Colony (‘Blue Books’), 1822–57, NRS 1286

url
temporalCoverage 1824-01-01/1824-12-28
language EN
keywords Event
comment

Colonial violence.

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Second Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-05-10
name Second Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal War and Resistance
description

Listen:

  • The War on Wiradjuri has never ended | The Blak Lens | NITV, Dec 17, 2024
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asq-RPvPyWo
    (The">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asq-RPvPyWo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asq-RPvPyWo
    (The focus of this documentary is on the First Wiradjuri War, but is also relevant to this conflict)

Notes:

This conflict, in the south of Wiradjuri country came after the well known First Wiradjuri War or 'Bathurst War' to the north. It was part of one of the major phases of the Australian Wars throughout the south east of the continent, from south east Queensland to Victoria, starting in the late 1830s, and through to the 1850s and 60s, as colonists expanded rapidly in all directions from the earlier settlements. This conflict is closely connected to conflict along the overland route or 'south road' (now the Hume Highway) from south Wiradjuri (upper Murrumbidgee) through Yorta Yorta (upper Murray) to Kulin country (Port Philip/Melbourne). It is also closely connected to conflict on the overland route to Adelaide, along the lower Murrumbidgee and lower Murray where many languages are spoken around Tar Ru and Millewa-Mallee.

The first report of open violent conflict in this area was of widespreading raiding in 1830 at Yass Plains in Ngunnawal country. This was followed by an extended period of Wiradjuri raids on squatters stations, including killing of shepherds and hut keepers, burning huts and killing and driving away livestock. There were sometimes gatherings of up to 1000 Wiradjuri people, and war bands were about 30 in number focusing on the Rivers and the road connecting Sydney to Melbourne (the Overland). 

One of the main leaders of this resistance was dubbed 'Buonaparte' by colonists. Similar to 'Blucher' in the First Wiradjuri War, colonists most likely named him after a famous European general, in recognition of his leadership. Another was 'Brian Boru', named after a medieval High King of Ireland - though this may be the same person with two aliases. 

Colonists at the time referred to this conflict as a 'war', some saying it should be admitted as such by the government. They described losing control of flocks and herds as Wiradjuri took control of livestock using traditional land care and hunting methods. In these vast plains, Wiradjuri warriors appear to have used high points, such as at Wamber Tumber gap, as strategic positions from which to raid. Such positions give unobstructed views over large areas. Buonaparte's group was surrounded and some captured at Wamber Tumber gap by a posse of colonists and a police officer. Some escaped but Buonaparte was recaptured after severely wounding two of his captors.

The Border Police, recruited from the military, were active in this period but were overstretched along the Overland and ineffective. The notorious Native Police were established during this period. In 1850 it was reported that the Native Police were recruiting in the Murrumbidgee district, and that they were very effective in swiftly ending armed resistance and bringing 'peace' where ever they went. Also in 1850 colonists relied on Aboriginal labour to replace workers leaving for the gold fields. These reports suggest that by 1850 the period of intense open violence in this conflict had ended, and the colonial government had gained control. Resistance after this would have to take on different forms.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2420
keywords Other
comment

This is a history of colonial violence and reference's include racist attitudes of the time.

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Northern Rivers War and Resistance

typeDataset
datePublished 2025-08-11
name Northern Rivers War and Resistance
description

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

url https://tlcmap.org/publicdatasets/2501
keywords Other

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