After two stockmen abducted Aboriginal women for sex, they were killed by Aboriginal men who mutilated their bodies and set fire to their hut. They then speared several cattle and roasted one of them. The smoke attracted other stockmen who charged and drove the Aboriginal people towards their camp on the Barwon River and shot 30 men, women and children. 'skulls showing the ball marks were visible for years after in the area' (Dargin, 1976, pp 51-2).

In October 1841, William Lee's overseer, Andrew Kerr, with a party of stockmen were sent to establish a new station on the Bogan River beyond Mount Harris. One of the requirements of the licence of occupation of Crown lands was to leave water sources for the Ngiyampa people as it was a particularly dry spell. Establishing the new station breached these instructions. The Ngiyampa retaliated by killing Robert Roach, William Moreton and Abraham Fearnham 'and wounded three others' (SMH, August 24, 1842, p 2). A detachment of Mounted Police based at Bathurst led by Corporal Reilly and assisted by squatter Joseph Moulder, William Carr (stockman on squatter William Lee's run at the Bogan River), Andrew Kerr and other stockmen, avenged the death of the three men, killing 12 Ngiyampa and arresting three of the alleged killers, one of whom escaped 'and two were committed to take their trials' [later released] (SMH, August 24, 1842, p 2). CLC William Allman investigated the case and charged the two Ngiyampa men with murder, brought them before the Circuit Court in March 1842, and secured their discharge for lack of evidence. Allman recommended that Lee's pastoral lease be withdrawn and not renewed, and Governor Gipps agreed. Outraged that a settler of Lee's standing should be treated in this way, a group of settlers at Bathurst petitioned Gipps to restore Lee's licence. The matter was raised by James Macarthur in the NSW Legislative Council on 22 August 1842 and in the debate on 23 August, Gipps justified his decision on the grounds that Lee had failed to observe instructions not to squat on the Bogan river and to leave water for the Ngiyampa. The debate was reported in full in the SMH on August 24 1842.

A letter from Mr W.H. Wright to Colonial Secretary Thomson, 15th January, 1846 describes a large gathering of 150 to 200 men with women and children, from lands between the Macquarie, Darling and Lachlan Rivers (Wailwan, Wongaibon and Wiradjuri people). Following this gathering a war party of 40 warriors raided 5 stations, using Maliyanga Ngurra as a defensive position (Macquarie Marshes) until Native Police and local colonists pursued them and shot 10.
W.H. Wright wrote, 'These generally known as "Myall" or wild Blacks are joined at certain periods by large parties of Aborigines frequenting the country westward of the settled portions as far as the Darling River, when as many as one hundred and fifty or two hundred men are sometimes assembled besides Women and Children... I regret to have to report that during the past Year the "Myall" Tribes or those of the unsettled portions of the District have committed many outrages on the persons and property of the Settlers on the Macquarie River, and have evinced a boldness and determination which I believe to have been unprecedented amonst Aborigines. ...
From the time (Octr., 1844) that the Gerawhey Blacks drove Mr. Kinghorne's Superintendent and men from his Station in the flood which then covered the Country, Aborigines of that Tribe have been constantly threatening and actually committing depredations on the Settlers, and Warrants for the apprehension of eight individuals of that Tribe were issued. But, although fully aware of the fact and its intention, from the secure retreat they possessed among the Macquarie Marshes and being generally informed of the approach of any policemen, they only become bolder, and, in September last, had assembled to the number of about forty men at a Station near Mount Foster, which they had stated their determination to plunder as soon as the dray which had brought the Supplies and its attendants should return.
At this juncture, a party of Mounted Police under Sergeant Anderson who had information of their intention came upon them; and, as most of the individuals named in the Warrants (which he held) were identified amongst the Tribe, he endeavoured to capture them, but being attacked and one of his party wounded he was compelled to fire. It is to be lamented that as many as ten Natives were shot in this encounter with the Police. At the same time I am convinced that, but for the appearance of the Police at this time and the Check given to the Aborigines, they would have pillaged many of the lower Stations and in all probability have murdered some of the Inhabitants.
Immediately before this a body of Blacks assembled from the Bogan, Lachlan, and country between the McQuarie and Darling Rivers, and among them I regret to say several of the Aborigines looked upon as domesticated, in all one hundred and fifty or two hundred men.
On the 19th August, they came on the Macquarie. and during that and the following day plundered five Stations.
They were pursued by two of the Bligh District Border Police and a party of Settlers, who, after an obstinate resistance by the Natives, two of whom were shot, recovered some of the stolen property' (HRA, I, xxv, pp 8-10).

Journalist A. Norton was in Brewarrina soon after the visit of the steamer Gemini in 1859, and noted 'the native police had been there before my visit, and it was common rumour that the blacks had been shot down without mercy through the district' (Norton cited in Dargin, 1976, p 55).

On 5 September 1866 news arrived from Warrego that strongly implied a massacre had occurred involving the Native Police: 'News arrived here last night that the Bulla blacks attacked Mr. William Sly, spearing his horse, and that a lesson has been gently taught them not likely to be forgotten. I am glad to say that an energetic officer, with a sergeant and a troop of black troopers, are stationed on the Yougha Creek, and their presence has had a beneficial result already' (The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, 6 Sep 1866, p 4). According to Dargin, Mr Sly was one of Bourke's first publicans (Dargin, p 59).

After Aboriginal people speared cattle at Quantambone Station, Con Bride requested help from a neighbouring station (Sydney Mail, 12 Sep 1928, p 55). Con Bride with a group of about 20 heavily armed men including Mr J. McKenzie and Aboriginal assistants, Pelica Jemmy and Brewarinna Jemmy, attacked a camp of Aboriginal people at dawn, at a creek just north of Baiame's Ngunnhu (Brewarrina fish traps). Survivors fled in the direction of Culgoa River. Later sources say that around 300 people were killed and only a few escaped, including Peter Flood who died in 1911 (The Farmer and Settler, 24 October 1911, p 5). The creek was named 'Hospital Creek' after an Aboriginal woman was seen trying to care for wounded at this site (The Kiama Independent and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 1 April, 1869, p 4).
The fish traps attracted visitors from far afield and the massacre may have involved Ngemba, Ngaampaa, Paakandji, Morawari, Budjiti, Barranbinya, Muruwari, Kooma, Kamilaroi or Wailwan people in this area. Colonists believed they had killed people of the 'Culgoa Tribe'. The Culgoa area is the lands and waters of Murrawarri people. In 1871, the population of the area was reported to have declined rapidly from thousands to 'only a few' over 20 years, 'Hence the name of "Fishery" at one time, about twenty years ago, this was the chief encampment for the blacks in the Western districts, for hundreds of miles around, and hence they were then to be found in thousands, but latterly there are only a few degenerate ones to be seen, the servile drudges of the (often) tyrannical white masters' (Freeman's Journal, 24 June 1871, p 11). In 1914 the Hospital Creek massacre was described as 'Among the worst massacres in New South Wales' adding that 'a party was got together, who surrounded about 300 aborigines at the creek, and shot down most of them, including women and piccaninnies' (The Richmond River Express and Casino Kyogle Advertiser, 31 July, 1914, p 8).
In 1928 an 'Old-timer' of the region, G.M. Smith, published an account of the massacre that he had heard when he was younger, from one of its leaders. According to Con Bride, Aboriginal people had been spearing cattle. 'I tried to get the blacks to shift camp, but they didn't understand me, or pretended not to which was very likely, as I could speak the native lingo pretty well. So I rode to the station as quickly as possible and brought one of my black boys to talk to them in their own lingo. When he explained what I wanted them to do they said "Baal," which in their language means "No." They evidently didn't want to shift, as they were doing too well where they were; but I went back home and started one of my white stockmen up to the next station with a few lines to the manager to send me all the assistance he could spare in men, arms, and ammunition. The demand was only reasonable in those days, as the white settlers had to keep plenty of arms and ammunition for self-protection and to assist each other in cases of need. Next day I was pleased to see two white stockmen and half-a-dozen black boys, all well armed, ride up. You may be sure I lost no time in getting all my own force under arms, and we rode out to the blacks' camp nearly twenty strong. When we got within two hundred yards of the camp I halted my small force. Then I took one of the boys and rode up to their camp. When the boy told them I wanted them to shift the old darkies got very angry, and said "Baal," as before. I took the boy back to the others, and said: "Now, boys, we will fire a few shots over their camp. They might take fright and clear out." That volley caused a great commotion in the camp. They all ran up in a bunch, like a lot of wild ducks; but there was no stampede such as we were expecting. I noticed that they were all arming with spears and womeras, and when they made a move forward I feared a rush on our small force by their hundreds: so we fired a volley into them, and a dozen or more fell. This caused a halt. Then they gathered round the wounded ones. Apparently they could not understand what had happened, and we took advantage of the confusion to send another volley whistling over their heads. That settled the matter. A general stampede took place across the plain towards the Culgoa, whence, I suppose, they had come' (Sydney Mail, 12 Sep 1928, p 55).
Perhaps the earliest account of the massacre is an article in 1869 republished from the Dubbo Dispatch, which reported, 'The blacks could be found in thousands on the Bogan River not twenty-five years ago; but where are they now? Can you find them in hundreds? No, nor in tens; and what you will ask, has become of them? Some have gone back into the Mulgar, and disease has done its work with them; but what has done the most deadly, work has been the rifle, not in every instance in the hands of the white man, but in the hands of their own fellow countrymen. There were at Brewarina and a station close by three blackfellows, natives of Liverpool Plains, that had been taught the use of firearms to perfection, and ditto the use of horses. These fellows for many years shot down everything black in human shape indiscriminately, wherever they met them. One of these demons, Pelica Jemmy, told me some revolting stories. He said he had shot and poisoned in his time 170, and that Brewarina Jemmy, had killed far more than he. He related an affray that took place in a back creek, not more than five miles from Brewarina; and in proof of his assertion showed me some hundreds of bones (I should say, the remains of forty). He, it appeared from his story, had been out on the run, and had tracked a lot of cattle away from the camp.; he further discovered that these cattle had been disturbed by the arrival of a lot of blacks to fish at this camp. He did not allow himself to be seen, but rode home, from whence an express messenger was despatched to Merriman, and some half-dozen other stations up the river, for all hands to come down to a blackfellows' hunt. All hands, were ready - whites and their Namoi demons - and started at night, arriving close to the camp of blacks before day, when they waited till daylight, then taking up positions so as to command the entire camp, they sent in a deadly volley, and in a short time there was not a black left. Some two days after four of the same party of murderers were riding by this said spot, when they found three blackfellows that had not died, and an old gin less wounded attending to their wants. "Eloh?" said one of the party, "here's a hospital." They got down and despatched the whole lot with a tomahawk, not caring to waste powder and shot on them; from that day till this this camp is called "the Hospital"' (The Kiama Independent and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 1 April, 1869, p 4).
An 1876 article presents an extract from a document beginning, 'We are speaking (says the writer) of the year 1859.' and described some atrocities committed in the area adding, 'When, however, these monsters "had their cattle together" they would collect themselves for the purpose of "a bit of sport" which meant going on the trail of the aboriginals. "Hospital Creek," opposite Breewarrina, "The Point," between Yambegoona and the same place, and Warraweena Billywung might, if they could speak, tell of deeds unparalleled even in the Book of Books' (Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser, 9 May 1876, p 4).
In 1911 the death of Peter Flood, an Aboriginal man who had survived the massacre was reported with additional details of the massacre, 'The blackfellow, Peter Flood, who died at Brewarrina, N.S.W., recently from pneumonia, was a full-blooded aboriginal, and was eighty-two years, of age. He was one of the survivors of the famous Hospital Creek massacre, which occurred fifty-two years ago. The blacks had been very troublesome and annoyed the station people to such a degree that it was decided to teach them a lesson. The white settlers, led by Mr. J. McKenzie, assembled, and proceeded in search of the aboriginals, whom they found to the number of about 300 encamped on the banks of Hospital Creek, which is situated about eleven miles from Brewarrina. An engagement took place, and only one or two aboriginals escaped. This particular tribe was known as the Culgoa tribe, and for many years had been a menace to settlers along the Culgoa River, spearing cattle and sheep, and stealing on every possible occasion. Peter Flood was one of the tribe' (The Farmer and Settler, 24 October 1911, p 5).
The reports consistently say that 300 people were killed at Hospital Creek, if a number is stated. Large amounts of people would have been congregated to feast at the fish traps. All accounts of the massacre involve a large force of heavily armed and mounted colonists gathered for the purpose of attacking Aboriginal people. The location is a vast treeless plain with no places of concealment. It is likely an unusually large number of people were killed.