Remembering the Myall Creek Massacre

About this book

On the 180th anniversary of the Myall Creek Massacre of 1838, acclaimed writers, historians, lawyers and artists explore the impact of one of the most horrifying events of Australian colonial history, showing why this event was and remains so important for Australia. The 1838 Myall Creek Massacre is remembered for the brutality of the crime committed by white settlers against innocent Aboriginal men, women and children, but also because eleven of the twelve assassins were arrested and brought to trial, one of the few cases of this kind in Australia. Amid tremendous controversy, seven were hanged. Myall Creek was not the last time the colonial administration sought to apply the law equally to Aboriginal people and settlers, but it was the last time that the perpetrators of a massacre were convicted and hanged. Marking its 180th anniversary, this book explores the significance of one of the most horrifying events of Australian colonialism.