Some Known Frontier Conflicts in Tasmania

This proclamation to the Aborigines of Van Diemen’s Land was actually from Governor Arthur, not Davey. The proclamation was supposed to promote harmony between colonists and Aboriginal people, but was ineffectual. Conflicts developed to such an extent that Martial Law was declared.

Some main sources for information about conflicts in Tasmania and their locations in this list include publications such as:

A History of Tasmania, Henry Reynolds, Cambridge University Press, 2012

Baptised in Blood: the shocking secret history of Sorell, Robert Cox, Wellington Bridge Press, north Hobart, Tasmania, 2010

Black War: the Extermination of the Tasmanian Aborigines, Clive Turnbull, FW Chesire, Sydney, 1948

Broken Spear: The untold story of Black Tom Birch, the man who sparked Australia’s bloodiest war, Robert Cox, Wakefield Press, 2021

*Clements Compendium:
PDF database of attacks on and by Aborigines in southeast Tasmania, 2021:
https://rdp.utas.edu.au/metadata/484c2b53-776b-41da-8bb7-49ded4e96ea2

Fate of a Free People: the classic account of the Tasmanian Wars, Henry Reynolds, Penguin, 1995 and 2004

Friendly Mission: The Tasmanian Journals and Papers of George Augustus Robinson, 1829–1834, edited by NJB Plomley. First published 1966, reprinted 2008.

Reading Robinson: Companion Essays to George Augustus Robinson’s Friendly Mission, Anna Johnston and Mitchell Rolls eds, Monash University Publishing, Clayton, Victoria, 2012

Tasmanian Aborigines–A history since 1803, Lyndall Ryan, Allen & Unwin, 2012

The Aboriginal Tasmanians, Lyndall Ryan, Allen & Unwin, 1996

The Black War: Fear, Sex and Resistance in Tasmania, Nicholas Clements, Queensland University Press, 2014

The journals of George Augustus Robinson, Heritage Matters, Melbourne, 1998–2000

The Killing at Risdon Cove, WF Refsahuge, Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2016

The Vandemonian War: The secret history of Britain’s Tasmanian invasion, Nick Brodie, Hardie Grant Books, 2017

Tongerlongeter: First Nations Leader and Tasmanian War Hero, Henry Reynolds and Nicholas Clements, New South Books, 2021

Van Diemen’s Land: An Aboriginal History, Murray Johnson and Ian McFarlane, New South Publishing, 2015

‘Van Diemen’s Land, 1826–1831’ in The Australian Frontier Wars 1788–1838, John Connor, UNSW Press, 2002, pp. 84–101

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*The Clements Compendium should be read with the list of Some Known Conflicts in Tasmania below, as the Compendium includes more details of violent attacks on Aboriginal people in the Oyster Bay and Big River areas of Tasmania between 1804 and 1831, and of violence against colonists in the Oyster Bay and Big River territories between 1823 and 1831.

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For more references and sources see the Bibliography and Journal Articles, also under Resources in the main menu: Books, Databases, Films, Memorials and Monuments, Podcasts, Videos, and Warriors.

To see a map of conflicts that happened in Tasmania, please follow this link. All coordinates are approximate. This map is still being developed and does not fully reflect the places in the following list because of name changes, difficulty confirming some locations and new research that includes more locations of conflicts between colonists and First Nations people in Tasmania.

Many thanks to readers who email information about colonial frontier conflict sites. Locations will be added to the list below as new information is found and time permits. If you know of incidents that occurred, but are not included in the list below and wish to contact the author of this website, please use the form on the Contact page.

WARNING: Viewing this list may be offensive and upsetting to some readers as it contains placenames and sites where killings took place duing the frontier period in Tasmania.

Date	Location
7 March 1772	Frederick Hendrick Bay, now Marion Bay, East of Dunalley; and North Bay, TAS Aboriginal man killed in violent struggle between French explorers and First Nations people at North Bay. Marion Bay was named for Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne, the first European to encounter Tasmanian Aboriginal People at North Bay. On 7 March 2022, 250 years after the French first encountered Tasmanian Aboriginal people, Rodney Dillon, Co-chair of the Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Communities Alliance, called for Marion Bay to be renamed to honour the fallen Aboriginal man who was defending his Country, rather than du Fresne. Adam Langenberg has written more about this story on ABC News online, 7 March 2022: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-07/250-years-marion-bay-first-contact-europeans-tas-aboriginal/100886280
2 January 1804	Port Dalrymple near modern-day Hobart, TAS
5 February 1804	River Derwent, TAS
3 May 1804	Risdon Cove on Risdon Creek off River Derwent, TAS
November 1804	Tamar River (Kanamaluka), (River Tamar), TAS
1804–1806	Tamar River (Kanamaluka), (River Tamar), TAS
1805–1806	River Derwent, Hobart, TAS
2 March 1807	River Derwent, TAS
19 April 1807	Hobart, TAS, on the eastern shore
1807–1808	Tasmania, southern interior
1809	Tasmania, northern and southern interior
1810	Southern Tasmania
29 January 1810	Blackman's Bay, south of Kingston, TAS
1813	Tasmania, southern interior
November 1815	Oyster Bay, east coast, TAS
8 November 1815	Morgan's property on Scantling's Plains (York Plains), TAS
1817	Hobart, TAS
August 1817	New Norfolk, TAS
1817–1818	York Plains; Pittwater (Sorell), TAS
1818	Near Hobart, TAS
November 1818	Great Swanport (Swansea), east coast, TAS
28 November 1818	10 kms north-east of Triabunna on Grindstone Bay, TAS
13 March 1819	Near Hobart, TAS
13 March 1819	River Plenty (Plenty River), (tributary of Derwent south of) New Norfolk, TAS
18 March 1819	Tea Tree Brush, Eastern Tiers, TAS
20 March 1819	Oyster Bay, TAS
April 1819	Tea Tree Brush, Eastern Tiers, TAS
10 April 1819	George Town (eastern bank of Tamar River mouth), northern TAS
17 April 1819	Junction of Isis and Macquarie Rivers, TAS
18 July 1822	Reiby's farm near George Town, TAS
30 November 1822	Tasmania, the Interior
1823	James Hobbs's farm, Eastern Marshes, TAS
15 Nov 1823	Sally Peak, 10 kms from Bushy Plains, East Coast near Grindstone Bay, TAS
1824	Sorell Plains (now Hamilton), 20 kms north-west of Hobart, TAS
26 March 1824	Mrs Collins' farm, Blue Hills, headwaters, Coal River, north-east of Hobart, TAS
10 June 1824	Jericho, 10 kms south of Oatlands, TAS
16 June 1824	Oaks's farm, Murderers Plain, TAS
15 June 1824	Triffet's farm, Big River (Ouse River), TAS
23 July 1824	Meredith's farm, at Swanport (Swansea), 20 kms north-east of Triabunna, TAS
10 December 1824	Cape Portland (Lumaranatana), 55 kms north-east of Scottsdale, TAS
25 February 1825	Hobart Town Gaol, TAS
13 March 1825	Jonathan Kinsey's farm, Tooms Lake, Upper Macquarie River, TAS
April 1825	Hobbs' farm, McGills Marsh, TAS
September 1825	Green Water Ponds (Kempton), TAS
September 1825	Tasmania, the Interior
December 1825	Dairy Plains, Meander River, TAS
1826	Clarendon, 25 kms south-east of Launceston, TAS
1826	Hobart Town Gaol, TAS
January 1826	Burn, Pitcairn and McCarthy's farm, Clyde River, 10 km east of Bothwell, TAS
14 March 1826 or 1827	Great Swanport (Swansea), east coast, TAS
1826	Penny Royal Creek (now Liffey River) and Macquarie River south of Launceston, TAS
April 1826	Paddy Hart's farm, Oyster Bay, TAS
29 April 1826	Browning and Smith's farm near Bridgewater, TAS
12 September 1826	Mrs Mary Smith's farm, Pipers Lagoon, 40 kms north-north-east of Launceston, TAS
13 September 1826	Hobart, TAS
23 September 1826	Northern Tasmania
10 October 1826	Nicholson and Allardyce's farm on the Clyde River, 25 kms east of Oatlands, TAS
3 November 1826	Thompson and Pitcairn's farm, Hermitage, Shannon River, TAS
7 November 1826	Simpson's farm, Penny Royal Creek (now Liffey River), south of Launceston, TAS
7 November 1826	L. Gilles's farm, Elizabeth River near Campbell Town, TAS
11 November 1826	George Taylor's farm, Millers Bluff (north-west of Lake Sorell), TAS
21 November 1826	John Riseley's farm, Cockatoo Valley near Bothwell, TAS
22 November 1826	Downie's farm about three miles (c. 4.8 kms) from Allenvale, TAS
29 November 1826	Tasmania wide. Magistrates authorised to use force against Aborigines following alleged killing of 18 colonists. Press considers notice a declaration of war.
19 December 1826	Thomas Faro's farm, near Pipers Lagoon, TAS
After 19 Dec 1826	Mrs Smith's farm (location not given), TAS
December 1826–April 1828	Tasmania
December 1826	Paterson's Plains (St Leonards) near Launceston, TAS
9 December 1826	Bank Hill Farm, headwaters of Sorell Rivulet, Pittwater, TAS
March 1827?	Bull's Grant on Middle Plain, Meander River, TAS
Late January 1827	Central Plateau, border of Settled Districts, TAS
1 February 1827	Talbot's farm, St Paul's Plains (Avoca), 50 kms north-east of Campbell Town, TAS
6 February 1827	Dunedin, (New Norfolk?), Norfolk Plains (Longford) south of Shannon Point, TAS
21 February 1827	Eastern Midland Plain, TAS
23 February 1827	Grant's station, Launceston district, TAS
March 1827	Great Swanport (Swansea), near Oyster Bay, TAS
March 1827	Great Swanport (Swansea), near Oyster Bay, TAS
12 April 1827	Mount Augustus, near Campbell Town, TAS
12 April 1827	Rear of David Murray's farm, Elizabeth River, Eastern Midlands, TAS
Early May 1827	Great Swanport (Swansea), near Oyster Bay, TAS
May 1827	TC Simpson's farm, Mersey River south of Latrobe, TAS
May 1827	Sally Peak, 10 kms from Bushy Plains on border of Prossers Plains, TAS
24 May 1827	William Brumby's farm, Lake River, 10 km south of Poatina, TAS
12 June 1827	Dairy Plains, TAS
23 June 1827	TC Simpson's station, Quamby Bluff/Laycock Falls (Liffey Falls), near Deloraine, TAS
23 to 30 June 1827	Meander River, TAS
After 23 June 1827	Laycock Falls (Liffey Falls) at base of Quamby Bluff, south-east of Deloraine, TAS
After 23 June 1827	Quamby Bluff, Western Marshes, TAS
After 23 June 1827	Quamby Brook, TAS
After 23 June 1827	Quamby Bluff, TAS
After 23 June 1827	Western Marshes area, TAS
Late June 1827	Blackman('s) River, TAS
29 June 1827	Herbert Chapman's farm, Glenmore (Long Swamp), 5 kms south of Westbury, TAS
End of June 1827	Field's Station, Quamby Bluff/Laycock Falls, TAS
1 July 1827	Widowson's farm, Quamby Bluff/Laycock Falls (Liffey Falls), TAS
1 July 1827	Walker's farm, Quamby Bluff/Laycock Falls (Liffey Falls), TAS
1 Sept 1827–30 March 1828	Tasmania, Settled Districts
12 September 1827	GC Clark's farm, Launceston, TAS
October 1827	Green Ponds (Kempton), 10 kms south-east of Bothwell, TAS
24 October 1827	Presnell's farm, St Peter's Pass near Oatlands, TAS
27 October 1827	Andrew Birrell's station, Tamar River, 22 kms south of Launceston, TAS
November 1827	Western Marshes, TAS
10 November 1827	Littleton's and Bryan's stations, Western River, at Glenmore (Long Swamp), TAS
10 November 1827	Lawrence's farm, Lake River, 10 kms south-east of Poatina, TAS
17 November 1827	Eastern Marshes, TAS
17 November 1827	Amos's farm, Oyster Bay, TAS
20 November 1827	Settled Districts, TAS
About 22 November 1827	Meander River, TAS
About 22 November 1827	Western Lagoon near Brumby Creek, TAS
22 November 1827	Richard Dry's farm, Western River, TAS
24 November 1827	Guilder's farm, Black Wall, West Tamar River near Launceston, TAS
24 November 1827	A Thompson's farm, West Tamar River 5 miles (c. 8 kms) from Launceston, TAS
December 1827	Junction of Brumby Creek and Lake River, TAS
December 1827	Cape Grim, north-west Tasmania
December 1827	Dairy Plains on road from Launceston to Circular Head, TAS
December 1827	Ritchie's Hut, Meander River, TAS
December 1827	Sorell Valley headwaters, TAS
15 December 1827	Eastern Midland Plain, TAS
16 December 1827	South Esk River 4 miles (c. 6.4 kms) from Launceston, TAS
1828	James Triffet's station, Bothwell district, TAS
1828	Kemp's station, Lake Sorell, north-west of Oatlands, TAS
January 1828	Cape Grim, north-west Tasmania
February 1828	Bagdad, 15 kms north of Bridgewater, TAS
9 February 1828	Cape Grim, north-west Tasmania
16 February 1828	On the road at Constitution Hill, 20 kms north of Bridgewater, TAS
March 1828	Macquarie River, Eastern Midland Plain, TAS
4 March 1828	Miles Opening, on the Aboriginal road between Bothwell and Jericho, TAS
4 March 1828	John Franks's farm at Quoin Hill, 20 kms north of Bridgewater, TAS
5 March 1828	Report of attack at Jordan Lagoon, TAS
13 March 1828	Staynes and Troy's station, Elizabeth River near Campbell Town, TAS
15 March 1828	Home's (Holmes's?) station, 26 kms south of Campbell Town near Ross, TAS
19 March 1828	Bullock Hunting Ground, Tamar River, TAS
20 March 1828	Hill's farm, 26 kms south of Campbell Town near Ross, TAS
20–24 March 1828	Prensell's farm, at Black Brush or Ross Bridge, south of Campbell Town, TAS
30 March 1828	Robertson's farm, Elizabeth River near Campbell Town, TAS
April 1828	Elizabeth River, Eastern Tiers, TAS
11 April 1828	Giles Cotterell's farm, Macquarie River near Cressy, TAS
15 April 1828	Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) officially divided into Settled and Unsettled Districts
July 1828	Eastern Tiers, TAS
27 July 1828	Coulston's station, Dilston, East Tamar River, 15 kms n-w of Launceston, TAS
July–October 1828	Oatlands area, TAS
27 August 1828	George Kemp's farm, Lake Sorell, TAS
September 1828	Burghley [Park?], TAS
6 September 1828	Wilkinson's farm, Swanport (Little Swanport), 20 kms north of Triabunna, TAS
12 September 1828	Kitty's Corner, TAS
21 September 1828	John Stacey's farm, Birchall's Bottom, Sorell, 20 kms north-east of Hobart, TAS
October 1828	James Triffet's station, Bothwell district, TAS
9 October 1828	Patrick Gough's farm, Big Lagoon, Oatlands, TAS
20 October 1828	Green Ponds (Kempton), TAS
20 October 1828	Thomas "Landford's" farm, Green Ponds (Kempton) north of Oatlands, TAS
25 October 1828	Captain Glover's farm, Second Sandspit, Maria Island, TAS
29 October 1828	Gordon's farm, Bream Creek near Carlton, 20 kms east-south east of Sorell, TAS
1 November 1828	Martial Law Proclaimed in Settled Districts, Tasmania
November 1828	Ritchies' farm, Western River, TAS
9–10 November 1828	Jerusalem (Colebrook), 20 kms north of Sorell, TAS
1 December 1828	Adam Woods' farm, Magills Marsh (McGills Marsh), Eastern Marshes, TAS
4 December 1828	Earls's farm, Woodlands Lagoon, Eastern Marshes, TAS
6 December 1828	Tooms Lake, source of the Macquarie River, mountains Eastern Tasmania, TAS
7 December 1828	Cowie farm, Break O'Day Plains, 10 kms south-west of St Marys, TAS
7 December 1828	Talbot's farm, Break O'Day Plains, 10 kms south-west of St Marys, TAS
13 December 1828	Michael and Henry Jones's farm, Sideling Hill, Black Marsh, TAS
27 December 1828	Meredith farm, Swanport, 20 kms north-east of Triabunna, TAS
13 December 1828	Sugar Loaf Hill, Black Marsh, TAS
1829	Clyde River (River Clyde) near Den Hill, TAS
1829	Regent Plains (Regents Plain), TAS
1829	David Williams's farm (location not given), TAS
January 1829	Break O'Day Plains, TAS
January 1829	St Paul's River, south of Bothwell, TAS
January 1829	South of Bothwell, TAS
16–30 January 1839	Meredith Allen's farm, Swanport, 20 kms north-east of Triabunna, TAS; Lyne, TAS
17 January 1829	Bothwell, TAS
January–March 1829	East coast Tasmania
18 February 1829	Pleasant Hills near Beaconsfield, western side Tamar River, TAS
February/March 1829	Cruttenden's farm, Carlton, 10 kms south-east of Sorell, TAS
March 1829	Richmond, Coal River, TAS
12 March 1829	McGee's station, Piper River, 20 kms east of Georgetown, TAS
13–17 March 1829	North Esk River near Launceston, TAS
March 1829	Cataract Gorge, 15 minutes' walk from the centre of Launceston, TAS
28 March 1829	Jones and Ouse Rivers, TAS
4 April 1829	Major Gray's farm, St Paul's Plains, 30 kms north-west of Campbell Town, TAS
2 May 1829	White Marsh, Bushy Plains near Pittwater, TAS
13 May 1829	Mary Smith's farm, St Paul's Plains, 30 kms north-west of Campbell Town, TAS
10 June 1829	South Esk River, about 3 miles (c. 4.8 kms) from Kearney's grant, TAS
June 1829	Pittwater, TAS
6–7 June 1829	R Dodge's farm, Carlton, 10 kms south-east of Sorell, TAS
12 June 1829	Downs's station, Pittwater, TAS
9–14 August 1829	Jerusalem (Colebrook) and Coal River north of Sorell, TAS
10 August 1829	Brown Mount, Kangaroo River, 20 kms north of Sorell, TAS
21 August 1829	Van Diemen's Land (VDL) Co., Emu Bay (Burnie), TAS
23 August 1829	Dodge's Station, Carlton, 10 kms south of Sorell, TAS
25 August 1829	Harte's station, Little Swanport, 20 kms south of Triabunna, TAS
1 September 1829	East of Ben Lomond, TAS
9 September 1829	Espie's farm, Bashan Plains, c. 90 kms north-northwest of Hobart, TAS
14 September 1829	Bayles' or Bailey's farm, Macquarie River, 20 kms north-east of Oatlands, TAS
18 September 1829	Thomas Coffin's station, Sorell, TAS
October 1829	Clyde and Ouse Rivers, TAS
October 1829	Stokell's farm, Brown Mount, Jerusalem (Colebrook), TAS
7 October 1829	Jamison's and Triffet's farm, Maguires Marsh, Ouse River, TAS
1 November 1829	Nicholas Newport's farm, Lower Clyde, TAS
1 November 1829	Dixon's farm, Green Valley, TAS
6 November 1829	Lieutenant Fry's farm, Deep Gully, New Norfolk, TAS
Before 1830	Major Grey's farm, Avoca, 50 kms south-east of Launceston, TAS
Before 1830	Captain Wood's station, The Lakes, 45 kms north-west of Bothwell, TAS
Before 1830	Haasts's station, Great Twaid Port (Great Swanport? -- Swansea?), TAS
1830	Talbot's farm, Break O'Day, 10 kms from St Marys, TAS
February 1830	Clyde/Ouse Rivers, TAS
9 February 1830	F Bell's farm, Black Marsh, Ouse River, TAS
11 February 1830	Great Jordan Lagoon, TAS
11 February 1830	Reed's farm, Clyde, near Bothwell, TAS
17 February 1830	Poole's farm, Green Ponds (Kempton), TAS
21 February 1830	Plaistowe's farm, Constitution Hill, 20 kms north of Bridgewater, TAS
March 1830	Nairne's farm, Jerusalem (Colebrook), TAS
10 March 1830	Clyde River (River Clyde), TAS
14–20 March 1830	W Gee's farm, Pipers River, 20 kms north of Launceston, TAS
18 April 1830	ML Smith's farm, Whiteford Hills, Meander River, 20 kms south of Oatlands, TAS
21 April 1830	Nairne's farm, Coal River, Jerusalem (Colebrook), 54 kms from Hobart, TAS
23 April 1830	Addey's farm, Little Swanport River, 20 kms south of Triabunna, TAS
23 May 1830	D Lord's farm, Sam the Butcher Marsh, Eastern Marshes near Campbell Town, TAS
June 1830	Olding's farm, Prossers Plains, 20 kms south-west of Triabunna, TAS
10 June 1830	Captain Wood's farm, south of Regents Plain, Lake River and Cressy, TAS
4 August 1830	Howell's farm, Shannon, south of Great Lake, TAS
22–27 August 1830	Clyde River (River), TAS
22–27 August 1830	James Hooper's farm, Black Marsh, TAS
8 September 1830	Meredith's farm, Boomer Creek, Oyster Bay, TAS
10 September 1830	Swan Bay, West Tamar River, north of Launceston, TAS
21 September 1830	Thomas Gee's farm, Pipers River, 20 kms north of Launceston, TAS
24 September 1830	Major Gray's farm, Blackman's Corners, north-east of Campbell Town, TAS
30 September 1830	George Scott's farm, Mt Morrison station, Macquarie River, TAS
1 October 1830	The Black Line: Martial Law extended across Tasmania
7 October–30 November 1830	Settled Districts of Tasmania
16 October 1830	Stacey's farm, Sorell, 20 kms north of Hobart, TAS
17 October 1830	Gilder's farm, Stoney Creek, Tamar River, north-west of Launceston, TAS
22–28 October 1830	Butler's station, Retreat/Westbury, 10 kms north-northwest of Lillydale, TAS
16 November 1830	Captain Wright's farm, north bank of the south Esk River, north of Fingal, TAS
1831	Launceston, TAS
27–29 January 1831	Patrick McCasker's farm, Dairy Plains, Southern Tier Retreat, TAS
20 March 1831	WE Lawrence's farm, Lake River, 10 kms east of Poatina, TAS
9 May 1831	Kemp's Station, Lake Sorell, 25 kms north-west of Oatlands, TAS
5–6 June 1831	Evans' and Bell's farm, Native Hut Creek, Ouse River, TAS
31 August 1831	BB Thomas's farm North Down (Northdown), 10 kms east of Devonport, TAS
December 1830–February 1835	Conflicts over the whole of Tasmania