Some of the main sources for information about conflicts that happened in Victoria are included in such publications as:

A Distant Field of Murder: Western District Frontiers 1834–1848, Jan Critchett, Melbourne University Press, 1990

Boodgery: First Contact in the Mid Murray 1820 to 1860, John Lay, Not So Shabby Books, 2016

Gippsland Massacres: the Destruction of the Kurnai Tribes, 1800–1860, Peter Gardner, Ngarak Press, Ensay, Victoria, 1993

The Good Country: The Djaja Wurrung, the Settlers and the Protectors, Bain Attwood, Monash University Publishing 2017

‘The Liverpool Plains and Port Phillip Districts, 1838’ in John Connor, The Australian Frontier Wars 1788–1838, University of New South Wales Press, 2002, pp.102–122

Our Founding Murdering Father: Angus McMillan and the Kurnai Tribe of Gippsland 1839–1865, Peter Gardner, 1987

Scars in the Landscape: A Register of Massacre Sites in Western Victoria, 1803–1859, Ian D Clark, Aboriginal Studies Press, 1995

Thicker Than Water, Cal Flyn, Fourth Estsate, HarperCollinsPublishers, 2016

Through Foreign Eyes, Peter Gardner, CGS, Churchill, 1987

Who Killed the Koories? Michael Cannon, William Heinemann Australia, Melbourne, 1990

For more references see the Bibliography and Journal Articles. Check the main menu under Resources also. Scroll down to Books, DatabasesMemorials and Monuments, and Warriors.

To see a map of some known conflicts that happened in Victoria, please follow this link. All coordinates are approximate. The map may not necessarily reflect all the places listed below but is updated when time permits.

The News page includes posts about related First Nations issues from online sources.

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, 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: Some of the names of places included in the following list, derived from geographical names registers, historical and modern-day maps and other primary and secondary sources, are offensive and may be upsetting to some readers. These placenames reflect the attitudes, racism and activities of people who gave these places English names during the frontier period.

DateLocation
1803Port Phillip district conflict, VIC
October 1803Corio Bay, near Melbourne, VIC
1830sOvens River near Wangaratta, VIC
1830–1850Port Phillip district Wars, VIC
1833–34Convincing Ground massacre, between Portland and the Surrey River, VIC
24 May 1836Mt Dispersion, between Mildura and Robinvale, VIC
July 1836Werribee River, 35 kms south-west of Melbourne, VIC
July 1836Williamstown, 10 kms south-west of Melbourne, VIC
17 October 1836Barwon River, Barrabool Hills, 20 kms south-east of Colac, VIC
1837Geelong area, VIC
1837Western VIC
February 1837Birregurra, near Colac, VIC
28 March 1837Cowie Creek, Geelong, VIC
November 1837Leigh River, 60 kms west of Geelong, VIC
November 1837East of Reedy Lake on the banks of the Goulburn River between today's Kirwan Bridge and the Goulburn Weir, overlander Fitzherbert Mundy and his men killed at least six Aboriginal people including women and children, wounding others.
References: Waranga Dreaming, Vol. 1, 2019; Richard Broome, Aboriginal Victorians: A History Since 1800, 2005; Rushworth Chronicle, 1953; Robert Brough Smyth, The Aborigines of Victoria (1878)
1837–1838Near Golf Hill Station, Yarrowee River, north of Inverleigh, VIC
1837–1844Port Fairy area, VIC
1838Central Victoria, Tureet Balug clan members killed by Mundy's men
1838Tarrone Station near Port Fairy, VIC
March–April 1838Western VIC
March or April 1838West of Bendigo, VIC
4 April 1838Learmonth Station, 13 kms south of Ballarat, VIC
10 April 1838Banks of the Yarra River, Hawthorn, Melbourne (now site of Scotch College), VIC
11 April 1838Battle of Broken River (Faithfull Massacre) near Benalla, VIC
More information, for example: Battle of Broken River, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Broken_River
In 1838, following this massacre and series of reprisals, 'police huts' were built along the route from Sydney to Melbourne 'to enforce law and order': Bruce Pennay, 'Nine People and a Police Hut at Bungambrawatha', Albury & District Historical Society Bulletin, June 2022, pp. 2–4
After 11 April 1838Murchison, Ovens River, VIC–additional killings after Battle of Broken River
June 1838Merino Downs Station near Henty, VIC
June 1838Carlsruhe Station or Lower Coliban Station (Barfold Station), near Kyneton, VIC
June 1838Waterloo Plains, VIC
July 1838Pyrenees Range above Trawalla, VIC
July 1838Thomas Learmont’s station, Addington, 20 kms north-west of Ballarat, VIC
Winter 1838Darlington Station, 16 kms north-west of Lancefield, VIC
October 1838Merino Downs Station near Henty, VIC
October 1838Spring Valley (Murndal), Wannon River near Merino Station, VIC
October 1838?Murdering Flat, Clover Flat, Wannon River, near Casterton, VIC
November 1838Spring Valley (Murndal), Wannon River near Merino Station, VIC
1838Wangaratta, VIC–more killings after the Battle of Briken River
1838–1839Central VIC, Tureet Balug clan members killed by Coghill, Birch and Hepburn's men
c. 1839Glenormiston Station, near Terang, VIC
1839Lake Colac, 5 kms north of Colac, VIC
Early 1839Murdering Gully (Puuroyup), Mount Emu Creek, Camperdown district, VIC
February 1839Maiden Hill(s), near Lexton, VIC
June 1839Campaspe Plains, massacre Campaspe Creek, VIC
20 June 1839Lake Boga, 10 kms south-east of Swan Hill, VIC
22 June 1839Ida Creek, near Heathcote, VIC
July 1839Coleraine, VIC
July 1839Gerangamete, VIC
July 1839Mia Mia Massacre, Mia Mia village, c. 56 kms south of Bendigo, VIC
July 1839Mt Alexander, 30 kms south-east of Bendigo, VIC
1839 or 1840Between Coliban and Campaspe Rivers, near Bendigo, VIC
1839 or 1840Blood-hole (Bloody Creek) Massacre, Middle Creek, near Glengower Creek, VIC
1839–1840Goulburn District, VIC?
1839–1842 or 1847Mount Napier Station, 20 kms south-east of Hamilton, VIC (Eumeralla War)
1839–1842Mount Rouse Station or Weerangourt Station, VIC
1840sMurdering Flat near Tintaldra, VIC
1840sPort Fairy, VIC
Early 1840Near Mt Rouse, south-western VIC
Early 1840Mount Napier Station, 20 kms south of Hamilton, VIC
1840Grampians, VIC
1840Mount Cole, VIC
Between 1840 and 1850Gippsland, VIC (see some individual locations below)
13 January 1840Yering Station, Yarra Glen, VIC
Before February 1840Tahara Station, Wannon River, near Henty, VIC
February 1840Merino Downs Station, Wannon River, near Henty, VIC
March 1840Merino Downs Station, Wannon River near Henty, VIC
8 March 1840Hamilton, VIC
8 March 1840Fighting Hills, the Hummocks, near Wando Vale, VIC
10 March 1840Konong-Woontong Station, VIC
April 1840Merino Downs Station, Wannon River, VIC
1 April 1840Fighting Waterholes, near Konongwootong Reservoir, VIC
June 1840Colac, VIC
June 1840Muston’s station, east of Mount Rouse, VIC (Eumeralla War)
June 1840Nangeela Station, Glenelg River, near Casterton, VIC
9 June 1840Near Bowman and Yaldwyn’s run, central VIC
June–September 1840The Grange station, Victoria Valley, southern Grampians, n-w of Hamilton, VIC
July 1840Western District, VIC
August 1840Henry Dutton’s run, near Ararat, VIC
October 1840Dr Officer’s station, near Lake Bolac, 50 kms south of Ararat, western VIC
October 1840Boisdale and Bushy Park stations, 25 kms north of Sale, VIC
October–December 1840Nuntin Station, Gippsland, VIC
November 1840Murdering Flat, Wannon River, between Sandford Bridge and Glenelg River, VIC
21 December 1840Pyrenees Range, VIC
22 December 1840Boney Point, Gippsland, VIC
1840–1841Woodlands Station, Wimmera River near Crowlands, VIC
Between 1840 and 1850Boole Boole, Gippsland, VIC
Between 1840 and 1850Holland's Landing, Gippsland, VIC
Between 1840 and 1850Lake's Entrance, Gippsland, VIC
Between 1840 and 1850Medusa Point, Gippsland, VIC
Between 1840 and 1850The Heart, Gippsland, VIC
c. 1841South-western VIC
c. 1841Piccaninny Waterhole, Springbank, Glenelg River, south of Casterton, VIC
1841Butchers Creek (now Boxes Creek), Gippsland, VIC
1841Glenormiston, VIC
1841Near Lake Lonsdale, VIC
1841Lexington, VIC
1841Maffra, VIC
1841Mt Bainbridge, VIC
1841Portland, VIC
1841Port Fairy, VIC
1841Junction Wannon and Glenelg Rivers, VIC
7 Feb 1841Bet Bet Creek, 14 Mile Creek (Far Creek), later Glenmona, west of Maryborough, VIC
7 February 1841Loddon River, VIC
March 1841Mount Cole, VIC
1 April 1841Central VIC
June 1841Near Mount Sturgeon Station, Wannon River, VIC
2 June 1841Konongwootong Creek, near Coleraine, VIC
June–July 1841Burrumbeep, south of Ararat, VIC
July 1841Burrumbeep, south of Ararat, VIC
July 1841Hall’s outstation, Hall’s Gap, VIC
July 1841Good Morning Bill Creek, near Mount William, VIC
July-August 1841William Kirk’s station, Burrumbeep, VIC
August 1841Mt Emu, VIC
August 1841Mt William, VIC
25 August 1841Murray River, VIC
About 6 October 1841Near Harmers Haven, near Watson's Hut, about 1.5 kilometres west of Cape Paterson, VIC
Two whalers, William Cook (possibly of Sydney), and a man known as 'Yankee" (possibly an American are shot and killed by Tasmanians believed to have included Maulbouheenner, Tunnerminnerwait (Jack of Cape Grim), Pyterrunner, Planobeena and Truganini. Historians have suggested various theories about why the killings took place: self-defence, retribition for abuse and/or the killing of Pyterruner's husband, Probelattener, or mistaken identity? Read more about this incident in the article by Sandy Guy in Traces: Uncovering the Past, Volume 2, 2018, pp. 16–19.
27 October 1841Leighton station, Hopkins River, VIC
December 1841Port Fairy, VIC
1841–1842Burrumbeep, VIC
1841–1842Barton Station, head of Mount William Creek, VIC
1841–1842Lexington, La Rose and Mokepilly stations, VIC
1842Bruthen Creek, Gippsland, VIC
1842Net nat uungo, near Donald McKenzie’s station, Crawford River, south-west VIC
1842Skull Creek, Gippsland, VIC
1842Warndaa, Boggy Gully, near Black Swamp, west of Merrang House, south-west VIC
1842Weereangourt or Mount Rouse Station, VIC
3 January 1842Eumeralla Station, south-western VIC
February 1842Tarrone Station, Moyne River, 19 kms north of Port Fairy, VIC
24 February 1842Lubra Creek, Caramut Station, near Lubra Creek Penshurst-Caramut Road crossing, VIC
August 1842Tahara or Spring Valley Station, south-western VIC
September 1842Mount Rouse, VIC
October 1842Mount Shadwell Station, south-west VIC
October 1842Tarrone Station, Moyne River, 19 kms north of Port Fairy, VIC
10 December 1842Port Fairy, VIC
Before 1843Grampians, VIC
Before 1843Darlot, VIC
Before 1843Lake Colac, VIC
1842 or 1843Spring Creek Station, 16 kms south-west of Caramut, VIC
1843Fitzroy River, VIC
1843Grampians, VIC
1843Portland Bay area, VIC
1843Western district, VIC
1843–1849Castlemaddie or Ettrick pastoral runs, VIC
July 1843Gippsland, VIC, Aboriginal people kill Scottish colonist Ronald Macalister.
July 1843Warrigal Creek, VIC, SAcottish colonists massacre between 80 and 200 Kurnai people.
August 1843Koroit(e) Station, Wannon River, VIC
August 1843Wannon River, VIC
6 August 1843Victoria Range, western VIC
13 August 1843Near Mount Zero, VIC
September 1843Headwaters Crawford River, south-western VIC
October 1843Between Portland and Kanawalla station, Wannon River, south-west VIC
9 Novenber 1843Glenelg River near Harrow, VIC
1844Maffra, VIC
25 January 1844Mullagh Station, 11 kilometres north of Harrow, VIC
15 April 1844Grampian Range, VIC
May 1844Grampian Range, VIC
15 May 1844100 kilometres north of the Pyrenees Range, VIC
19 October 184440 kilometres north of Longerenong Station, VIC
1845Grampians, VIC
July 1845Mt Arapiles, VIC
11 July 1845West of Horsham, VIC
December 1845Western Port, VIC
Early 1846Outside Anderson's Inn, Burbank (Lexton), VIC
February 1846Wimmera River, later site of the Ebenezer Aboriginal Station, VIC
6 February 1846Mullagh Station, 11 kilometres north of Harrow, VIC
April 1846Pyrenees Range, VIC
28 June 1846Avoca River near Charlton, VIC
August 1846Mouth of the Aire River, Cape Otway, VIC
November 1846Gippsland, VIC
December 1846Snowy River, VIC
1846–47Central Gippsland, VIC
1847Mount Eccles, VIC
1847Mount Talbot, VIC
April 1847Eumeralla district, south-western VIC
20 May 1847Euremete and Lyne Stations adjoining Branxsholme, south-western VIC
July 1847Mount Napier, VIC
October 1847Mount Talbot, VIC
25 November 1847At or near Anderson and Mills’s public house, Buninyong, VIC
1848Wimmera district, VIC
February 1848Murrumbidgee station, Murray area, VIC
26 June 1849Wannon River, western VIC
1840s–1850sMurderers’ Flat, Darlots Creek, near Lake Condah Aboriginal Mission, VIC
1850Brodribb River near Orbost, VIC
1850East Gippsland, VIC
1850Murrindal near Orbost, VIC
1850s–1860sBoomerang Point, Lake Reeve, south of Rotamah, 20 kms s-e of Bairnsdale, VIC
1859Lake Bolac Station, western VIC
October 1868Lake Tyers, VIC
Date UnknownSale, VIC
Spring Hill Station near Wedderburn, VIC
  
  
  

© Compiled by Jane Morrison 2015–2022. Updated 3 June 2022, 5 October 2022. List compiled from the sources listed above, from the Bibliography and Journal Articles.