A Grim History

THE CAPE GRIM MASSACRE:

Exposing a History of
Failed Justice?

Figure 2- THE LOCATION OF DEATH: Photograph

of Cape Grim, John Watt (1900)

GRAYCE M BAXTER
 SIGNIFICANCE THE BLACK WAR
On the 29th September 2017, the
ABC published an article revealing
the disbelief of several students from
Smithton High School during their
visit to Cape Grim in the North-
West of Tasmania.1 The student’s
shock was came from learning about
the massacre of approximately 30
Aboriginals on the 10th February Figure 2- HOW THE COLONISTS WERE
1828, which had occurred 50km PORTRAYED BY THE ABORIGNALS: The
north of their hometown. Four Aborigines of Van Diemen Land, William Dixon
shepherds employed by the Van (1828)

Diemen's Land Company led the

attack and was escalated by the
The beginning of Tasmania’s
errors that both preceded the event
colonisation also saw a period of
and followed, by Governor-Arthur
great conflict between the
and Magistrate Edward Curr, when
Aboriginals and British settlers.
dealing with the conflicts between
Something of which has commonly
settlers and Aboriginals in Tasmania
been referred to as the “Black
2
during this period.
War”.3 The initial reasons for the
conflict were the absence of
government presence at the early
stages of Tasmania’s colonisation.
Instead, the island the island was
enforced under a penal system.. 4
Therefore, a majority of the areas
 labour and recruitment came from longer have to “keep them
convicts, including the local police account”.9 As argued by historian
force. This suggested that several of Clive Turnball, these convicts were,
the men in control of the law system therefore, “ able to treat the natives
“were morally on par with as they pleased with no agency to
[criminals]” and therefore, often prevent them from doing so.10 With
favoured violence over justice when a flawed police system, and no
it came with dealing with the policies in place to avoid
Aboriginals.5 mistreatment from convicts in the
‘bush’, this was the starting point to
a much larger narrative of injustice
Between 1805-1810, Tasmania was against the Aboriginals.
affected by a significant lack of food
sources amongst the settler camps. Governor Arthur and
Convicts were encouraged to go into
the “bush” to hunt “native game”.6
the Rise in Tensions
As a result, this caused several
encounters between the settlers and
the Aboriginals, and significantly
weakened the native food source.7
Both sides were, therefore, driven by
both hunger and desperation which
aggravated tensions between the two
parties.8 In response to this, many
members of the police force
remained ignorant of the developing Figure 3- THE MAN WHO CHANGED

problem. Instead, they encouraged THE GAME: Portrait of Governor-

Lieutenant Arthur, Benjamin Duterrau
many of the convicts to remain in
(1832)
the bush, so that they would no
 This was quite a contradiction to
how Governor-Lieutenant Arthur
Upon his arrival to Van Diemen’s
addressed the conflict upon his
Land, Governor-Lieutenant George
succession. Instead, Arthur
Arthur succeeded his predecessor
demonstrated a strong concern with
William Sorell who had sought to
displaying discipline.14
civilise the situation in Tasmania
between the colonists and
natives11. Sorell had attempted
to reduce the effect on
Aboriginal food sources and
trying to dissuade the eruption
of violence between the
Aboriginals and convict settlers.
Most significantly, however,
was within Sorell’s
proclamation on the 19th May
1817, which recognised that the Figure 4 & 5- NATIVES UNDER BRITISH
conflict was particularly one-sided PROTECTION: Extract from Governor

and that “several settlers are in the Sorell’s 1817 Proclamation from James

habit of maliciously…firing at and Biscoff (1817)

destroying the defenceless

natives”.12 This was followed by a
His actions appeared to develop the
command to consider “the natives
situation, even more, when he
…under British Government’s and
attempted to use the imperial justice
protection” and that any “ill-
system to create an example for the
treatment of the native people [at the
Aboriginals. This occurred through
hands of British settlers] will be
the hanging of two Aboriginal men
received with punishment.13
who had murdered a stockman out
 of revenge for the rape inflicted behaviour as acts of retaliation. They
upon their wives and sisters in the were instead criminalised by being
early months of 1826. used as an example, and given no
remorse for the actions that had been
inflicted upon them to prompt their
attack.

Instead, what followed was further

retaliation from both parties, which
directly opposed the efforts that
Sorell had attempted to achieve.
Figure 6- AN EXAMPLE OR A
This elevated the British
TRAGEDY? Extract from the Hobart
government’s pressure on Arthur to
Town Gazette (1826)-
control the situation, as
demonstrated in his letter to
Viscount Goderich on the 10th
The two Aboriginal men, ‘Jack’ and
January 1828. It was here that he
‘Dick’ were subsequently charged
disclosed the idea of settling the
with the murder of Thomas Cooley
“Aborigines in some remote quarter
on the 21st May 1826.15 Their deaths
of the island” in response to the
were promptly followed by a
continuation of violence, stating that
statement from the Colonial Office
it has become necessary to take a
which claimed that the “Governor
“decisive step”.17
would hope that this example
may…induce towards [the natives]
the observance of a conciliatory line
In comparison with Sorell, Arthur’s
of conduct”. 16 Arthur did not
response to the conflict did not show
recognise the Aboriginal men’s
any interest in protecting the
 Aboriginals, despite them being
under British Government
protection. Instead, the narrative of
injustice continued as he deliberated
on an effective method to control the
situation quickly so that colonisation
could continue to prosper.

Figure 7 & 8- THE GAME CHANGER:

Extract of Despatch from Governor-
Lieutenant Arthur to Viscount
Goderich (1828)
The North-West &
The VDL Company
The Van Diemen’s Land Company
was founded in 1824, with the
purpose to produce and distribute
local wools to British factories for
cheaper manufacturing.18 Many of Figure 9- THE ECONOMIC TURN IN THE
NORTH-WEST: Painting of The Establishment
the encounters of violence in
of the VDL co., James Bischoff (1832)
Tasmania’s North-West either
occurred within the company’s
control or involved shepherds or Cape Grim was also commonly
workers employed by the company referred to as Circular Head at the
directly. This was particularly the time of the massacre. Its location
case after the company received was right within the Van Diemen’s
250,000 acres of land as part of Land Company’s land grant and was
Tasmania’s pastoral expansion in identified as a desirable area due to
1826.19 the island being “favourable to the
rearing of sheep”.20 It was, therefore,
a strategic location to optimise the
company’s profits, with shepherds
hired to observe and look after sheep
within its location, as well as house
several of the company’s superiors.
 duty as a magistrate to protect the
Aboriginals within his jurisdiction,
as laid out by Sorell in his 1817
proclamation.22 However, his
despatches, regarding the violent
encounters within his authority,
demonstrated several administrative
flaws and displayed a great injustice
Figure 10- HOUSE OF CARDS: Highfield, towards the Aboriginals, despite
Circular Head, Stanley, Tasmania, having a duty to protect them.
residence for Edward Curr, Rex Nan Kivell
(1835)
The 10th February massacre was
preceded by four violent encounters
at Cape Grim. Three, of which,
As a good friend of Governor
directly involved workers from the
Sorell, Edward Curr was selected as
Van Diemen’s Land Company.23
the company’s first manager.21 He
One of these was the wounding of
was shortly after appointed the
Thomas John as a result of a spear
position of magistrate. This put him
thrown into the “flesh part of [his]
in a predicament when it came to
thigh” by a native.24 During Curr’s
dealing with the violence that was
despatch to the Deputy Governor,
arising between the settlers and
dated the 2nd January 1828, Curr
Aboriginals under his jurisdiction.
described how “a party of natives
While under the direct orders and
attacked [his] men in charge of the
policies of Governor-Lieutenant
sheep at Cape Grim”. Although
Arthur, particularly during Arthur’s
Curr specifically mentions John’s
process of removing the native tribes
injury and recovery, he did not
from Tasmania, Curr also had the
mention any deaths or injuries that
responsibility of remaining
occurred towards the natives during
humanitarian. This was due to his
 this encounter.25 This event was actions towards the Aboriginals
followed by the “destruction of similarly occurred when reporting
[several] sheep” by the Aboriginals, this attack. According to scholar
on the 31st December 1827. Lyndall Ryan, upon her reading of
Historian, Ian McFarlane, described Curr’s despatch to his superiors, he
the actions of the Aboriginals as an “acknowledged the attack but
aggressive response to the event claimed there were no casualties
described in Curr’s initial because the guns mis-fired”.29
despatch.26 The aggression displayed However, his decision to omit any
by the Aboriginals during these information regarding the killing of
killings supports the claim that twelve aboriginals was contradicted
Aboriginals either died or were by Rosalie Hare, the young wife of a
seriously injured in the January ship captain, in her journal entries.30
conflict. However, Curr explicitly
“The Master of
avoids any mention of the actions of
the Company’s
his men upon the Aboriginals, other cutter Fanny,
than describing his worker’s assisted by four
eventual success in protecting the shepherds and his
company’s livestock.27 crew, surprised a
party and killed
twelve. The rest
The February massacre also came
escaped but
afterwards
after a separate event that occurred
followed them.
approximately one month before,
They reached the
where an estimated 10-13 vessel just in time
Aboriginals were slaughtered and to save their
attacked from a Van Diemen’s Land lives”. - Extract
Company vessel.28 Curr’s decision from Rosalie
to conceal the details of his worker’s
Hare, The Voyage
 of the Caroline, formulated that Curr incorrectly
41. informed his superiors what
Hare specifically uses the captain of occurred, specifically withholding
the company’s vessel as her the actions of his workers.33
reference for the attack and directly
challenges Curr’s actions in The Massacre,
response to the conflicts between the
Aboriginals and his workers, by
Curr & the
noting that she believes he was
aware of the incidents, yet
Aftermath
“never…took any notice”.31 This is
In the February massacre,
supported by the fact that Curr never
approximately 30 Aboriginals were
mentioned any of the details told by
shot dead by four shepherds
Hare to his superiors. Hare, within
employed under the Van Diemen’s
her entry, describes how “there
Land Company. This, however, was
[were] several accounts…of natives
not reported to Governor- Arthur
being shot by…the company’s
until November of 1829, by the
men”. This directly contradicts
32
companies superintendent Alexander
Curr’s validation that the guns
Goldie. As historian Keith
misfired and causes several
Windschuttle argued in his
questions regarding Curr’s honesty
deliberation over the massacre, there
and motive when dealing with the
is the possibility that Goldie did do
developing conflict. Especially as
this to undermine him. 34 However,
Hare had little reason to exert the
Goldie did demonstrate a concern
truth, as her journal entries had no
for the Aboriginals when he visited
direct interest in the company, other
both members of the Aboriginal
than being briefly affiliated with her
community after the massacre, and
observations while in Van Diemen’s
when he offered direct warnings to
Land. Therefore, it can be
 the company workers, both before rocks” which was also omitted in
and after the massacres occurrence. Curr’s despatch to his superiors.38
This proposes the possibility that he The fact that Chamberlain admitted
was generally concerned with how to such a large number of casualties,
Curr was mishandling the despite recognising the
situation.35 consequences of doing so, indicates
that he can be identified as a reliable
George Robinson’s Friendly
witness. This was further supported
Mission is identified as a significant
by Robinson who noted down that
source for the massacre. Robinson
Chamberlain had been hesitant to
was given the responsibility of
reveal the details of the attack to his
investigating the incident following
superiors in case “the Governor
its eventual report eighteen months
would hear of it”, demonstrating that
after it had occurred. It was within
he was aware of the punishment he
this source that several accounts of
could receive for his honesty. 39
the massacre were documented,
Curr, however, was far less honest
including Charles Chamberlain, who
and expressed no intent on being
was one of the four shepherds
just, despite his occupation as a
involved in executing the attack. It
magistrate.
was within Robinson’s interview
with Chamberlain that it was As well as minimising the
revealed that approximately “thirty” information, it was revealed that,
natives had been killed.36 Curr, despite Governor Arthur previously
however, minimised this number to making an example of the
“only six Aborigines” in his follow Aboriginals ‘Jack’ and ‘Dick’ in
up report, demonstrating another response to their attack on a
discrepancy in his address.37 colonist, the same tactic did not
Chamberlain also described how the occur in regards to the four
bodies were “[thrown] down the shepherds for their involvement in
 the massacre. Instead, Robinson
gave Chamberlain a warning in his
Conclusion:
interview that he should “never be Governor-Arthur ultimately
guilty of such a deed again…or he… developed the tensions between the
would be tried for [his life]”40. Even Aboriginals and British colonists
after Curr was aware of the during the Black-War through his
situation, Curr did not attempt to proclamations and penal system of
interview the workers who were justice. As well as this, by
involved, or accuse them of such an identifying the failures of Magistrate
act. Rather, it was Governor Arthur Edward Curr in correctly reporting
himself who encouraged the the incidents that occurred under
investigation, after receiving their jurisdiction, it can be argued
notification of the incident from that there were many instances of
Goldie. As McFarlane argues, Curr failure when dealing with the arising
had the responsibility of both conflict between the two parties. As
magistrate, and a superior in the people under British protection, the
company to report and “formally Aboriginals in Tasmania were
investigate” such an incident under subsequently disadvantaged. The
41
his jurisdiction. However, he events that preceded the February
failed to do so until it was too late. massacre at Cape Grim, and the
Despite being a magistrate with the failures that followed, demonstrates
responsibility to protect the that several injustices regarding the
Aboriginals under his authority, the Aboriginals occurred at the hands of
evidence instead suggests that he men with both power and
was more concerned with protecting responsibility.
his workers and withholding the
company’s involvement.
 Figures:
Figure 1:

Watt, John, Stanley -Circular Head, C. 1900, Melbourne, in State Library

Victoria [online database], accessed 29th Sept. 2018.

Figure 2:

Dixon, William, The Aborigions of Van Demonds Land Endeavouring to Kill

Mr John Allen on Milton Farm in the District of Great Swanport on the 14th
December 1828, C. 1828, State Library of NSW [online database], accessed 28
Sept. 2018.

Figure 3:

Dutterrau, Benjamin, Portrait of Governor Arthur, C. 1832, National Library of

Australia [online database], accessed 29th Sept. 2018.

Figure 4 and 5:

Sorrel, William, May 1817 Proclamation [Extract], (Van Diemen’s Land,

Government House: Hobart, 1817), cited in J. Biscoff, Sketch of the History of
Van Diemen’s Land, (Adelaide: Libraries Board of South Australia, 1832), 211.

Figure 6:

‘Supreme Court’, Hobart Town Gazette, ‘Government Notice’, 27. May 1826,
3, in TROVE [online database], accessed 7 Oct. 2018
 Figure 7 and 8:

Arthur, George, Copy of Despatch from Lieutenant Governor Arthur to

Viscount Goderich [Extract], (Van Diemen’s Land, Government House: Hobart,
1817), cited in J. Biscoff, Sketch of the History of Van Diemen’s Land,
(Adelaide: Libraries Board of South Australia, 1832), 185.

Figure 9:

Biscoff, James, Establishment of Van Diemen’s Land Co. in Biscoff, James,

Sketch of the History of Van Diemen’s Land, (Adelaide: Libraries Board of
South Australia, 1832), 1.

Figure 10:

Nan Kivell, Rex, Highfield, Circular Head, Stanley, Tasmania, Residence for
Edward Curr, First Manager of the Van Diemen’s Land Company, C. 1835,
National Library of Australia [online database], accessed 6 Oct. 2018.
 Primary Sources:
Arthur, George, Copy of Despatch from Lieutenant Governor Arthur to
Viscount Goderich [Extract], (Van Diemen’s Land, Government House: Hobart,
1817), cited in J. Biscoff, Sketch of the History of Van Diemen’s Land,
(Adelaide: Libraries Board of South Australia, 1832), 185.

Colonial Secretary Office, Statement from Governor Arthur[extract], (Van

Diemen’s Land, Government House, Hobart 1826), cited in C. Turnbull, The
Black War: the extermination of the Tasmanian Aborigines, (Melbourne:
Landsdowne Press, 1965), 69.

Curr, Edward cited in G. Lennox, ‘The Van Diemen's Land Company and the
Tasmanian Aborigines: A Reappraisal’, Papers and Proceedings: Tasmanian
Historical Research Association, 37/4, (1990), 167.

Hare, Rosalie, The Voyage of the Caroline (London: Longmans, Green and Co.,
1927).

Plomely, NJB (ed.) 1966, Friendly Mission: The Tasmanian Journals and
Papers of George Augustus Robinson 1829-1834 (Tasmanian Historical
Research Association, Hobart).
 Sorrel, William, May 1817 Proclamation [Extract], (Van Diemen’s Land,
Government House: Hobart, 1817), cited in J. Biscoff, Sketch of the History of
Van Diemen’s Land, (Adelaide: Libraries Board of South Australia, 1832), 211.

TAHO VDL 5/1, No 1. Correspondence.

Secondary Sources:
Eaves, Rick ‘Cape Grim reveals hidden human tragedy to Smithton Students’,
ABC (Northern Territory), 29 Sep. 2017, <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-
09-29/smithton-kids-head-to-cape-grim-in-pursuit-of-hidden-
histories/8997912>, accessed 28 Sep. 2018.
Lennox, Geoff, ‘The Van Diemen's Land Company and the Tasmanian
Aborigines: A Reappraisal’, Papers and Proceedings: Tasmanian Historical
Research Association, 37/4, (1990).

McFarlane, Ian, Aboriginal Society in North West Tasmania: Dispossession and

Genocide (Hobart: University of Tasmania, 2002).

McFarlane, Ian, ‘Cape Grim’, in Robert Manne (ed.), Whitewash: On Keith

Windschuttle’s Fabrication of Aboriginal History, (Melbourne: Schwartz
Publishing, 2003).
 McFarlane, Ian ‘NJB Plomley’s Contribution to North-West Tasmanian
Regional History’ in Johnston and Mitchell (ed.), Reading Robinson:
Companion Essays to George Robinson’s Friendly Mission, (Melbourne:
Monash University Publishing, 2012).

Oxford Dictionary Plus History, s.v ‘Black War’.

Ryan, Lyndall, ‘Colonial Frontier Massacre in Central and Eastern Australia

1788-1930: Cape Grim (1)’, The Centre for 21st Century Humanities
(University of Newcastle [website], 2017
https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialmassacres/detail.php?=1368, accessed
29 Sep. 2018.

Ryan, Lyndall, ‘Colonial Frontier Massacre in Central and Eastern Australia

1788-1930: Cape Grim (2)’, The Centre for 21st Century Humanities
(University of Newcastle [website], 2017
https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialmassacres/detail.php?=1368, accessed
29 Sept. 2018.

Turnbull, Clive, The Black War: the extermination of the Tasmanian

Aborigines, (Melbourne: Landsdowne Press, 1965).

Windschuttle, Keith, The Fabrication of Aboriginal History (Paddington,

N.S.W: Macleay Press, 2002).
1
Rick Eaves, ‘Cape Grim reveals hidden 1829-1834 (Tasmanian Historical
human tragedy to Smithton Students’, Research Association, Hobart),25.
ABC (Northern Territory), 29 Sep. 2017,
para. 5, < 6
Clive Turnbull, The Black War: the
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-
extermination of the Tasmanian
29/smithton-kids-head-to-cape-grim-in-
Aborigines, 28.
pursuit-of-hidden-histories/8997912>, 7
Ibid. 38.
accessed 28 Sep. 2018. 8
Ibid. 67.
9 Ibid.
2
Lyndall Ryan, ‘Colonial Frontier 10
Ibid. 39
Massacre in Central and Eastern Australia 11
Ibid.63.
1788-1930: Cape Grim (2)’, The Centre 12
William Sorell, May 1817 Proclamation
for 21st Century Humanities (University of [Extract], (Van Diemen’s Land,
Newcastle [website], 2017 Government House: Hobart, 1817), cited
https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialma in J. Biscoff, Sketch of the History of Van
ssacres/detail.php?=1368, accessed 29 Diemen’s Land, (Adelaide: Libraries
Sep. 2018. Board of South Australia, 1832), 211.

13
Ibid. 211-212.
3
Clive Turnbull, The Black War: the 14
Clive Turnbull, The Black War: the
extermination of the Tasmanian extermination of the Tasmanian
Aborigines, (Melbourne: Landsdowne Aborigines, 63.
Press, 1965) 15
Ibid.
4
Ian McFarlane, ‘NJB Plomley’s 16
Colonial Secretary Office, Statement
Contribution to North-West Tasmanian from Governor Arthur [extract], (Van
Regional History’ in Johnston and Diemen’s Land, Government House,
Mitchell (ed.), Reading Robinson: Hobart 1826), cited in C. Turnbull, The
Companion Essays to George Robinson’s Black War: the extermination of the
Friendly Mission, (Melbourne: Monash Tasmanian Aborigines, (Melbourne:
University Publishing, 2012), para.1 Landsdowne Press, 1965), 69.
5
NJB Plomely (ed.) 1966, Friendly 17
George Arthur, Copy of Despatch from
Mission: The Tasmanian Journals and Lieutenant Governor Arthur to Viscount
Papers of George Augustus Robinson Goderich [Extract], (Van Diemen’s Land,
Government House: Hobart, 1817), cited 29
Ibid.
in J. Biscoff, Sketch of the History of Van 30
Rosalie Hare, The Voyage of the
Diemen’s Land, (Adelaide: Libraries
Caroline (London: Longmans, Green and
Board of South Australia, 1832), 185.
Co., 1927), 7.
31
1818
Ian McFarlane, Aboriginal Society in Ibid. 41.
32
North West Tasmania: Dispossession and Ibid.
Genocide (Hobart: University of
33
Ian McFarlane ‘Cape Grim’, in Robert
Tasmania, 2002) 90. Manne , 208.
34
19
Geoff Lennox, ‘The Van Diemen's Land Keith Windschuttle, The Fabrication of
Company and the Tasmanian Aborigines: Aboriginal History (Paddington, N.S.W:
A Reappraisal’, Papers and Proceedings: Macleay Press, 2002), 112.
Tasmanian Historical Research 35
Ian McFarlane ‘Cape Grim’, in Robert
Association, 37/4, (1990), 165.
Manne (ed.), Whitewash: On Keith
20
Ibid.165.
Windschuttle’s Fabrication of Aboriginal
21
Ibid.
History (Melbourne: Schwartz Publishing,
22
Ibid. 168.
2003), 209.
23
Ian McFarlane ‘Cape Grim’, in Robert 36
NJB Plomely (ed.) 1966, Friendly
Manne (ed.), Whitewash: On Keith
Mission: The Tasmanian Journals and
Windschuttle’s Fabrication of Aboriginal
Papers of George Augustus Robinson
History, (Melbourne: Schwartz Publishing,
1829-1834 (Tasmanian Historical
2003), 208.
Research Association, Hobart),174-175.
24 TAHO VDL 5/1, No 1. Correspondence.
25
Ian McFarlane, ‘Cape Grim’,207.
26
Ibid. 207. 37
Ryan, Lyndall, ‘Colonial Frontier
27
TAHO VDL 5/1, No 1. Correspondence. Massacre in Central and Eastern Australia
1788-1930: Cape Grim (2)’, The Centre
for 21st Century Humanities (University of
28
Lyndall Ryan, ‘Colonial Frontier
Newcastle [website], 2017
Massacre in Central and Eastern Australia
https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialma
1788-1930: Cape Grim (1)’, The Centre
ssacres/detail.php?=1368, accessed 29
for 21st Century Humanities (University of
Sep. 2018
Newcastle [website], 2017
https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialma
ssacres/detail.php?=1368,
 39
Ibid. 176.
38
NJB Plomely (ed.) 1966, Friendly 40
Ibid. 176.
Mission: The Tasmanian Journals and
Papers of George Augustus Robinson 41
Ian McFarlane ‘Cape Grim’, 208.
1829-1834,175.