Welcome the the Australian Frontier Conflicts (1788–1940s and Beyond) website. It seeks to document the frontier conflicts between European colonists and Australia’s First Peoples. The author of, and contributors to, the Australian Frontier Conflicts website acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and future. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today and in the future.

WARNING: This website and links to other sources, contain images, names, or voices of deceased people, for example, in text, etchings, databases, audio recordings, film, news media, photographs, podcasts, and printed material.

The information on this website is publicly available. There may be copyright restrictions on some material depicted or referred to on this website, for example, images, articles, books, films, videos still subject to copyright. Please check the Australian Copyright Council’s website at https://www.copyright.org.au for information about copyright in Australia and what publications are affected.

‘Mounted Police and Blacks’ by Godfrey Charles Mundy, 1852.
Depicts the killing of Aboriginals at Slaughterhouse Creek (Waterloo Creek), New South Wales by British troops in 1838. Australian War Memorial ART 50023, www.awm.gov.au/collection/ART50023

Timelines

The Timeline lists some known dates on which, and locations where, conflicts–from individual injuries and killings to large massacres and wars– occurred between colonists and First Peoples. The Timeline begins before the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788.

Read More

Maps

This Australian map, and State and Territory maps, show only some of the known Australian frontier conflict sites. For more conflicts that took place on Australian soil during the frontier period and even into the 20th century, please refer to the Australian Timeline and related State and Territory conflict lists. More sites will be added to these maps as time permits.

Read More

Warriors

Listed are some of the better-known Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander warriors who defended their lands in the 19th and early 20th centuries and examples of where you can find information about them. Warriors such as Bussamarai, Calyute, Windradyne and many more.

Read More

Memorials

Some memorials commemorate Aboriginal peoples who inhabited certain places before the arrival of colonists in 1788, but do not honour those who gave their lives in the defence of homelands from 1788 onwards. Examples of types of memorials follow.

Read More

Latest News

Note: In 2019 news items related to the Australian Frontier Wars website were posted on Facebook while the website was experiencing technical problems. There is no longer a Facebook page related to this website.

Myall Creek Memorial Yarning Event, 7 June 2024

April 17th, 2024|

Armidale Friends of Myall Creek have announced an event in the University of Armidale's Yarning Series on Friday, 7 June 2024. Yarning with Boe Spearim on the Frontier Wars and Black Resistance...then and now will [...]

Compiled by Jane Morrison 2012–2022. Updated 25, 30 October, 23 November 2022.