AustLit

Note that some doubt has been expressed as to whether the events referred to in Meston's article actually occurred. Queensland Native Police scholar Dr. Jonathan Richards, suggests that Meston's article might have had its origins in a frontier conflict incident that occurred at Mt Larcom station, located between present day Gladstone and Rockhampton, on 26 or 27 December 1855. On this occasion Aborigines killed four Europeans and at least one Aboriginal station hand. In response, a native police detachment led by Lt. John Murray chased a group of Aborigines across the Fitzroy River, and according to Murray, killed 11 of them (Ref. : N. S. W. Colonial Secretary's Inwards Correspondence 1856/2128). Dr. Richards has no knowledge of the incident referred to in Meston's article.