Battle of Broken River, Colonial conflict site in Benalla, Victoria, Australia
The Battle of Broken River was an armed confrontation in April 1838 between European settlers and Indigenous warriors along the banks of the Broken River, near what is now the town of Benalla in Victoria, Australia. Interpretive markers stand along the riverbanks today, and the area is connected by walking paths that follow the water through the surrounding countryside.
In April 1838, during the early years of European settlement in Victoria, open fighting broke out between settlers and Indigenous warriors at Broken River, and several settlers were killed. The event was part of a broader pattern of conflict that unfolded as Europeans moved into lands that Aboriginal communities had long occupied.
The site is connected to the active resistance of Aboriginal people against the spread of European settlement onto their lands. Interpretive panels at the location present perspectives from both sides of the conflict, which is relatively rare for sites of this era.
The site is close to the town of Benalla and is reached by walking trails that run along the riverbanks. The ground can be uneven in places, so sturdy footwear makes the visit more comfortable.
Two survivors of the fighting, known as Brown and Glenn, took off their boots before fleeing so they would not leave clear tracks for pursuers to follow. The fact that they thought to do this shows how familiar settlers had already become with the tracking skills of Indigenous people.
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