In August 1841, the Aboriginal community at the Rufus River attacked William Robinson's party of 25 men overlanding some 6000 sheep and other stock. About 15 Aboriginal people were killed. The next day a relief party sent out from Adelaide joined them and following an attack while fording the river, a further 30 Aboriginal people were killed, while a number were wounded and four were taken prisoner. This incident has become known as the Rufus River massacre, and a government enquiry was held.

Robinson, William, 1814-1889

Glenie, Pat and Brian The Rufus River "massacre" (or was it?) [Renmark, S. Aust.: P. and B. Glenie, 1993]

Wigley, Margaret 'Ready Money' : the life of William Robinson of Hill River, South Australia and Cheviot Hills, North Canterbury Christchurch, N.Z.: Canterbury University Press, 2006

William Robinson Pastoral pioneers of South Australia by Rodney Cockburn Blackwood, S.A.: Lynton Publications, [1974] vol. 2 p. 256

University of Adelaide Library Electronic Texts Collection: Eyre, Edward John. 'An account of the manners and customs of the Aborigines and the state of their relations with Europeans' Originally published with Journals of expeditions of discovery into Central Australia, and overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound, in the years 1840-1. http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/e/e98m/index.html

Dictionary of New Zealand biography: Click on 'Find' and search for Robinson, William 1814-1889

Treasures of the State Library: Overlanders crossing the Murray

William Robinson [portrait]