Bentinck Island, Queensland
Bentinck Island is one of the South Wellesley Islands, in Queensland's Gulf of Carpentaria.
  Bentinck Island | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Queensland |
| Coordinates | 17.06695°S 139.5°E |
| Adjacent bodies of water | Gulf of Carpentaria |
| Administration | |
| State | Queensland |
| Capital and largest city | Brisbane (pop. 2,462,637) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 (2016)[1] |
In 1918, the island was the site of the McKenzie massacre, in which many indigenous inhabitants, including women and children, died.[2][3]
History
The Kayardild language was spoken on the island.
Sometime around 1916, a man remembered only as McKenzie came to Bentinck Island and set up a sheep run, basing himself on a site at the mouth of the Kurumnbali estuary. He would ride over the island, accompanied by a pack of dogs, and shoot any Kaiadilt man who came within sight; in local memory, he murdered at least 11 people. He also kidnapped and raped native girls. He then moved to Sweers Island, and set up a lime kiln there. The Kaiadilt managed to return to Sweers only on McKenzie's departure. The massacre was only recorded by researchers in the 1980s.[3]
Gallery
Southern part of Bentinck Island and Albinia Island
Bentinck Island with the Australian continent in the background
Location of Bentinck Island
See also
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "South Wellesley Islands (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- Bruce Elder (1998). Blood on the Wattle: Massacres and maltreatment of Aboriginal Australians since 1788. Page 203 - 206: New Holland Publishers. ISBN 1-86436-410-6.CS1 maint: location (link)
- Kelly, Roma; Evans, Nicholas (1985). "The McKenzie massacre on Bentinck Island" (PDF). Aboriginal History. 9 (1). Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 February 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.