Frontier History Revisited ― Queensland and the 'history War'

Colonial Queensland was arguably the most violent of all Australian colonial frontiers. Her primary sources certainly reflect the doubtful honour of delivering the most frequent reports of shootings and massacre of indigenous people, the three single deadliest massacres on white settlers, the most disreputable frontier police force, and the highest number of white victims to frontier violence recorded in the history of any Australian state or territory. The most obvious explanation for the higher level of violence is provided by powerful evidence suggesting that she was also, in terms of original indigenous population and number of tribes on record, the single most populous of the Australian colonies. ‘Frontier History Revisited’ allow its readers an opportunity to examine and compare the most prominent statements made during the skirmish known in the popular Australian press as ‘The History War’, with a chronological listing of citations from the primary sources to colonial Queensland’s history. It then goes on to examine political and other forms of dissent to her frontier indigenous policies and the actual role, presence and influence of missionaries and protectors. Finally it presents and debates anew the evidence of white and black victims to frontier violence in north-eastern Australia, for the first time providing a full listing of all recorded Europeans and assistants who fell victim during the nineteenth century to this violence within the territory of the present day state of Queensland.