Lillamaloora Station Ruins

Statement of Significance

The buildings at Lillmaloora are significant in the history of the early settlement of the Kimberley. They are significant for their use firstly as an early station group and secondly as a police camp dating from the period of conflict between the white settlers and the local Aboriginal people in the 1890s. They are significant for their role in the conflicts involving Jandamarra (Pigeon) and in particular the incident involving the killing of PC Richardson which led to the period of intense conflict between 1894 and 1897.

Physical Description

The remaining structures at Lillmaloora consist of two main stone structures separated by a breezeway. there is evidence of a stone floor in the breezeway area. There is a third stone structure adjacent and a pile of stones behind the complex which may be the remains of a fourth building, possibly a kitchen. Other building materials such as timber framing or corrugated iron sheets, have probably been removed from the site for use on other buildings as is common practise in the remote Kimberley region. An early drawing of the buildings located int he Derby Library is the best available evidence of the original form of the building.

History

Lillmaloora sheep station was established by the King Sound Pastoral Company in 1884. The buildings were constructed several years later. Lillmaloora was used as a sheep station unit 1893 when it was advertised for sale in Dalgety's auction notice. The roperty appears to have remained unsold. portions were transferred in 1894 to Lukin and Monger nearby lennard River Station, who then used Lillmaloora for a short time in conjunction with their own station. In the late 1880's and early 1890's it was a period of considerable conflict between white settlers and Aboriginal people living in the Napier and Oscar ranges. A key figure who emerged in the conflict was an Aboriginal tracker named Jandamarra (Pigeon) who belongs to the Bunuba people. There are a number of recorded incidents involving the Bunuba people in the late 1880's including the killing of a large number of sheep on Lillmaloora station in 1889. Lukin, supported by a number of other pastoralists, petitioned the colonial Government in Perth who responded by increasing police patrols and establishing a permanent police outpost near Windjana Gorge (Pederson 1984). It is known that the police had three successive camps in this area int he early 1890's and that one of these was Lillmaloora. In 1893 Jandamarra, who was serving a sentence for a previous offence, and another Aboriginal prisoner named Captain were working as trackers with Constable Richardson at Robinson River police Station north of Derby. they were subsequently moved to the napier and Oscar Range area with the task of capturing the Aboriginal people involved with sheep stealing. These were Jandamarra's own people and in November 1894, Jandamarra and Captain shot PC Richardson who was reported to be sleeping in the breezeway at Lillmaloora. (Police Occurences and Northern Public Opinion, 6-6-1896 p3.) The Aboriginal prisoners captured previously were released. This began a period of intense conflict which included a further raid on Lillmaloora in 1896 and an attack on Oscar Range homestead leading finally to the death of Jandamarra at Tunnel Creek in 1897. There is no readily accessible record of Lillmaloora's use after the perod of conflict in the 1890's and it is not known whether the buildings were used into the twentieth century.

Condition

Ruins

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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