The Appin Massacre on April 17, 1816 was carried out in reprisal for disputes between white settlers and ordered by the then Governor of NSW, Lachlan Macquarie.
Some historians argue that there was no evidence the group of Dharawal people that were targeted had any link to prior clashes in the area.
Documents in the NSW State Government archive record how soldiers attacked the Dharawal group at their camp at 1am, driving them towards a precipice with gunfire.
While 14 bodies were counted others were believed lost and unaccounted for in the gorge.
Only two women and three children survived, according to the account of Captain James Wallis, who led the attack.
More than 200 years later Campbelltown Council will mark this terrible event at two ceremonies this month.
On Sunday, April 14, a ceremony will be conducted at Cataract Dam, near the site of the massacre, while on Wednesday, April 17, a flag raising memorial will take place in the forecourt of the Campbelltown City Council civic building in Queen Street.
“It is important we remember the Appin Massacre, both for the tragedy of the lives lost and to ensure that the gravity of this event, and others like it, is properly understood,” says Mayor George Brticevic.
“People living in Campbelltown and throughout the country need to know injustices that have occurred in the past will not be written off as historic footnotes,” Cr Brticevic said.
“While these events happened many years ago the significance of it has had a lasting impact and I would invite people to take a moment to reflect on this tragedy,” he said.
The Winga Myamly Reconciliation Group and the Aboriginal Communities of Macarthur will host the memorial service at 11am to 3.30pm at the Cataract Dam picnic area.
There will be a barbecue at midday followed by the official ceremony at 1pm, which will include a welcome to country, a smoking ceremony, an Aboriginal dance performance and official speeches.
The service has been held annually since the year 2000.
The council memorial will be held 10am to 11am, when flags will be lowered to half mast for the day. Macarthur elder Aunty Glenda Chalker will present the welcome to country before the public service is addressed by the mayor and a guest speaker.
