Aboriginal Australians change historic monument

Aboriginal dancers from Pinjarra perform at the unveiling of the counter-memorial in 1994. 

In 1913, a monument was erected in Fremantle, Western Australia, paying tribute to explorers who made history in the area.  The plaque reads

“To the memories of Panter, Harding and Goldwyer…attacked at night by treacherous natives, were murdered.”

The men were pastoralists looking for new grazing land around Broome and when Maitland Brown, a prominent politician and fellow-pastoralist discovered their dead bodies, he took revenge on up to 20 Aboriginals and had them tortured and executed.

In 1994, a second plaque was added to the “Explorers Monument.”

This plaque was erected by people who found the monument before you offensive.  The monument described the events at LaGrange from one perspective only, the viewpoint of the white settlers. No mention is made of the right of Aboriginal people to defend their land or of the history of provocation which led to the explorers’ deaths.”