Matthew Moorhouse (1813 – 29 March 1876) was an English pioneer in Australia, pastoralist, politician, and Protector of Aborigines in South Australia. He was in charge of the armed party that murdered 30-40 Maraura people, which may have included women and children, now known as the Rufus River massacre."Papers Relative To The Affairs Of South Australia—Aborigines", Accounts and Papers 1843, Volume 3 (London: William Clowes and Sons), p. 267-310.

Early life and arrival in Australia Moorhouse studied medicine and obtained the degree of M.R.C.S. in 1836. He was practising medicine in Hanley, Staffordshire, when the Crown appointed him Protector of Aborigines in South Australia from 20 June 1839, a position he held until 1856.

He arrived in South Australia in June 1839, along with the Rev. Ridgway William Newland, on Sir Charles Forbes.

Career Piltawodli As Protector, he lived at Piltawodli mission and camp for some years, working closely with the German missionaries, Christian Teichelmann and Clamor Schürmann (and later Samuel Klose), who learned and taught in the Kaurna language. There is only one remaining page of Moorhouse's diary, containing several Kaurna songlines not recorded elsewhere, but much information about the Kaurna people has been gleaned from his reports and official correspondence. In July 1845, the whole site, including the school, was dismantled on the orders of Governor George Grey, who thought it best to take the children away from their parents, and a new "Native School" run by the government, which taught only in English, was established near what is now Kintore Avenue, and designated "The Location". The Aboriginal students proved to be every bit as bright and teachable as their white contemporaries, but their number remained small and Moorhouse re-purposed the schoolhouse as temporary accommodation for the Irish orphan girls who arrived in June 1849. The Native School closed in 1851, and became the nucleus of the Destitute Asylum. The remaining children were taken to Poonindie Mission at Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula).

Rufus River Massacre

In 1841, there was a dispute between European overlanders and the Mataura people, a sub–group of the Barkindji. The overlanders had been engaging in sexual relations with Barkindji women without giving the Barkindji the food and clothing that was promised in return. Moorhouse led a group of armed settlers to the Rufus River near Wentworth following a report that about 150 Barkindji warriors appeared to be readying to attack. The settlers opened fire on the Barkindji before they were within spear-throwing range, claiming at least 35 killed and 16 injured, though Aboriginal oral tradition suggests this is a conservative figure. Moorhouse's official account which was sent to the Governor of South Australia, George Grey claims that "the result was, to the natives, the death of nearly 30, about 10 wounded, and four (one adult male, one boy, and two females) taken prisoners". Most of the wounded would be expected to die from their wounds, because Aboriginal medicine was ill-equipped to deal with gunshot wounds.Rufus River Massacre: ", Wentworth Shire Council, retrieved 26 September 2018 "Rufus River Massacre", Culture Victoria, retrieved 25 September 2018 "Rufus River Massacre", Murray River Heritage , retrieved 19 February 2014 Coulthard-Clark C. (2001), "Rufus River", Encyclopaedia of Australia's Battles (Allen & Unwin) Foster R., Nettelbeck A. (2011), Out of the Silence, p. 32-39 (Wakefield Press)

Burke H., Roberts A., Morrison M., Sullivan V., The River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation (2016), "The space of conflict: Aboriginal/European interactions and frontier violence on the western Central Murray, South Australia, 1830–41", Aboriginal History, 40: 145-179 Tolmer A. (1882), Reminiscences of an Adventurous and Chequered Career at Home and at the Antipodes—Vol. I, chap. 20 (London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington). The Rufus River Massacre", Sovereign Union of First Nations and Peoples in Australia Fatal Affray With The Natives In South Australia: Report of Mr. Moorhouse to His Excellency the Governor", Port Phillip Patriot and Melbourne Advertiser, 14 October 1841, p. 2 - via Trove. The report of Protector Moorhouse was largely supported by James Collins Hawker.

Parliamentary career In January 1855 Moorhouse had the duties of comptroller of the Destitute Poor Establishment, and superintendent of the Female Immigrant Depot added to his responsibilities as Protector of Aborigines. He retired on 31 March 1856, and went to England, where he lectured on South Australia and promoted migration. He then visited North America, where he travelled extensively by railroad and investigated various systems of education.

Later life Moorhouse purchased shares in properties near Riverton and Saddleworth, but soon sold out and with Joseph Fisher and others bought near the Hummocks. Moorhouse managed the station until Robert Barr Smith bought it in 1870.

Moorhouse died after a short illness on his station Bartagunyah near Melrose, South Australia on 29 March 1876, leaving a widow, two sons and a daughter.

See also Kaurna List of massacres of Indigenous Australians Henry Inman (police commander) James Rigby Beevor Maria (brigantine) James Brown (Australian pastoralist)

References

Sources

"Four Reports from the Protector of the Aborigines in South Australia", Accounts and Papers 1843, Volume 3 (London: William Clowes and Sons), p. 320–328. . Steiner, Marie (2003), "Matthew Moorhouse: A controversial colonist", Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia, 31: 55–68.

Further reading SA Protector of Aborigines: Out Letter Book I (May 21, 1840 to Jan 6, 1857)  —First Sources Some Known Conflicts in New South Wales  —Australian Frontier Conflicts Sign Sites - Palmer Gardens / Pangki Pangki  —City of Adelaide Colonial Frontier Massacres in Central and Eastern Australia 1788-1930  —University of Newcastle (Australia) SA Protector of Aborigines: Out Letter Book I (May 21, 1840 to Jan 6, 1857)  —First Sources Newspaper articles mentioning "Matthew Moorhouse"  —Trove