Synopsis

More than 80 years after the brutal slaughter of 100 or more Aboriginal people in Central Australia, survivors and their descendants tell their story in Coniston.

Known as “the Coniston Massacres”, the punitive expeditions that set out in August 1928 mowed down innocent people across the traditional lands of the Warlpiri people and their neighbours. The motive was to avenge the killing of dingo trapper Fred Brooks, who took liberties with the wife of a Warlpiri tribesman.

Using their acclaimed hybrid docu-drama approach to film-making (known as Bush Mechanics), the directors allow Aboriginal people to speak with authority about their own recent history and the deep shadow it has cast over their country.

For the first time a documentary shows the Aboriginal view. The interviewees are either survivors of the massacre or generations descended directly from massacre victims, and the power of the oral histories offered is potent.

Clearly the ensuing 80 years have involved much tribal discussion of what happened and why – and the apportionment of a share of the blame to Bullfrog, the Warlpiri man who murdered dingo-trapper Fred Brooks for stealing his wife, was pretty universal.

Just 31 'justified' deaths were recorded at the hands of the retributive parties lead by Constable Murray. At least a hundred is the Warlpiri estimate including women and children.

Coniston trailer

We can't go back there. Too many spirits there.

— Survivors explaining why they cannot return to the massacre site.