Over about the first 100 years.
Most murders were in the first 50 years, but due to an epidemic of venereal and other diseases the birth rates dropped greatly. As older people died the population was being replaced more so by half-castes and a few full bloods.
Full blood natives were also concerned they couldn't look after their babies as they expected to do in the past.
Around Adelaide, colonists found Aboriginal interests began to conflict with their own. Customary grass burning and spearing of stock enraged settlers.
They retaliated and a shepherd was killed. Two Aboriginal suspects were executed by hanging In 1839.21 No Europeans, however, were even brought to trial for the killing of Aborigines. Had they been,a plea of self-defence would have been upheld.
On the other hand, some of the more thoughtful colonists were already wondering whether they had any more right to kill kangaroos than Aborigines had to kill sheep.
In the same year, Aborigines in the Coorong, a group which had been particularly severely preyed upon by sealers, killed the survivors of the shipwrecked Maria.
Governor George Gawler despatched Police Commissioner O'Haloran, at the head of a force of mounted police and volunteer militia, to capture and execute on the spot up to three Aborigines in accordance with 'principles of strictest justice'.
In the course of carrying out their Instructions, two Aborigines were fatally shot and two were captured. As judge,jury and executioner, O'Halloran determined that the two men 'looked guilty' and hanged them on the spot.
Thequestion of the legality of Gawler's instructions created considerable controversy In Adelaide. Gawler claimed he had acted under martial law.
The Colonial Office in London was not convinced, but it seems to have been simply a coincidence that Gawler was replaced within a few months by Governor George Grey.
In 1841, Richard Penny, who was familiar with some of the Aboriginal people of the Coorong, recorded their views of the Maria incident. They said that some Aboriginal people had provided food and water to the survivors of the shipwreck and that they had guided them towards Adelaide.
A confrontation occurred when the Aborigines refused to go beyond the borders of their own tribal territory and all the Europeans were killed.
