Mark BERESFORD

On 5 July 1882 Cadet Sub-Inspector Mark Beresford was transferred to the Cloncurry Native Police Detachment. During this period there was a great deal of unrest between the Kalkadoon and Mitakoodi Aboriginal tribes, and white settlers and prospectors, which resulted in retaliatory raids by the native police. On 13 January 1883, a stockman named Butcher was fatally speared on Chatsworth Station, south of Cloncurry. As a result of this attack Beresford and five native troopers named Billy, Brisbane, Charley No 6, Larry and Stephen left Devoncourt Station on the 16th on a patrol to capture the offenders. The patrol travelled into the rugged Selwyn Ranges to the south of Cloncurry.

Late on the afternoon of 23 January the patrol came upon a group of tribesmen and women camped on a small tributary of the Fullerton River near its headwaters. Troopers Billy and Larry spoke to the group and informed them that they weren't going to be killed. For some unexplained reason the patrol did not mount a guard over the tribesmen or their camp.

In the early hours of the 24th, just before daybreak, the tribesmen suddenly attacked the police party. Beresford, as the rallying point, was attacked immediately. He was speared in the right thigh and received a fatal blow to the head. All the troopers were also wounded. Trooper Billy, although wounded, saved the other patrol members from being killed by shooting one of the tribesmen. The rest of the Aboriginals then fled into the hills.

On 29 January 1883 a group of volunteers left in pursuit of the offenders. It is believed that they were never apprehended.