Alfred WAVELL

In late 1888 Senior Constable Alfred Wavell was transferred to a settlement called Corinda, southwest of Burketown in the Gulf of Carpentaria. At that time Joe Flick, a noted stockman, was working in the district and in constant demand by stations for mustering and droving work. Flick was courting an Aboriginal woman who worked as a housemaid at the Brook Wayside Hotel, south of Burketown. She broke off the relationship with Flick and he believed that the proprietors of the Hotel had turned her against him. On 7 May 1889 Flick attempted to kill them but they fought him off.

A complaint was made over the incident and Flick was located, arrested and charged with shooting with intent to wound. He was placed in the Normanton lockup but escaped by removing floorboards. Sometime later Flick was sighted at Turn-Off-Lagoon by Mrs Anderson's Aboriginal houseboy. Senior Constable Wavell received orders to search for the escapee. He and tracker Jerry waited at the Anderson homestead but Flick did not reappear.

Before he left on the manhunt, Wavell wrote his will and a letter to his mother. He and Jerry borrowed horses from the Andersons and went in search of Flick. They picked up his tracks heading towards Lawn Hill Station. Although Wavell was feeling unwell, he continued the search for Flick for another day before he spotted the escapee and could give chase. Flick blockaded himself in the Lawn Hill Station homestead and a fierce gunfight ensued. Wavell, in a show of courage, walked towards the building calling loudly for Flick to surrender. Flick suddenly appeared at a window and shot Wavell in the chest, killing him instantly.

Flick was wounded when police riddled the homestead with bullets but escaped that night during a storm. He was tracked into the scrub where another gun battle finally ended his life on 28 October 1889.