The Gatton and Oxley Murders

On 14 December 1898, sixteen-year-old Alfred Stephen Hill was reported missing. His lifeless body, marked by two bullet wounds to the head, was then discovered in Brown and Walsh’s paddock, Oxley, on 7 January.

On December 28, 1898, the bodies of the Murphy siblings Michael, 29, Norah, 27, and Ellen, 18, were found in Moran’s Paddock outside of Gatton. The sisters had been sexually assaulted and their skulls crushed, their bother had been killed by gunshot wounds to the head.

Due to miscommunication and the isolation, Queensland Police did not reach the site of the Murphy murders until two days after the grim discovery of their bodies. Investigators encountered a compromised crime scene, with decomposing remains and no clear suspects to pursue. A suspect was arrested for the M**der of Alfred Hill, but later the indictment was not pursued, and today both of these brutal M**der cases remain unsolved.

True crime historian and author Caroline Stevenson delves into the myths and stories that have emerged over the years since the incident and asks whether it is possible to solve a crime 125 years after the fact.

The one-and-a-half hour presentation will begin at 11am on Sunday, 25 August and will provide interesting and educational content suitable for any audience.

The Museum opens its doors to the public on the last Sunday of each month from 10am to 3pm from February to November in addition to the standard Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm opening hours. Monthly Sunday openings feature guest speakers from across the historical and crime-solving spectrums.

PLEASE NOTE: The Police Museum will open Sunday, 27 October from 10am to 3pm, and is located on the ground floor of Police Headquarters, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.

Host or Publisher Queensland Police Museum