In the late 1830s and 1840s the Werribee River was the scene of fighting between the Wautharong people and the European settlers. The squatter Charles Franks and a shepherd were speared to death near Mount Cottrell in July 1836. Because of this, John Batman led a group of men to punish the aborigines. They found a large group of aborigines and shot them, killing at least ten. There are also reports of flour containing arsenic being given to local aborigines.