The James Mark killings

James Mark was infamous due to a campaign of slaughter he perpetrated on the local Aboriginal population in the late 1840s. He first occupied the Yallaroi run to the south of the Macintyre River but was forced to abandon it due to Aboriginal resistance. In 1847 he took up the Goodar run, where he was described by neighbouring colonists as a hater of all Aboriginals and would shoot any he saw.^[4][5]

In 1847, Mark killed an Aboriginal boy and in revenge the local Aborigines killed Mark's nine year old son. Mark then went on a killing spree, travelling through the district recruiting stockmen and landholders at other stations, forming a vigilante death squad to avenge his son. Police officers from Warialda also joined the group or participated in follow-up attacks.^[4]

Around 50 Aboriginal people were killed by Mark's gang, most of whom were peaceful people who were employed on the local pastoral stations such as Umbercollie, Broomfield, Callandoon and Carbucky. The killings were mostly done at night when the victims were sleeping and a significant proportion were women and children.^[4]

Eventually several members of his group were arrested but Marks himself evaded capture and left the district. None of those arrested were found guilty of any offence. Mark's actions were important in the New South Wales Government's decision to form a Native Police force in 1848 to operate in the northern districts of the colony.^[4]

Railways

The Goondiwindi-to-Talwood section of the South Western railway opened on 4 May 1910 with the locality being served by two railway stations:

• Callandoon North railway station (now abandoned, 28.4931°S 150.1873°E / -28.4931; 150.1873 (Callandoon North railway station))^[6]

• Carbuckey railway station (now abandoned, 28.4720°S 150.1284°E / -28.4720; 150.1284 (Carbuckey railway station))^[6]

In the 2016 census, Goodar had a population of 65 people.^[1]