Sam Croker

Samuel Burns Croker (20 June 1852 – 20 September 1892) was an Australian stockman and drover in Queensland and the Northern Territory. He was known as "Greenhide Sam Croker", because of his skill in working with greenhide, the untanned hide of an animal. He often worked alongside Nat Buchanan and, together, they 'pioneered' the Murranji Track in 1886. A participant in several massacres, he was killed by Aboriginal stockman Charlie Flannigan on Auvergne Station.

Early life Croker was born at Dungowan Station, near Tamworth in New South Wales, and was the son of John and Martha Croker who were Scottish immigrants. The family moved numerous times during Croker's early life.

Life in the Northern Territory

Croker began working with Nat Buchanan in 1877, and became considered his 'right-hand man', and in the same year they became the first Europeans to cross the Barkly Tableland. Croker was then employed on a number of Buchanan's properties, including Wave Hill Station (which was established in 1882), where it is recorded that he was involved in reprisals and massacres of the Gurindji people living there.

In 1882 he was also involved in the Red Lilly Lagoon Massacre on Elsey Station in which, in reprisal for the 15 July death of Duncan Campbell in which 20 Mangarayi people were killed. During this massacre Croker assisted Augustus Lucanus; Charlie Flannigan is believed to have been in this area and escaped them at the time. The trial and subsequent execution was covered by media around Australia and was regularly covered in the Northern Territory media.

Description Gordon Buchanan, the son of Nat Buchanan, described Croker as:

Grave Croker's grave is located at Auvergne Station, from Timber Creek.

Legacy Croker is remembered in the naming of a number of locations in the Northern Territory:

Croker Creek, on Wave Hill Station, on Gurindji country, is named for Croker. Croker Street, in Katherine, Northern Territory. Croker Street, in Nakara, Northern Territory.