The Rufus River Massacre was a massacre of at least 30–40 Aboriginal people that took place in 1841 along the Rufus River, in the Central Murray River region. The massacre was perpetrated by a large group of South Australian Police which was sent to the region by the Governor of South Australia, George Grey, after a series of effective raiding operations were conducted by local Indigenous warriors. The police were augmented by armed volunteers and a separate party of overlanders who were already battling with Aboriginal people in the Rufus River area. The colony's Protector of Aborigines, Matthew Moorhouse accompanied the punitive expedition and unsuccessfully attempted to mediate a solution before the massacre occurred.

Sir George Grey, KCB was a British soldier, explorer, colonial administrator and writer. He served in a succession of governing positions: Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Governor of Cape Colony, and the 11th premier of New Zealand. He played a key role in the colonisation of New Zealand, and both the purchase and annexation of Māori land.