Mystery surrounds “Green Tent” killer after second body found

Young mum Elizabeth Lowe was slain in her goldfields shack. Then a second grisly find raised the question: did the killer strike twice?

Geelong Gaol. Supplied.

In 1858, a brutal killing known as the “Green Tent Murder” fulfilled the worst fears held for young women daring to live alone on the goldfields.

Elizabeth Lowe, 27, was found dead, slumped over her crying newborn, months after her husband vanished in mysterious circumstances.

The story is told in this week’s new episode of the free In Black and White podcast on Australia’s forgotten characters, with historian Deb Robinson, general manager of Geelong Gaol Museum and host of the Locked Up With History podcast:

Elizabeth had her hands full juggling her business as well as a toddler and baby, after her husband disappeared while taking cash to buy a horse.

Owen McQueeney began spending more time browsing the shelves of goods at the Green Tent, Elizabeth’s shop and sly grog shanty near Meredith, between Geelong and Ballarat.

“He’d unfortunately made his attentions to Elizabeth quite well-known to the point that she’d actually asked people to stay nearby because she didn’t quite feel comfortable,” Ms Robinson says.

“He’d obviously taken a shine to Elizabeth and was, I think, desperate to be in a relationship with her.

“I think Elizabeth started to become frightened of him … every time she turned around, he was there.”

An 1853 illustration of the interior of a Victorian goldfields tent. Picture: State Library of Victoria

A visitor to the Green Tent walked into a horrific scene: Elizabeth dead face down on her knees, her face near the burning fire, with her crying baby underneath her and her toddler trying to rouse her.

Police concluded that Elizabeth had been sitting on a box by the fire feeding baby James when McQueeney entered the Green Tent carrying two pistols.

“It’s believed that he held the pistol to her cheek and fired,” Ms Robinson says.

“It shot out her right eye. It broke the whole right side of her face. It severely broke two of the vertebrae in the back of her neck before the bullet exited behind her ear.”

The Old Geelong Gaol, where Owen McQueeney was held before execution, pictured in the early 1900s. Picture: State Library of Victoria

Irishman McQueeney, who had a long criminal record, was quickly identified as the chief suspect, tracked down, then tried and executed at Geelong Gaol within months.

As for Elizabeth’s husband, Ms Robinson says a body was found months after the hanging.

“There was a skeleton found stuffed into a tree with clothing that was very similar to what Thomas was wearing when he left,” she says.

“So they believe that he was murdered as well.

“There are rumours that Owen McQueeney may have murdered him as well.”

To listen to the interview, search “In Black and White” on the Apple Podcasts app or Spotify, or go to heraldsun.com.au/ibwpodcast.