The Letters Patent was designed to give some protection to the Aboriginal people, but groups such as the settlers and authorities, ignored these rules.The European settlers did not understand the Aboriginal system of land ownership and so the Aboriginal claim to the land was not recognized. The Europeans maintained that there were no territorial rights among the Aborigines. Tensions between the indigenous people and the settlers mainly arose from land disputes.

The Adnyamathanha saw the Europeans as invaders when they began to settle in the area in the 1840s. The Adnyamthanha people tried to resist the invaders but this was met with police authority and gradually the resistance ended. The early settlers did not consider the possibility that they were taking over the Aboriginal land and that the livestock they bought with them were destroying Adnyamathanha food sources and water-holes. This attitude caused much conflict between the two main groups. The Aborigines had completely different value systems to that of the Europeans which was enhanced by cultural and language difficulties. For example, keeping livestock was essential for Europeans as it often dictated their place in society whereas the Aborigines regarded animals as descendants of the Dreaming. The Adnyamathanha food sources were being replaced by live stock and so the Adnyamathanha began to live off these animals which caused resentment among the Europeans. The Aborigines were often physically abused and prosecuted. More and more pastoralists settled in the Blinders Ranges bringing with them more cattle and sheep which caused more clashes between the two groups. By the 1850s, the settlers were using guns to ward off the Adnyamathanha who were often shot on the spot. This caused further tension among the Aboriginal groups as certain people in the kinship had to avenge the deaths. During the first few years of European settlement, the Adnyamathanha community decreased in numbers dramatically.

As settlement increased around the Blinders Ranges, so did the conflict. It was common for the workers to rape the Adnyamathanha women and they often kept the Adnyamathanha away from vital sources of food and water which were instead reserved for their cattle and sheep. Stories of conflict between the settlers and the Aborigines have been passed down and some of these stories tell of violence, and in some cases massacres. Many times the bodies of men, women and children were mutilated and according to Adnyamathanha custom, revenge was sought. This however often ended up in greater misfortunes. Many Aborigines were too frightened to speak of these events again. Eventually the police were bought into the Blinders Ranges and the Adnyamathanha were forced into submission. The police supplied rations to the Adnyamathanha which led to their dependence on the European community. By this time the Adnyamathanha were in a vulnerable position, especially as the Europeans did not acknowledge their ownership of land and other assets. The drought in the 1860s affected the Adnyamathanha severely, especially as food and water were carefully watched over by the Europeans. The Adnyamathanha group managed to survive despite the obstacles of the earlier years. By the 1860s, initial conflict between the Adnyamthanha and the Europeans lessened and the Adnyamathanha became more involved with the Europeans as many began to work in the pastoral industry. Because of this, parts of the Adnyamathanha culture were able to be preserved. By 1866 there was already talk of Aboriginal land rights for the Adnyamthanha and it seemed they had the support of a South Australian newspaper which was a rare stance during those times. The government ignored these public demands and they sent more rations to the Flinders Ranges. These rations did not match the level of nutrition that the Adnyamthanha were used to receiving from bush tucker and as a result their health deteriorated.