For the past 170 years, an Aboriginal community in regional South Australia has been handing down the story of the "Waterloo Bay massacre".

"Our history is an oral history, it's not written down," Wirangu elder Jack Johncock said.

"In 1849, people were driven over cliffs over the murder of a settler called John Hamp."

But an attempt to commemorate the killings has led to a debate over whether the events amount to a "massacre".

A petition is circulating the nearby town of Elliston, on the Eyre Peninsula, opposing the use of the word massacre on a memorial plaque.

Wirangu community members with the Waterloo Bay memorial in Elliston. ( Supplied )

Mr Johncock said it was disappointing.

"For there to be true reconciliation in this region we've got to put all of the cards on the table, stop beating around the bush and put the appropriate words onto this plaque," he said.

"That's going to bring some closure for our people.

"Now we've got an opportunity here for closure, I just hope the council is strong enough to side with us."

Incident versus massacre

A meeting has been held in Elliston to discuss the appropriate wording for the plaque, with a decision expected to be made later this year.

There is no dispute that something took place on top of the cliffs, but resident Lawrie Kenny questioned whether it was in fact a massacre.

"I think massacre is far too derogative a word for the community to accept," he said.

"I think incident, it's always been described as the Elliston incident.

"It's not really known how many people died … but we do recognise something happened."

District Council of Elliston chairman Kym Callaghan said the wording had been a sensitive issue in the community.

"I can understand elements of the community having sensitivity to the word because it can be strong but so can the word murder and atrocity," he said.

"We have to come to some sort of agreement … let's get this going and move together and walk together, this is in the past."

A new map was released this month marking areas where massacres of Aboriginal clans took place during Australia's colonial days.

Local Wirangu want Waterloo Bay to also be on the map.

Story has been handed down the generations through the traditional of oral history. ( Supplied: SA Native Title Services )

"It's a district of a bit over 1,300 people and it's only a minority that's signed this petition," Mr Johncock said.

"We the Wirangu have spoken so now it's in the hands of the local council and we'll leave it with them to come up with what they feel with be best for both parties.

"I hope this works out for us because it's been a bloody long time, it's time to get some closure."

The memorial is part of a coastal walking trail opened in May.