Aboflag

Aboriginal Timeline

By whiteshadowdarklight

  • Europeans Arrive

    Australia's first group of European migrants arrived in January 1788. They came on a fleet consisting of two warships, three supply ships and six ships which carried the main group, almost 800 convicts.
  • Period: to

    The Stolen Generation

    The Stolen Generations (also known as Stolen children) were the children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions, under acts of their respective parliaments.

  • Half-Caste Act

    The Hallf-Caste act is passed, making the Chief Protector the legal guardian of every Aboriginal and 'half-caste' child under 16 years old. Reserves are established, a local protector is appointed and rules governing Aboriginal employment are laid down.

  • 1901 Federation

    Federation - The Commonwealth Constitution states "in reckoning the numbers of people... Aboriginal natives shall not be counted". It also states that the Commonwealth would legislate for any race except Aboriginal people. This leaves the power over Aboriginal Affairs with the states.

  • Aboriginals serve in war

    Beginning of WWI. Approximately 400 to 500 Aboriginal children continue to be removed from their families during the period 1914 to 1918, including children whose fathers are overseas at war.

  • Population decrease

    The Aboriginal population is estimated to be at its lowest at 60,000.

  • The Aborigines Act

    Under the Aborigines Act, Aboriginal people can apply to 'cease being Aboriginal' and have access to the same rights as 'whites'.

  • Assimilation Policy

    Aboriginal Welfare - Conference of Commonwealth and State Authorities called by the federal government, decides that the official policy for some Aboriginal people is assimilation policy. Aboriginal people of mixed descent are to be assimilated into white society whether they want to be or not.

  • The Day Of Mourning

    150 years after European occupation the Aboriginal Progressive Association declares a Day of Mourning. An Aboriginal conference is held in Sydney. These are the first of many Aboriginal protests against inequality, injustice, dispossession of land and protectionist policies.

  • Cummeragunja Walk-off

    The first-ever mass strike of Aboriginal people in Australia occurred – the Cummeragunja Walk-off. Over 150 Aboriginal people pack-up and leave Cummeragunja Aboriginal Station in protest at the cruel treatment and exploitation of residents by the management.

  • The Commonwealth Citizenship and Nationality Act

    The Commonwealth Citizenship and Nationality Act for the first time makes all Australians, including all Aboriginal people, Australian citizens. But at state level they still suffer legal discrimination.

  • Rights to vote

    Aboriginal people are given the right to enrol and vote at federal elections provided they are entitled to enrol for state elections or have served in the armed forces.

  • Schooling

    First formal schooling is introduced for Aboriginal children.

  • The beginning of the end of the Stolen Generation

    The Western Australian Department of Native Affairs ceases forcefully taking Aboriginal children from their parents and sending them to missions.

  • Integration Policy

    Integration policy is introduced, supposedly to give Aboriginal people more control over their lives and society.

  • Wave Hill

    Stockmen and women walk off Wave Hill cattle station owned by British aristocrat Lord Vestey, about 700 kms south of Darwin in the Northern Territory, in protest against intolerable working conditions and inadequate wages.

  • Freedom Ride

    Charles Perkins leads a freedom ride by Aboriginal people and students through north-western New South Wales in support of Aboriginal rights.

  • Census

    The first Census to include the Aboriginals is established.

  • White Australia Policy abolished

    The White Australia Policy is abolished.

  • Racial Discrimination Act

  • Aboriginal Land Rights Act

    Aboriginal Land Rights Act (NSW) recognises dispossesssion and dislocation of NSW Aboriginal people, sets up local-regional-State land council network with land tax funding as compensation.

  • Apology

    The Australian Parliament apologises to the Stolen Generations. Both the government and the opposition support the apology and say 'sorry' to Aboriginal people who were taken away from their families from 1900 to the 1970s.