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Colonization and the Terra Nulius claim
In 1788 the British arrived in Australia and in order to take the land, under the international law of Europe the land had to either be, invaded or negotiated if there were natives, if there weren't then it could be claimed as terra Nulius and it could be colonized. Britain claimed that Australia was uninhabited or Terra Nulius. This lead to the indigenous people legally losing control of their land and was the event that created the land rights problems. -
The Yirkalla petition
The petition is often seen as the beginning of the modern land rights movement, It was made when the Menzies government decided to excise land from Arnhem Aboriginal land reserve. To allow Nabalco mining company to mine it. In response to this 17 Aboriginal leaders from the Yirkalla communities signed a petition protesting the action, the government created a committee which recommended that the Yirkalla people be compensated. However, they were ignored and the Yirkalla people received nothing. -
The Wave Hill walk off
The Gurindji people were working at wave hill cattle stations, and in August of 1966, they went on strike and formed a new settlement in Wattie creek The 200 Aboriginal stockmen and their families, lead by Vincent Lingari stayed at Wattie creek for a number of years, refusing bribes and deals. Until 1975 when they were famously given their land back by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. -
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The gove land rights case
After the Yirkalla petition's lack of a response, the Yolngu people took their case to the supreme court of the Northern Territory. They argued that they should be granted native title and because of this the mining activity was illegal. However, they were not granted possession of their land as the judge stated, "doctrine of communal native title does not form and never has formed, part of the law of any part of Australia”. -
The Aboriginal tent embassy
In order to protest the ruling of the supreme court in the Gove land rights case, the Aboriginal tent embassy was created. This embassy helped raise awareness for the land rights cause and attracted support from people all over the world. -
Noonkanbah protest
An American oil company was testing drilling for oil in the Noonkanbah land, in Western Australia. The Noonkanbah people protested this behavior and took it to the supreme court who granted an injunction. However, drilling tests eventually continued. This was significant because it was an early land rights victory which illuminated the path for other land rights cases. -
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The Mabo case
Eddie Mabo and four other Meriam people went to the high court in order to negotiate land rights. They claimed that they had continuously possessed their land, without interruption. In 1992 the court ruled that the native title rights survived settlement, subsequently creating the first time that the legal doctrine of Terra Nullius had been overturned in Australia. -
Recognition of dispossession and displacement
The Aboriginal land rights act is developed to include recognition of dispossession and displacement in New South Whales. It allows indigenous people to try claim land even if they have been dispossessed of their land through missions or previous mines etc. -
Uluru is returned
Uluru or Uluru Kata Tjuta is returned back to the Anangu (the traditional owners), by Governor General Sir Ninian Stephan. Then leased it back to the government for 99 years. -
Alice springs protest dam march
In 1989 a dam could have flooded, destroying sacred sights in Alice Springs. The custodians protested this dam in order to save their sacred sights. -
The Wick Judgment
The Wik people claimed that although there were many mining and pastoral leases on their land, that this did not extinguish native title. This case found that pastoral leases didn't always extunguish native title. This lead the court to rule that native title could co-exist with pastoral leases, however, if there was any sort of dispute, the native tile would loose. -
Native title amendment act
The native title amendment act, also known as the '10 point plan' was an act which was passed by the Howard government in 1998. It gave security of residency to non-aboriginal holders of pastoral eases and streamlined the claims system. As well as placing some restrictions on native title claims. This is act is often seen to reduce native title rights for indigenous people and is observed by some as being a step backward in the land rights movement. -
National park return
The central land council negotiated back the joint management of 20 national parks in the Northern Territory. That was then leased back to the Northern Territory government.
