Aboriginal Land Rights Time Line

By jessward

  • Terra Nullius

  • Concept of Terra Nullius reinforced by Governer Bourke

    "The concept of Terra Nullius established at the settlement of Australia, and reinforced by the declaration of Governer Bourke in 1835

  • Recognition was requested for formal acknowledgement of native title and grant rights for aboriginal people to share land

    From the 1840s onwards, the Brittish Colonial Office wanted the Australian colonies to give formal recognition to native title and to grant rights for Aboriginies to share pastoral land

  • Indigenous groups in parts of New South Wales petitioned for their right to own farming land

  • Eddie Mabo born

  • Referendum

  • Whitlam Government Elected

    The Whitlam Government, elected in 1972, announced self determination as the framework for Aboriginal Affairs policy and temporary cessation of mining application licenses on Commonwealth Aboriginal Reserves.

  • Aboriginal Tent Embassy

  • Fraser Government passed the Aboriginal Land Rights Act

    In 1976, after Grough Whitlam left office, the Fraser Government passed the Aboriginal Land Rights Act, which officially granted land title to the Gurinji and other tribes in the Northern Territory.

  • Land Rights Conference held

    When the 1981 Land Rights Conference was held at James Cook University, Eddie Mabo made an important speech about his ownership of land on Mer Island

  • Group of Torres Strait Islander people who had been led by Eddie Mabo won a court case in the High Court of Australia

    The judgement was that the islanders had a right to their traditional land because they had been the original owners because they had been the original owners before European settlement.