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Freedom Ride Began
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Wellington
Houses of tin, mud floors, and very overcrowded, kids had eye diseases and had to cart water from the river. Discrimination in a pub "Aborigines not allowed in the lounge without the Licensee's permission". – Ann Curthoys -
Gulargambone
Only certain aborigines are allowed in pubs, and aborigines are not served in the cafe Jobs for aborigines were impossible to get, shearing jobs pay well but are uncertain and seasonal. -
Walgett
Walgett RSL was famous for entertaining the Aboriginal troops when they came back from World War II. For one day. The next day the majority of the Aboriginal community was banned for good. Not allowed in any of the hotels and they had to get their beer and were sold cheap plonk through the back windows at three times the price -
Walgett RSL Stand
'We took our banners and posters and stood in front of the Walgett RSL... People stared.' - Charles Perkins (extreme heat) Holding placards like "Acceptance, Not Segregation" "End Colour Bar" "Bullets did not Discriminate" "Walgett - Australia's Disgrace" "Why Whites Only" "Educate the Whites" Members of the RSL laughed or spat at them or the banners, some tearing them up. Some wanted to fight the students. The local Aboriginal woman told off the white men during the stand -
Walgett Drive
Once leaving Walgett a truck attempted to push the bus off the road, with an additional 10 cars following. On the third attempt, the truck was scraped among the bus and the bus swerved off the road. The incident was displayed on the news -
Moree / Pool
The mission had much better housing etc. than anywhere else The manager refused to let the six aboriginals into a swimming pool so they held posters and signs. After about 25 mins they let the boys in. Then Charlie arrived with 21 aboriginal boys and they had to be all let in. -
Moree Memorial Hall Meeting
Over 200 people attended with the energy at first hostile. The cause in statute books about segregation in the swimming pool be removed. This was supported with accepted 88 votes to 10. -
Boggabilla
The manager had told them not to answer our questions, but they intended to do so anyway. The houses were weatherboard and very overcrowded. Had no water, but the river water. There was no gas and no electricity. Very often there weren't windows and doors.' Police came into the houses without knocking whenever they liked and ‘did what they liked with the women’. -
Hearing about the Pool at Moree
Aboriginal children tried to get in the pool after school, some were allowed in soon after the manager refused to allow any more aborigines in, and soon after the baths were closed 2 hours earlier than normal, opening again in an hour. Later that day the mayor stated that the segregationalist statute of June 6th, 1955 would be enforced. The group decided to go back and protest -
Back at Moree
The radio announced that aboriginal children had been demonstrating outside the Moree baths for the last two afternoons. The mayor went onto the radio to announce that the riders coming back will cause harm. The riders went to the mission and explained to the older Aboriginals. They went to a street where the wealthier Aborginials lived and they said they wouldn't support them and then went to the lower ones and said they will. -
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Riot at Moree Pool
One of the riders said ‘I want a ticket for myself and these ten Aboriginal kids behind me. Here’s the money.’ ‘Sorry, darkies not allowed in,’ replied the manager. They blocked up the gate ‘Nobody gets through unless we get through with all the Aboriginal kids!’ And the crowd came hundreds of them.' The students felt that the hostility seemed to be directed at them rather than at the Aborigines. -
Riot Moree Pool
The students felt the hostility from the community directed towards them over the Aboriginals. Mayor ordered the police to remove them from the gate entrance. Rotten tomatoes, fruit, eggs, stones, and bottles were being thrown. They were kicked, punched, and spat at. Many students were knocked out. Aboriginal children were called ‘scabby black ------ niggers’. One child had been knocked down. -
Results at Moree Pool
Mayor stated that he would sign a motion to rescind the 1955 statute they were protesting. The Aboriginal children were allowed to swim Police called in more reinforcements and formed a solid line of police to the bus. For the students to walk through. They were first on the tv news. -
ABC Report
A report was done 2 years before, exposing the complexities of the problem and suggesting a concrete solution for the conditions of the Aboriginals. It was aired earlier due to it being 'too hard-hitting' -
Cabbage Tree Island
The houses were OK, but some didn't have water or electricity and the manager was really rude. -
Bowraville
As soon as the students arrived a woman part of the local Aboriginal Welfare Committee assured them there was no discrimination. Some students went to one of the reserves and there wasn't a manager although the conditions were really bad. Houses were weatherboard, run down and crowded. The reserve people said there was an extreme lack of job opportunities and town discrimination was the worst out of all. -
Bowraville Theater
There was total segregation with the Aboriginals having to buy their tickets separately and could only enter the theatre after the picture had started. The students decided to go up to the manager although he refused to answer the door -
Kempsey
The town was great with cafes and pubs being fair (with the expectation of one or two). Although the swimming pool was like the others, they tried to take the children in although they were banned (including some of the students) -
Results
65 thousand pounds were spent in Moree ($117,722.08) Fighting against the colour bar at Iasis Hotel (Aboriginal community leaders)