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Resistance to European invasion
The Australian frontier wars were a series of conflicts fought between Indigenous Australians and European settlers that spanned a total of 146 years. The first fighting took place several months after January 26, 1788 and the last clashes occurred as late as 1934. -
Australian Aborigine's Progressive Association formed
The Australian Aborigines Progressive Association was launched in April 1925 with a conference at St David's Hall in Surry Hills. The association had formed in 1924, but the conference, which was to be the first of four, attracted widespread media attention and a large crowd. -
Assimilation Policy of 1937
The Commonwealth and States agree that the process of assimilation be adopted. The destiny of the (half caste) natives lies ‘In their absorption into the white community'. The era of assimilation continued until the mid 1960's. -
Pilbara Aboriginal Pastoral Strike
On 1 May 1946, nearly 800 Indigenous pastoral workers throughout the Pilbara defied the Aborigines Act 1905 (WA) and walked off in protest over lack of personal freedom, poor pay (often only rations) and sub-standard living conditions. -
Aboriginal people are excluded from the Census
he Australian Census of Population and Housing is a national source of statistical information that can answer questions at local levels about changes over time in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. It is one of the most widely used sources of information for the planning and funding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific services. -
Day of Mourning
an important National Aboriginal civil-rights gathering, the Day of Mourning, took place at Australian Hall, Sydney -
Aboriginal People given the rights to vote
Some Aboriginal people were granted voting rights in the 1850s, but it wasn't until 1962 that all Aboriginal Australians were allowed to vote. -
Freedom Ride
In February 1965 a group of University of Sydney students organised a bus tour of western and coastal New South Wales towns. The students planned to draw public attention to the poor state of Aboriginal health, education and housing. They hoped to point out and help to lessen the socially discriminatory barriers which existed between Aboriginal and white residents. -
1967 Referendum
On 27 May 1967 a Federal referendum was held. The first question, referred to as the 'nexus question' was an attempt to alter the balance of numbers in the Senate and the House of Representatives. The second question was to determine whether two references in the Australian Constitution, which discriminated against Aboriginal people, should be removed. This fact sheet addresses the second question. -
Tent Embassy Established
Indigenous elders invited all the Aboriginal people, supportive and other members of the public to come together at a site known as the 'Aboriginal Tent Embassy' site.
On the 26th of January 2010 everyone came together to celebrate "sovereignty day" this was part of the Sacred Fire Ceremonial Gathering that would mark 40 years since
The first protest on the site. Sovereignty issues were further discussed by the Federation of Aboriginal Sovereign Nations.> -
Racial Discrimination Act 1975 passed
The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 makes racial discrimination illegal. It aims to ensure everyone is treated equally, regardless of race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin. By the end of the 20th century more than 10,500 complaints are received, including 3500 from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and 4000 from people from non-English speaking backgrounds. -
Uluru handed back to traditional owners
The return of Uluru to its traditional owners, Anangu, in 1985 was a controversial event.
At the time, many people took strong views – both opposing and supporting the return – often in the context of their opinion of the broader land rights movement and legislation. -
Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
On 10 August 1987 Prime Minister Hawke announced the formation of a Royal Commission to investigate the causes of deaths of Aboriginal people while held in State and Territory gaols. The Royal Commission was established in response to a growing public concern that deaths in custody of Aboriginal people were too common and poorly explained. The Letters Patent formally establishing the Commission were issued by the Governor-General on 16 October 1987. Similar Letters Patent were issued by the Stat -
Bicentenary protest march
On 26 January 1988, more than 40,000 people, including Aborigines from across the country and non-Indigenous supporters, staged what was the largest march in Sydney since the Vietnam moratorium. The protesters marched through Sydney chanting for land rights. The march ended at Hyde Park where several prominent Aboriginal leaders and activists spoke