Significant Dates for Indigenous Australians in August
From left: The 1935 Walkabout magazine cover featuring Gwoya Tjungurrayi, also known as One Pound Jimmy, a survivor of the 1928 Coniston massacre; Lowitja O'Donoghue 2013; "Vincent, May 1968" (Vincent Lingiari) by Frank Hardy.
In the month of August, we take time to reflect and commemorate significant events and remarkable individuals in the journey of Australia’s First Nations people.
1 August 1932 - Lowitja O'Donoghue was born
On this day, we commemorate the birth of Lowitja O'Donoghue born on 1st August 1932. This date, assigned by missionaries after her placement at the Colebrook Home, marks the beginning of a remarkable journey for one of Australia’s most distinguished Aboriginal women.
Lowitja O'Donoghue, also known as Lois O'Donoghue and Lois Smart, dedicated her life to advocating for the rights and welfare of Indigenous Australians.
Born on a cattle station later identified as De Rose Hill in the far north of South Australia, Lowitja was the fifth of six children to Tom O'Donoghue, an Irish-descended stockman, and Lily, an Aboriginal woman of the Yankunytjatjara clan. In 1934, at the tender age of two, Lowitja was removed from her mother and placed at the Colebrook Home, alongside her siblings.
After the publication of the Bringing Them Home report in 1997, Lowitja said she preferred the word "removed" to the word "stolen" (as used in Stolen Generations) for her personal situation. After she was removed, she did not see her mother again for 33 years. During that time, her mother did not know where her family had been taken.
At the age of 16, Lowitja was sent to work as a domestic servant for a large family at Victor Harbor.
After two years of working as a servant in Victor Harbor, Lowitja worked as a nursing aide in the seaside town and did some basic training. She then applied to be a student nurse in Adelaide.
Lowitja’s early life was marked by significant challenges, yet she rose above them to become a trailblazer in the nursing profession. After lobbying government officials, she became a nurse at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1954, likely the first Aboriginal person to do so. Her career in nursing spanned ten years, during which she was promoted to staff sister and then charge nurse. Her commitment to opening doors for Aboriginal women in nursing and young men in apprenticeships was unwavering.
In 1967, Lowitja joined the Commonwealth Public Service, marking the beginning of her influential role in Aboriginal affairs. By 1973-4, she was the first woman to hold a federal government department position as regional director of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in South Australia. Her leadership extended to chairing the Aboriginal Development Commission and later the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) from 1990 to 1996.
Lowitja played a pivotal role in the drafting of the Native Title Act 1993, which established native title in Australia. Her efforts were internationally recognized when she addressed the United Nations General Assembly in 1992, the first Aboriginal Australian to do so. Her advocacy extended to significant national events, including chairing the Sydney Olympic Games National Indigenous Advisory Committee and advising Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for the Apology to the Stolen Generations.
Lowitja’s legacy is immortalized through the Lowitja Institute, a research center for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health established in 2010, and the Lowitja O'Donoghue Oration held annually by the Don Dunstan Foundation. Her contributions earned her numerous accolades, including being named Australian of the Year in 1984, and she was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1999.
Lowitja O'Donoghue's life was one of profound service and dedication. She inspired countless individuals, drawing motivation from figures like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. Her advocacy for Indigenous rights and welfare has left an indelible mark on Australian society.
Lowitja retired from public life in 2008, and in her later years was cared for by her family on Kaurna land in South Australia.
On 4th February 2024 her family announced in a statement she had died in Adelaide. Lowitja was 91.
On 8th March 2024, a state funeral was held in St Peter’s Cathedral in North Adelaide, which was attended by prime minister Anthony Albanese, Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, governor-general of Australia David Hurley, South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas, and governor of South Australia Frances Adamson, Lowitja Foundation chair Pat Anderson, and hundreds of relatives, friends, and supporters.
As we remember Lowitja O'Donoghue on this anniversary of her birth, we celebrate her extraordinary contributions and the enduring impact of her work on Indigenous rights and social justice in Australia. Her legacy continues to inspire and guide future generations in the ongoing quest for equality and recognition.
4 August - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day 2024
This year marks the 36th anniversary of the first National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day. It is a day dedicated to honouring and uplifting First Nations children.
The first National Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day was established on 4th August 1988, during the bicentennial year of protests. The date was chosen to honour the Stolen Generations, children taken from their families without knowing their birthdays.
This year’s theme, "Strong in Culture, Stronger Together," highlights the powerful connection First Nations children have with their culture, country, kin and communities, emphasising the unity that fortifies their identity and future.
When First Nations children are strong in culture, they are strong in identity, and this cultural strength is vital for future generations. Celebrating Children's Day is more than a tradition; it's an affirmation of the significant role culture plays in shaping confident and resilient future leaders.
As well as being a celebration, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day is a platform for advocacy. It's a day to push for systemic changes that address the challenges many First Nations communities still face due to colonisation and its lasting impacts. These challenges include discrimination, poverty, intergenerational trauma and dislocation from land and culture.
In accordance with the purpose and goals of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNIACC), the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and family services, communities are urged to adopt a holistic approach to the wellbeing, safety and development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Since its inception in 1988, National Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day has grown into a major event celebrated nationwide, with diverse activities such as cultural events, storytelling, face painting, concerts and community gatherings.
Each year, hundreds of early years and childhood education centres around Australia host events to celebrate Children’s Day.
As Children's Day 2024 falls on a Sunday, organisers encourage services, early childhood centres and schools to celebrate on Friday, 2nd August, to ensure all children can participate in the festivities. The official date of 4th August will still be recognised, but holding events on a weekday will allow for broader inclusivity.
14 August to 18 October 1928 - The Coniston Massacre
The Coniston massacre took place in the region around the Coniston cattle station in the Northern Territory. It is considered by some historians to be the last known officially sanctioned massacre of Aboriginal Australians and one of the last events of the Australian frontier wars.
This tragic event, occurring in the heart of Central Australia, marked the culmination of tensions between the traditional Aboriginal land owners and the white Australians who sought to take possession of vast tracts of land and natural water sources for cattle grazing.
Led by Constable William George Murray, the massacre unfolded over weeks, claiming the lives of many Warlpiri, Anmatyerre and Kaytetye people.
Central Australia in the late 1920s was gripped by severe drought, intensifying competition for scarce water resources crucial for both Aboriginal survival and cattle grazing. The spark for the massacre was the death of Frederick Brooks, a dingo hunter, purportedly killed by local Aboriginal people near Yukurru, an important source of fresh water, also known as Brooks Soak.
In response, Murray led punitive expeditions under the pretext of justice, but what followed was a series of indiscriminate killings that targeted entire camps of Aboriginal men, women, and children.
Official records at the time claimed 31 deaths, but subsequent research and Aboriginal oral histories suggest the toll could be as high as 200 lives lost. This disparity underscores the tragedy's scale and the discrepancies often found in historical accounts influenced by colonial biases.
The aftermath saw a deeply flawed judicial process, with trials marred by coercion and racial prejudice. Murray, despite admitting to the killings, was hailed as a hero by some sectors of the community, reflecting the systemic racism embedded in Australian society at the time.
The Board of Inquiry that followed, chaired by A. H. O'Kelly, further failed to deliver justice, whitewashing the events and justifying the actions of the police.
Today, the Coniston Massacre stands as a poignant reminder of Australia's colonial past and its enduring impact on traditional Aboriginal land owners. It underscores the ongoing struggle for truth, reconciliation and justice.
Efforts to commemorate the massacre, such as those organised by the Central Land Council near Yuendumu, serve as crucial steps towards acknowledging and honouring the lives lost.
The Coniston Massacre remains a pivotal episode in the nation’s history, challenging Australians to confront the shadows of our past and work towards a future marked by justice and recognition.
14 and 28 August 1963 - Yirrkala Bark Petitions Tabled in the Australian Parliament
In 1963, the Yolngu people of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory made history by sending the first traditional documents prepared by Aboriginal Australians to be recognised by the Australian Parliament. Known as the Yirrkala bark petitions, these documents marked the first formal assertion of native title in Australia and laid the groundwork for future legal recognition of Aboriginal land rights.
In the late 1950s, the Yolngu people began to notice prospectors searching for minerals on their traditional lands in the Gove Peninsula. Soon after, they discovered that mining leases had been granted over vast areas of their ancestral territory without their consent. In response, the Yolngu community, led by five brothers of the Rirratjingu clan—Mawalan Marika, Mathaman Marika, Milirrpum Marika, Dhunggala Marika, and Dadaynga "Roy" Marika—crafted petitions framed by painted bark, demanding recognition of their rights.
Wali Wunungmurra, one of the twelve signatories, described the petitions as a crucial effort to assert Yolngu ownership and safeguard their sacred lands from exploitation. With the help of Wandjuk Marika, son of Mawalan, and the typing skills of Ann E. Wells, wife of Rev. Edgar Wells of the Yirrkala Methodist Mission, the petitions were translated into English and prepared for submission to Parliament.
On the 14th and 28th of August 1963, the two petitions were tabled in the Australian House of Representatives. These documents articulated the Yolngu people's deep connection to their land, highlighting its significance for hunting, food gathering, and sacred traditions. The petitions also expressed their fear of losing their livelihood and independence due to the mining activities. They called on Parliament to appoint a committee to hear their grievances and ensure that no company arrangements would destroy their way of life.
The Australian Government responded by establishing the House of Representatives Select Committee on Grievances of the Yirrkala Aborigines, Arnhem Land Reserve. The committee recommended compensation for the Yolngu people, including land grants, a portion of mining royalties, and direct monetary compensation. However, these recommendations were largely ignored in subsequent legislation.
In 1968, the Yolngu people challenged the mining leases in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory in what became known as the Milirrpum v Nabalco Pty Ltd case, or the Gove land rights case. Unfortunately, in 1971, Justice Richard Blackburn ruled that the Yolngu could not establish native title under Australian common law, stating that the doctrine of communal native title did not form part of Australian law. This decision had far-reaching implications for Aboriginal land rights across Australia.
The Yirrkala bark petitions were a landmark in the recognition of Aboriginal Australians' rights. They represented the first documentary recognition of Aboriginal people in Australian law and set a precedent for future assertions of native title. In response to the Milirrpum decision, the Whitlam government established the Aboriginal Land Rights Commission in 1973, which led to significant advancements in Aboriginal land rights.
The two petitions presented to Parliament are permanently displayed at Parliament House in Canberra, alongside a significant digging stick associated with the Yolngu creation story. A third petition is housed in the National Museum of Australia, while the fourth was repatriated to Arnhem Land and is now displayed at the Buku-Larnŋgay Mulka Centre, following its restoration.
The Yirrkala bark petitions remain a powerful symbol of Aboriginal resistance and the ongoing struggle for land rights in Australia. The Yolngu people's fight for proper legal consultation and recognition continues to this day, reminding us of the importance of acknowledging and respecting Aboriginal sovereignty and heritage.
23 August 1966 - Wave Hill Walk Off
In August 1966, a significant chapter in Australian history began to unfold in the Northern Territory. The Wave Hill Walk Off, also known as the Gurindji Strike, marked the beginning of a seven-year protest led by Gurindji leader Vincent Lingiari. This historic movement was not merely a strike against poor working and living conditions; it was a powerful demand for the return of the Gurindji people's traditional lands.
The Gurindji people had lived on their ancestral lands for tens of thousands of years before European settlement. Their first encounter with Europeans came in the mid-19th century, and by 1883, the land had been granted to pastoralist Nathaniel Buchanan for the Wave Hill cattle station. Over time, the environment degraded due to overstocking of cattle, which disrupted the traditional land management practices of the Gurindji people.
As cattle stations grew, Aboriginal people found their waterholes and vital resources trampled or contaminated. They suffered from lethal reprisals if they tried to hunt cattle to survive. This forced many Aboriginal people onto the stations, where they received rations and worked under exploitative conditions, hoping to remain connected to their land.
By the mid-20th century, the conditions for Aboriginal workers at Wave Hill Station, owned by the Vestey Brothers, were deplorable. They lived in tin humpies without basic amenities and received inadequate food and clothing in return for their labour. A 1946 anthropological report exposed the appalling conditions, but little was done to improve them.
We were treated just like dogs. We were lucky to get paid the 50 quid a month we were due, and we lived in tin humpies you had to crawl in and out on your knees. There was no running water. The food was bad – just flour, tea, sugar and bits of beef like the head or feet of a bullock. The Vesteys mob were hard men. They didn't care about black fellas. ~ Billy Bunter Jampijinpa
The breaking point came in 1965 when the North Australian Workers' Union sought to remove discriminatory sections against Aboriginal workers in the Northern Territory’s pastoral award. Despite resistance from pastoralists and a delayed implementation, the Gurindji people's patience wore thin.
On 23rd August 1966, Vincent Lingiari led approximately 200 workers and their families off Wave Hill Station, demanding better wages and conditions and, crucially, the return of their land. This move was a bold declaration of their rights and their connection to their land.
In 1967, the Gurindji relocated to Wattie Creek (Daguragu), a sacred site, symbolising their deeper demands beyond wages. They petitioned the Governor-General for a lease of 1,300 square kilometres around Daguragu, asserting their moral claim to the land. Though initially refused, the Gurindji's stand began to resonate nationwide, garnering support from unions, churches, and student groups.
Over the next eight years, the Gurindji, led by Lingiari, tirelessly advocated for their cause, raising awareness and building support. Their plight highlighted the broader issue of Aboriginal land rights, contributing to the growing momentum for change in Australia.
Peter Nixon, the then Minister for the Interior in Harold Holt's Liberal Country Party government, said during a visit to Darwin that "if the Gurindji wanted to get some land, they should save up like all other Australians and buy some".
The tide began to turn in 1972 with the election of the Whitlam government, which prioritised Aboriginal land rights. A Royal Commission into Aboriginal Land Rights was established, leading to significant recommendations for land restitution.
Nearly nine years after the Walk Off on 16th August 1975, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam symbolically poured soil into Vincent Lingiari's hand, marking the return of a portion of Gurindji land. This moment became iconic in Australian history, symbolising the beginning of a new era in the recognition of Aboriginal land rights.
Vincent Lingiari I solemnly hand to you these deeds as proof, in Australian law, that these lands belong to the Gurindji people and I put into your hands part of the earth itself as a sign that this land will be the possession of you and your children forever. ~ Gough Whitlam
The Wave Hill Walk Off was instrumental in the passage of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976, allowing Aboriginal Australians to claim land title based on traditional ownership. This landmark legislation laid the groundwork for future land rights victories.
Today, the legacy of the Wave Hill Walk Off is commemorated each August with the Freedom Day Festival in Kalkarindji. This event celebrates the courage and determination of the Gurindji people and their pivotal role in advancing Aboriginal rights in Australia.
The story of Vincent Lingiari and the Gurindji people's struggle is immortalised in songs like "From Little Things Big Things Grow" by Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody, and "Gurindji Blues" by Ted Egan. These songs remind us of the enduring power of resilience and the fight for justice.
As we commemorate the anniversary of the Wave Hill Walk Off, we honour the spirit of the Gurindji people and their unwavering commitment to their land and culture. Their struggle and triumph continue to inspire and remind us of the importance of standing up for justice and equality.
26 August 1999 - Motion of Reconciliation
On 26th August 1999, a significant moment in Australian history unfolded in Parliament with the introduction of the Motion of Reconciliation. Drafted by Prime Minister John Howard in consultation with Aboriginal Senator Aden Ridgeway, this motion aimed to address the historic injustices suffered by Indigenous Australians. While it fell short of an official apology, it was presented as a step towards acknowledging the profound impact of these injustices on the nation's First Peoples.
The journey towards the Motion of Reconciliation was long and arduous. The Labor government under Bob Hawke had established the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (CAR) in 1991, tasked with creating a strategy for reconciling Australia's Indigenous peoples with the broader population. This effort gained momentum with the commissioning of the Bringing Them Home report in 1995, which detailed the severe personal costs of past government welfare policies that separated children from their families, leading to the term "Stolen Generations."
Despite the report's recommendation for an official apology, Prime Minister John Howard's government resisted this call. The argument against an apology was rooted in the belief that current generations should not be held accountable for the actions of earlier generations, actions that were legal at the time and thought to be in the best interests of the children involved.
On the afternoon of 26th August 1999, Prime Minister Howard rose to deliver the Motion of Reconciliation. The motion affirmed a commitment to reconciliation, recognised the achievements of the nation, and emphasised practical measures to address the disadvantages faced by Indigenous Australians. It acknowledged the shared history and the wrongs and injustices of Australia's past, expressing deep and sincere regret for the suffering caused.
However, the motion notably omitted the word "sorry." This omission became a focal point of debate and controversy. The opposition, led by Senator John Faulkner, proposed an amendment that included an unreserved apology and called for justice and restitution for the Stolen Generations through non-adversarial processes. This amendment, however, was not passed.
The motion was met with mixed reactions. While some viewed it as a significant step towards reconciliation, others, including several prominent and respected Aboriginal leaders, expressed disappointment. The refusal to include an apology was seen by many as a failure to fully acknowledge and address the pain and trauma endured by Indigenous Australians. Mick Dodson, co-author of the Bringing Them Home report, criticised the motion for not honouring the memories of those affected by assimilation policies.
On 28th May 2000, about 250,000 people walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to show their support for reconciliation between Australia's Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Prime Minister John Howard did not take part, but many other politicians did.
So many people participated in the walk that the event took nearly six hours. It was the largest political demonstration ever held in Australia. Soon after, similar events took place in other cities and towns around Australia.
Over 24 years later, the journey towards reconciliation continues, along the way strengthened by the National Apology delivered by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on 13th February 2008. This apology, which received bipartisan support, explicitly acknowledged, and unreservedly apologised for the suffering of the Stolen Generations and the wrongs of past policies.
Today, the call for recognition of the injustice and trauma endured by Australia’s First Nations people since British colonisation remains vital to national unity.
