Collaborating for Indigenous Rights 1957-1973

Welcome to the new and expanded Collaborating for Indigenous Rights website.

Overview

The fifteen years from the late 1950s to the early 1970s was a time of unusual collaboration between black and white activists in Australia. Alliances were formed between Aboriginal Australians motivated to help their people and white Australians wanting to redress the injustices suffered by dispossessed peoples in the building of the Australian state. This site tells their stories.

The Fights for Civil Rights tells of the campaigns to include Indigenous Australians as members of Australian society with rights to vote and rights to benefits such as the old age pension.

The Struggle for Land Rights documents the concurrent campaigns to develop and disseminate an argument - moral, legal and economic - for an Indigenous right to land at a time when mining companies and governments were working together to develop mines in Aboriginal reserves.

Jump in! Click on the images below to jump to people or topics deep within the site.

People Jack Patten

The Fights for Civil Rights Protesting the Queensland Trust Fund

The Struggle for Land Rights The Gurindji and the Wave Hill walk-off