Year 10 History
Australian Civil Rights
General Resources
BOOKS, eBOOKS & CLICKVIEW
Bromhead, P., Byrne, P., Cantlon, M., Hamper, D., Kleeman, G., Lendvai, T., … Smith, V. (2017). Pearson humanities and social sciences WA 10 (pp. 248-273). Pearson Australia.
Conti, L., Easton, M., Wilson, J., Carrodus, G., Delany, T., & Wilson, A. (2016). Oxford big ideas humanities and social sciences (320-360). Oxford University Press.
Gordon, S. (2014). Recognition and rights of indigenous peoples. Cengage Learning Australia.
Mason, K. J. (2014). Experience of nationhood. (6th edition.). Cengage Learning Australia.
United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. [Video]. (n.d.). ClickView.
1938 Day of Mourning
Source: National Museum of Australia
Aborigines day of mourning: conference in Sydney. (1938, January 27). The Canberra Times. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2451117
This is an article from The Canberra Times the day after the conference.
Wahlquist, C. (2018, January 24). Massacres and protest: Australia Day’s undeniable history. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jan/24/massacres-protest-australia-day-undeniable-history
Attwood, B., & Markus, A. (1999). The struggle for aboriginal rights: a documentary history. Allen & Unwin.
Thompson, J. (2010). Documents that shaped Australia: records of a nation’s heritage. Pier 9.
This book has the speech from the Australia Day Conference.
Dictionary of Sydney. (2008). Day of Mourning 1938. https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/day_of_mourning_1938
Roe, C. (2018). Analysis: 80 years after the Day of Mourning the message for Australia Day still rings true. https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2018/01/17/analysis-80-years-after-day-mourning-message-australia-day-still-rings-true-1
ABC News. (2023). History of protest : how the 1938 day of mourning launch modern Australia Day protests. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjL3WJbQGF0
1962 Right to Vote
Voting rights for all
‘I ask for franchise for all people of Aboriginal blood’ — Sir Douglas Nicholls, footballer, pastor and activist, 1961
Weet-Bix Trading Card
‘Aborigines Voting’, card No. 17 from The World of the Aborigine, 1969. Australian Health & Nutrition Association Limited trading as Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing Company. AIATSIS ephemera.
Maher, L. (2016, April 27). Indigenous suffrage: Educational images show history of Aboriginal voting rights in the ’60s and ’70s. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-27/educational-images-show-history-of-aboriginal-voting-rights/7360302
National Museum Australia. (2023, May 16). Indigenous Australians’ right to vote. https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/indigenous-australians-right-to-vote
Parlamentry Education Office. (n.d.). Commonwealth electoral act 1962. https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/history-of-parliament/history-milestones/australian-parliament-history-timeline/events/commonwealth-electoral-act-1962
Giakoumelos, P. (2013). Marking 50 years of Indigenous federal voting. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/marking-50-years-of-indigenous-federal-voting
AIATSIS. (2022, November 2). The right to vote. https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/right-vote
1963 Yirrkala Bark Petition
Extract, Yirrkala bark
petition, 1963:
… the people of this area fear their needs and interests will be completely ignored as they have been ignored in the past …
Yirrkala bark petition, 1963
Silas Roberts (left) and Galarrwuy Yunupingu with the Yirrkala bark petitions at Parliament House, Canberra, 1976
Source: National Museum Australia
Day, L. (2013. July 10). 50 years on, Yirrkala celebrates bark petitions that sparked Indigenous land rights movement. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-10/50-years-on-yirrkala-celebrates-legacy-of-bark-petitions/4809808
Laughland, O. (2013, July 10). Land rights are empty, Yolngu elder tells Rudd on bark petition anniversary. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/10/land-rights-empty-yolngu-rudd
Thompson, J. (2010). Documents that shaped Australia: records of a nation’s heritage. Pier 9.
This book has a section about the Bark petition and a picture of the original document.
Museum of Australian Democracy. (n.d.). Yirrkala bark petitions 1963. https://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item-sdid-100.html
NITV. (2016). The Yirrkala Bark Petitions. https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/explainer/yirrkala-bark-petitions
NITV. (2023). The Yirrkala Bark Petition [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip9v9mDBsJQ
1965 Freedom Ride
Source: National Museum of Australia
Remembering the Freedom Riders, 60 years after they exposed segregation in Australia 
Granddaughter of Harry Hall Amy Townsend welcoming people to the 60th anniversary event of the Freedom Rides with two local Walgett Elders. February, 2025. (Supplied: Amy Townsend)
McInerney, M. (2015, February 15). Freedom Ride: Turning point in Australia’s race relations. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-31450529
Attwood, B., & Markus, A. (1999). The struggle for aboriginal rights: a documentary history. Allen & Unwin.
This book has articles from newspapers at the time that will be useful as contemporary sources.
AIATSIS. (n.d.). Commemorating the Freedom Ride. https://aiatsis.gov.au/exhibitions/1965-freedom-ride
National Museum Australia. (n.d.). Freedom Ride, 1965. http://indigenousrights.net.au/civil_rights/freedom_ride,_1965
Living Black – Freedom rides [Video]. (2015). ClickView. https://www.clickview.net/secondary/videos/39574494/living-black-freedom-rides
1966 Wave Hill
Source: National Museum of Australia
Vincent Lingiari and Mick Rangiari at the sign they asked Frank Hardy to make, 1966
Source: National Archives, of Australia, Darwin
Hodgson, M. (2011). Lingiari’s legacy: from little things big things grow. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-26/hodgson-from-little-things-big-things-grow/2855942
National Museum Australia. (n.d.). Wave Hill walk off, 1966-75. http://indigenousrights.net.au/land_rights/wave_hill_walk_off,_1966-75
Stewart, L. (n.d.). Celebrating 50 years since Wave Hill. https://stories.moadoph.gov.au/wave-hill/
Ward, C. (2016). An historic handful of dirt: Whitlam and the legacy of the Wave Hill Walk-Off. https://theconversation.com/an-historic-handful-of-dirt-whitlam-and-the-legacy-of-the-wave-hill-walk-off-63700
ABC. (n.d.). Wave Hill walk-off. http://www.abc.net.au/rightwrongs/story/wave-hill-walk-off/
ABC News. (n.d.). Wave Hill walk-off veterans recognised in native title determination [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is2dXSenHYY
1967 Referendum
Courtesy National Archives of Australia
Faith Bandler at celebrations after the 1967 referendum.
Source: Bauer Media Pty Limited / The Australian Women’s Weekly, June 1967
Reconciliation Australia. (2018). 27 May – 1967 Referendum. https://www.reconciliation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/27-may-referendum.pdf
Hughes Jones, L. (2017, May 27). What did the 1967 Referendum achieve?. The West Australian. https://thewest.com.au/politics/what-did-1967-referendum-achieve-ng-s-1730017
Barwick, J., & Barwick, J. (2007). Aboriginal Australia.
AIATSIS. (n.d.). The 1967 referendum. https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/1967-referendum
Behrendt, L. (2017). The three biggest myths of the 1967 referendum. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-26/larissa-behrendt-mythbusting-the-1967-referendum/8349858
SBS. (2017). What did the 1967 referendum achieve?. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/what-did-1967-referendum-achieve_2
Behind the News. (2017, May 22). 1967 referendum [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz7hrwgczPg
NITV : the point. (n.d.). Understanding the 1967 Referendum [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEQT5DIPNG4&t=12s
1972 Tent Embassy
Source: National Museum of Australia
John Newfong, Identity, 1972:
With its flags fluttering proudly in the breeze, the Aboriginal Embassy on the lawns opposite Federal Parliament has been one of the most successful press and parliamentary lobbies in Australian political history.
Aboriginal Tent Embassy 50th anniversary
The history of the Aboriginal tent embassy. (2012, January 27). ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-27/the-history-of-the-aboriginal-tent-embassy/3796630
Gordon, S. (2014). Recognition and rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Creed, Minelle. (2025, January 23). The Aboriginal tent embassy. Common Ground. https://www.commonground.org.au/article/aboriginal-tent-embassy
50th anniversary of the Aboriginal tent embassy. (2022, January 25). Indigenous. https://www.indigenous.gov.au/stories/50th-anniversary-aboriginal-tent-embassy
Timeline: Aboriginal tent embassy. (2012, July 4). SBS News. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/timeline-aboriginal-tent-embassy/4dv0ymxwv
BBC News. (n.d.). Australia Day: How a sun umbrella started 50 years of Aboriginal protest [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiZnbGu7Om0
SBS : The feed. (n.d.). Aboriginal Embassy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ISAROn9Er4
1992 Mabo and Native Title
Kennedy, D. (2012). Eddie Mabo, the man who changed Australia. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18291022
Lee, J. (2013). Mabo’s native title victory squandered, says judge. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/mabos-native-title-victory-squandered-says-judge-20130531-2nheg.html
Reconciliation Australia. (2017). 3 June: the Mabo decision. https://www.reconciliation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/mabo-decision_2017.pdf
Williams, G. (2017, June 3). The ongoing legacy of the Mabo decision. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/the-ongoing-legacy-of-the-mabo-decision-20170602-gwj2p4.html
Healey, J. (Ed.). (2014). Indigenous rights. Spinney Press.
Bromhead, P., Byrne, P., Cantlon, M., Hamper, D., Kleeman, G., Lendvai, T., … Smith, V. (2017). Pearson humanities and social sciences WA 10 (pp. 248-273). Pearson Australia.
AIATSIS. (2015). Mabo case. https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/articles/mabo-case
Constable, E., & Marlow, K. (2017). Native Title: What does it mean and why do we have it?. https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/explainer/native-title-what-does-it-mean-and-why-do-we-have-it
Galloway, K. (2017). Australian politics explainer: the Mabo decision and native title. https://theconversation.com/australian-politics-explainer-the-mabo-decision-and-native-title-74147
May, C. (2017). Marking Mabo: how has Native Title changed since the landmark ruling?. https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/marking-mabo-how-has-native-title-changed-since-the-landmark-ruling
National Museum Australia. (n.d.). Mabo decision. https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/mabo-decision
ABC Education. (2017). Gail Mabo and native title [Video]. http://education.abc.net.au/home#!/media/2571493/gail-mabo-and-native-title
This is only a short video but describes the importance of the Mabo decision.
Wills, A.R. (Producer). (2012). The legacy of Mabo [Video]. ClickView.
The Mabo case [Video]. (2012). ClickView.
1997 Bringing them home report
Cartoon published with article on 21st May, 1997.
Cathy Wilcox
Source: Family Matters National Report 2023
Conifer, D. (2017, May 26). Bringing Them Home: 20 years after report, Indigenous children worse off than before. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-26/bringing-them-home-report-20-years-on-children-worse-off/8560568
Healing Foundation. (2017). Bringing them home 20 years on: an action plan for healing. https://healingfoundation.org.au/app/uploads/2017/05/Bringing-Them-Home-20-years-on-FINAL-SCREEN-1.pdf
Healey, J. (Ed.). (2009). Stolen generations: the way forward. Spinney Press.
Healey, J. (Ed.). (2019). Stolen generations and the way ahead. Spinney Press.
Australian Human Rights Commission. (2017). Bringing them home. https://bth.humanrights.gov.au/
This is an excellent website and has information about the significance of the report.
Australian Human Rights Commission. (1997). Bringing them home: national inquiry into the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/bringing-them-home-report-1997
This is the full text of the report.
Australian Human Rights Commission. (n.d.). Bringing Them Home – excerpt from video [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWwCQ21hT7U
ABC TV. (2017, May 23). The Bring Them Home Report [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUcCrldc2-Q
2008 The Apology
Sydney on Australia Day 2008, three weeks prior to the Apology.
Source: National Museum Australia.
Australians gathered outside Parliament House to hear Prime Minister Kevin Rudd say sorry to Indigenous Australians for the Stolen Generation.
Picture: Phil Hilyard
How The Australian newspaper recorded the historic speech.
Reconciliation Australia. (n.d.). The Apology. https://www.reconciliation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Lets-Talk…Apology.pdf
Pearson, L. (2018, February 13). What good was the apology to Stolen Generations with limited reparations, more kids taken?. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-13/stolen-generations-apology-10-years-on-what-good-was-it/9422718
Healey, J. (Ed.). (2009). Stolen generations: the way forward. Spinney Press.
Thompson, J. (2010). Documents that shaped Australia: records of a nation’s heritage. Pier 9.
This book has the full speech.
Healey, J. (Ed.). (2019) Stolen generations and the way ahead. Spinney Press.
AIATSIS. (2018). Apology to Australia’s Indigenous peoples. https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/articles/apology-australias-indigenous-peoples
This page discusses the introduction of the ‘Closing the Gap’ strategy which may be useful in assessing how successful the speech has been in advancing the rights of Aboriginal People.
National Museum Australia. (2023, May 23). National apology. https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/national-apology
Pearson, L. (2019). 10 things you should know about the National Apology. https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2017/02/13/10-things-you-should-know-about-national-apology
ABC: Behind the news. (2018, February 13). 10th Anniversary since the Apology to the Stolen Generations [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE7hCCO9jv8