History- Key Dates and Facts

When did the Frontier Wars occur?

1788-1934

Guardian Quote (Frontier Wars)

“In Queensland alone an estimated 60,000 aboriginal people died”

When did the Frontier Wars occur?

1788-1934

Guardian Quote (Frontier Wars)

“In Queensland alone an estimated 60,000 aboriginal people died”

What percent of indigenous people were killed in the Frontier wars?

Aprox 90% of the 800,000 pre settlement.

What were the causes of so frontier war deaths?

“colonial violence” and “foreign illnesses” such as “flu, measles, tuberculosis, small pox” (Deadlystorys.com, 2025)

Why is information about the Frontier Wars limited? (Quote)

Because most of it comes from “White sources, oral history and some written documentation” (Deadlystorys.com,2025)

When did the Black War occur?

It started in 1824 and lasted 7 years until 1831.

How many aboriginal people were killed in the Black War?

Aprox. 1000 but the true number is likely much higher.

What was the Black Line and When did it occur?

The Black Line occurred in 1830 as part of the Black War. 2000 colonists stretched across Tasmania with the aim of killing or imprisoning all aboriginal people.

What laws allowed the Black War to occur?

Martial Laws gave settlers “immunity from any sort of legal consequences” when killing indigenous people.

When did the Kilcoy and WhiteSide poisonings occur?

1842 and 1847

What happened in the Kilcoy and WhiteSide Poisonings?

Colonists gifted bags of flour traced with strychnine (“a strong poison”) to indigenous communities. This resulted in 70 deaths in each case, or 140 in total.

A quote from Raymond Evan about the Frontier Wars

“Our Great War- A war for the conquest and defense of Australia”.

Before Federation Australia was______.

A collection of 6 British Colonies.

When did Federation Occur?

1901

Quote about when Federation occured.

“The commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed a federation” (Behind the News, 2014)

What section excluded Indigenous people from the constitution in 1901

Section 127- “In reckoning the numbers of people of the Commonwealth, or of a state or other part of the Commonwealth, Aboriginal Natives shall not be counted”.

When was the ‘Aborigines Protection Act’ (NSW) established?

1909

When was the ‘Aboriginies Act’ (SA)

1911

When was the "‘Aborigines Protection Ammending Act’ established?

1915

When was the Commonwealth Native Welfare Conference held and what did it change?

1937. It made ‘assimilation’ a national policy.

What did the Aborigines Protection Act (1909) allow? (Quote)

It allowed the Aborigines Protection Board to attain custody of “neglected child of any person apparently admixture of aboriginal blood in his veins” (No.25,11.1)

What did the Aborigines Act (1911) allow? (Quote)

“The Chief Protector shall be the legal guardian of every aboriginal and every half caste child” (10.1)

What did the 1915 ‘Aborigines Protection Amending Act’ change? (2X Quote)

“The Board may assume full custody and custody of the chid of any aborigine”.

“The board may thereupon remove such child”. (4.13a)

Quote about the pay gap that resulted from the Protection policies

“Aboriginal male cooks were paid 7-8 pounds compared to the average British wage of 15”- A. McDonald, Aboriginals in Pasture and Grazing, 1937

How many children were taken in the Stolen Generation?

More than 50,000

When did the Stolen Generation Occur?

Between the late 1800s-1970s

What limits were placed on children taken by missions?

They were forbidden to speak their native language, they had their names changes, not allowed to practice culture.

Quote about the disruption of lives caused by the Stolen Generation.

“There was a disruption to our life cycle because we were continually scared of ourselves”- mother of a stolen child (Humanrights.gov.au,2025)

Quote about how Aboriginal People attempted to evade being taken.

“Every morning our people would crush charcoal and mix that with animal fat and smother it all over us”. (Humanrights.gov.au,2025)

What percent of the Stolen Generation did not complete Y12?

91%

What percent of the Stolen Generation experienced homelessness in the last 10 years?

20%.

How much more likley are victims of the stolen Generation to experience mental health problems?

1.5 X

When did the Freedom Rides occur?

1965

Quote from Richard Broome

“Although the Aboriginal rights campaign brought some legal and political changes, they failed to overcome the deep-seated racism and sosio-economic disadvantage faced by aboriginal people”.

When did the ‘Wave Hill Walk-Off’ happen?

1966-1975

What legislation was passed because of The Wave Hill Walk-Off?

“Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act 1976

What percentage of the Australian population voted yes in the 1967 referendum?

90%

What did PM Harold Holt say after the Referendum?

"That it would be a “seen as a source of encouragement” to the government and “all those who are working to improve the conditions of our Aboriginal People”. (naa.gov.au,2014)

Who was the historian who talked about the 1967 referendum being the beginning of a new era?

Bain Attwood

What did Bain Attwood say in his book about the 1967 Referendum?

“The 1967 referendum came to symbolize the dawn of a new era in which the Australian nation would seek to undo the wrongs done to indigenous people”.

What section of the Constitution did the 1967 Referendum change?

Section 127 that stated that ‘Aboriginal native shall not be counted” when counting population

What does Terra Nullius mean?

Land belonging to noone

What were the 3 things the Uluru Statement from the Heart asked for?

Truth (to realize the contemporary and cultural impact of crimes against indigenous peoples), Treaty (to acknowledge culture+ land was never ceded) , Voice (constitutional)

Quote from the Uluru Statement itself.

“Our sovereignty was never ceded”- statement

In 1967 we____, in 2017____.

In 1967 we were counted. In 2017 we seek to be heard.