Year 10 · History · Historical knowledge and understanding
Rights and freedoms: First Nations civil rights
Learners investigate the struggle for rights and freedoms by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from 1938 to the present, including key campaigns, people and legal milestones.
Awaiting educator review. This material was drafted by our content team with AI assistance and is waiting for review by a qualified educator. Please check it suits your child before using it. Created 10 October 2026.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Describe the background to First Nations campaigns for civil rights.
- Explain the significance of key events from 1938 to 2008.
- Recognise that the struggle for rights and recognition continues.
Success looks like
- I can sequence key events in the struggle for First Nations rights.
- I can explain the significance of the Wave Hill walk-off and the Mabo decision.
- I can explain the purpose of the 2008 National Apology.
The big idea
For much of the twentieth century, government 'protection' and later 'assimilation' policies controlled many aspects of First Nations peoples' lives, including where they lived, worked and married. Many children were forcibly removed from their families; they are known as the Stolen Generations.
On 26 January 1938, the 150th anniversary of British arrival, Aboriginal activists held a Day of Mourning in Sydney, calling for full citizen rights.
In 1948 the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which influenced rights movements worldwide.
In February 1965, Charles Perkins and university students conducted the Freedom Ride through regional New South Wales, drawing national attention to segregation and discrimination.
In 1966, Gurindji stockmen and their families, led by Vincent Lingiari, walked off Wave Hill station in the Northern Territory. Their strike over wages and conditions became a campaign for the return of their land. In 1975 Prime Minister Gough Whitlam symbolically poured soil into Lingiari's hand.
In 1967, a referendum changed the Constitution so Aboriginal people were counted in the census and the Commonwealth could make laws for them. In 1972 the Aboriginal Tent Embassy was established outside Parliament House in Canberra.
On 3 June 1992, in the Mabo case, the High Court rejected the doctrine of terra nullius and recognised native title. The case was led by Eddie Koiki Mabo and other Meriam people of Mer (Murray Island) in the Torres Strait. The Native Title Act followed in 1993.
The 1997 *Bringing Them Home* report documented the experiences of the Stolen Generations. On 13 February 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered a National Apology in Parliament. Campaigns for recognition, treaty, truth-telling and justice continue today, and there are different views within and beyond First Nations communities about the best ways forward.
Worked examples
Sequencing milestones
Order: Mabo decision, Day of Mourning, National Apology, Wave Hill walk-off.
- Day of Mourning: 1938.
- Wave Hill walk-off: 1966.
- Mabo decision: 1992.
- National Apology: 2008.
Answer: 1938 Day of Mourning → 1966 Wave Hill → 1992 Mabo → 2008 Apology.
Explaining significance
Why was the Mabo decision significant?
- Before 1992, Australian law treated the continent as if it had belonged to no-one when Britain claimed it.
- The High Court rejected this and recognised that native title could survive.
- This led to the Native Title Act 1993 and many native title claims.
Answer: It overturned terra nullius in Australian law and recognised native title.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
Who led the 1965 Freedom Ride?
Charles Perkins — Charles Perkins led the Freedom Ride with university students.
What was the Wave Hill walk-off initially about?
Wages and conditions for Gurindji workers — It began as a strike over wages and conditions and became a land rights campaign.
What did the Mabo decision reject?
The doctrine of terra nullius — The High Court rejected terra nullius in 1992.
Who delivered the National Apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008?
Kevin Rudd — Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered the Apology on 13 February 2008.
When was the Day of Mourning held?
26 January 1938 — It was held on the 150th anniversary of British arrival.
In what year was the Mabo decision handed down?
1992 — The decision was handed down on 3 June 1992.
What is the name of the 1997 report into the separation of children from their families? (two words: '____ Them Home')
Bringing — The report was titled Bringing Them Home.
Which Gurindji leader led the Wave Hill walk-off? (surname)
Lingiari — Vincent Lingiari led the walk-off.
Watch out for
- Rights were not 'given' by governments; they were won through decades of activism, much of it led by First Nations people.
- The 1967 referendum did not give First Nations people the vote; federal voting rights were extended in 1962.
- Some think these issues are only in the past. Many debates about recognition, land and justice are ongoing.
Tips for parents
- This topic may be personal for First Nations families and for those with Stolen Generations histories. Approach it with care and listen to lived experiences.
- Seek out First Nations voices directly: community organisations, First Nations-authored books and documentaries, and local events during NAIDOC Week and National Reconciliation Week.
- Present current political debates as debates, with a range of views, and encourage your child to examine evidence rather than adopt a single position.
Go further
- Read or listen to a speech from the 1938 Day of Mourning or the 2008 Apology and analyse its purpose and audience.
- Create an annotated timeline of rights milestones from 1938 to today.
- Research a First Nations activist such as Faith Bandler, Jack Patten, Eddie Koiki Mabo or Vincent Lingiari, using community-endorsed sources.