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Vincent Lingiari and the Story of the Wave Hill Walk Off

Levi Powell

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Published in Freedom Day: Vincent Lingiari And The Story Of The Wave Hill Walk Off

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Vincent Lingiari was an Aboriginal Australian activist who led the Wave Hill walk off in 1966. The walk off was a protest against the poor working conditions and treatment of Aboriginal people on cattle stations in the Northern Territory.

Freedom Day: Vincent Lingiari and the Story of the Wave Hill Walk-Off

by Thomas Mayor

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Language	:	English
File size	:	108599 KB
Print length	:	48 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

Lingiari was born in 1908 at Wave Hill Station, in the Northern Territory. He was a Gurindji man, and his father was a stockman on the station. Lingiari worked as a stockman himself for many years, but he was always treated as a second-class citizen by the white station owners.

In 1966, Lingiari and a group of other Aboriginal stockmen decided to go on strike. They were demanding better wages and working conditions, as well as the right to own their own land.

The strike lasted for nine months, and it was a success. The Australian government passed the Aboriginal Land Rights Act in 1976, which gave Aboriginal people the right to own and control their own land.

Lingiari died in 1988, but his legacy lives on. He is remembered as a great Aboriginal leader who fought for the rights of his people.

The Wave Hill Walk Off

The Wave Hill walk off began on August 23, 1966, when Lingiari and a group of other Aboriginal stockmen walked off Wave Hill Station. They were joined by their wives and children, and they set up camp at Wattie Creek, about 50 kilometers from the station.

The stockmen were demanding better wages and working conditions, as well as the right to own their own land. They were also protesting the treatment of Aboriginal people by the white station owners.

The Australian government initially refused to negotiate with the stockmen, but after nine months of protest, the government agreed to give them a hearing. The stockmen were eventually awarded a pay rise and better working conditions, and they were also given the right to own their own land.

The Wave Hill walk off was a significant event in the history of Aboriginal land rights in Australia. It helped to raise awareness of the plight of Aboriginal people, and it led to the passage of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act in 1976.

Vincent Lingiari's Legacy

Vincent Lingiari is remembered as a great Aboriginal leader who fought for the rights of his people. He was a tireless advocate for Aboriginal land rights, and he helped to achieve a number of important victories for his people.

Lingiari's legacy lives on today. He is an inspiration to Aboriginal people everywhere, and his story continues to be told and retold.