List of Indigenous Australian firsts

Updated on Sep 28, 2024

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Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Torres Strait Islanders are indigenous to the Torres Strait Islands, which are at the northernmost tip of Queensland near Papua New Guinea. The term "Aboriginal" has traditionally been applied to indigenous inhabitants of mainland Australia, Tasmania, and some of the other adjacent islands.

1600s

1606

First known meeting between Indigenous Australians and Europeans (Mapoon, Queensland).

1780s

1788

First Indigenous Australian to live amongst Europeans: Arabanoo.

1790s

1796

First Indigenous Australian to appear in print: Bennelong (see also 1949).

1800s

1802

First Indigenous Australian to circumnavigate Australia: Bungaree.

1810s

1815

First Indigenous Australian to be granted land by the colonial authorities: Bungaree.

1830s

1835

First Indigenous Australian to be recorded playing western sport: Shiney (cricket in Hobart).

1836

First publication solely written and published by Indigenous Australians: Flinders Island Chronicle (twenty-nine editions published).

1850s

1856

Indigenous Australian males first given the right to vote in elections (South Australia).

1860s

1864

First time portions of the Bible published in an Indigenous Australian language (Ngarrindjeri).

1868

First Australian cricket team to tour overseas and the first sporting team to represent Australia abroad, is composed of Australian Aboriginal people.

1870s

1870

First Indigenous Australian to play first-class cricket: Twopenny.

1871

First Indigenous Australian to become a deacon: James Unaipon.

1872

1874

1875

1876

1877

1879

1880s

1880

1881

1883

First Indigenous Australian to win the Stawell Gift: Bobby Kinnear.

1884

1885

1886

1890s

1891

1892

1893

First Indigenous Australian to play representative rugby union: Frank Ivory (Queensland).

1895

Indigenous Australian women first gain the right to vote in elections (South Australia).

1896

1897

First translation of the New Testament into an Indigenous Australian language (Dieri).

1899

First Indigenous Australian to be recorded: Fanny Cochrane Smith.

1900s

1900

First Indigenous Australian to regularly play in a major Australian rules football league, West Australian Football Association (now WAFL): Jimmy Melbourne.

1901

1902

1903

1904

First Indigenous Australian to play in the Victorian Football League (VFL): Joe Johnson.

1906

1907

1908

1909

First Indigenous Australian to play first-grade level rugby league: George Green.

1910s

1910

1911

1912

First Indigenous Australian to win a national boxing title: Jerry Jerome (middleweight).

First Indigenous Australian to be awarded a medal for gallantry: Neighbour (Albert Medal).

1915

1916

First Indigenous Australian to be awarded the Military Medal in World War I : Maitland Madge.

1917

1920s

1920

1921

1924

1925

First Indigenous Australian to tour abroad as part of open sporting team: Glen Crouch (Queensland rugby league team to New Zealand).

1926

1927

First Indigenous Australian to have a book published: David Unaipon (Aboriginal Legends).

1928

1929

First Indigenous Australian to win the World Professional Sprint Championship: Lynch Cooper.

1930s

1931

1932

First literary writing in Indigenous Australian vernacular: Sam Dintibana, in Dieri.

1934

1935

First Indigenous Australian to be selected in the Victorian interstate Australian rules team: Doug Nicholls.

1936

1937

1938

Only known private protest against Kristallnacht: Australian Aborigines League, led by William Cooper.

1939

First mass strike of Indigenous Australians: Cummeragunja walk-off.

1940s

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

First Indigenous Australian to be commissioned as an officer in the Australian armed forces: Reg Saunders.

First Indigenous military aviator: Len Waters.

1945

1947

1948

1949

First federal electorate named after an Indigenous Australian: Division of Bennelong, named in honour of Bennelong.

1950s

1950

The first named Indigenous Australian to appear on an Australian stamp: Gwoya Jungarai.

1952

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957

First Indigenous Australian to become an Australian citizen: Albert Namatjira.

First Indigenous Australian to enrol in university: Margaret Williams-Weir.

1958

First Indigenous Australian woman to be selected for a national sporting side: Faith Coulthard (cricket).

First song written and recorded by Indigenous Australians: "Give the Coloured Boy a Chance" (written by Jimmy Little, Snr and recorded by Jimmy Little).

1959

First Indigenous Australian entertainer to appear on television: Jimmy Little.

First Indigenous Australian to graduate from university: Margaret Williams-Weir.

1960s

1960

First Indigenous Australian to compete at the Paralympics: Kevin Coombes.

First Indigenous Australian to represent Australia in rugby league: Lionel Morgan.

1961

First Indigenous Australian to win the Bay Sheffield: Ken Hampton.

First Indigenous Australians to represent Australia in basketball: Bennie Lew Fatt and John Bonson.

1962

First Indigenous Australian to win a Gold Medal at the Commonwealth Games: Jeff Dynevor (Bantamweight boxing).

First Indigenous Australian to release an album: Georgia Lee (Georgia Lee Sings the Blues Down Under).

First Indigenous Australian to represent Australia in rugby union: Lloyd McDermott.

Indigenous Australians first given right to enrol to vote in Australian federal elections.

Indigenous Australians first given right to enrol to vote in Northern Territory elections.

1963

First time Indigenous Australians legally allowed to drink alcohol in New South Wales (30 March).

First Indigenous Australian to have a number one hit on the Australian music charts: Jimmy Little ("Royal Telephone").

First documentary recognition of Indigenous Australians in Australian law: Yirrkala bark petitions.

1964

First Indigenous Australian to publish a book of verse: Oodgeroo Noonuccal (We Are Going).

First Indigenous Australians to compete in an Olympic Games: Michael Ah Matt, Adrian Blair and Frank Roberts.

1965

First Indigenous Australian police officer: Colin Dillon.

Indigenous Australians first given right to vote in Queensland elections.

First all-Indigenous Australian contemporary music concert held in Sydney.

First novel by an Indigenous Australian author to be published in Australia: Wild Cat Falling by Mudrooroo

1966

First Indigenous Australian university graduates: Charles Perkins (see also 1984) and Margaret Valadian.

First Indigenous Australian to be ordained as a Minister of the Methodist Church: Lazarus Lamilami.

1967

Indigenous Australians allowed to be counted in the Australian census (the first census to include Indigenous Australians was 1971).

1968

First Indigenous Australian to become world champion (bantamweight boxing): Lionel Rose.

First Indigenous Australian to be named Australian of the Year: Lionel Rose

First Indigenous Australian to compete internationally in wrestling: John Kinsella.

First Indigenous Australian to become a state champion cyclist: Brian Mansell (Tasmania).

1969

First Indigenous Australian to play List A cricket: Ian King.

First legal challenge for Aboriginal title to land: Milirrpum v Nabalco.

1970s

1970

First Indigenous Australian to play soccer for Australia: Harry Williams.

1971

First indigenous Australian to sit in the Parliament of Australia: Neville Bonner.

First play written by an Indigenous Australian performed in mainstream theatre: The Cherry Pickers by Kevin Gilbert.

First Indigenous Australian to win a Grand Slam tennis event (French Open): Evonne Goolagong.

First Australian rules footballer to be honoured with an MBE: Graham Farmer.

Australian Aboriginal Flag first flown in public (designed by Harold Thomas, the flag was flown in Victoria Square, Adelaide on National Aborigines Day, 12 July).

1972

First Indigenous Australian theatre company formed: "Nindethana" (founded by Jack Charles and Bob Maza).

First Indigenous Australian-produced community radio programs went to air (5UV in Adelaide and at the Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Media Association (TAIMA) at Mount Stuart, south of Townsville, on 4KIG FM2).

First Indigenous Australian representative Australian rules team to play overseas (Papua New Guinea).

First film made by an Indigenous Australian (Blackfire, by Bruce McGuinness and Martin Bartfeld).

1973

First Indigenous Australian jockey to win the Melbourne Cup: Frank Reys.

First Indigenous Australian to captain Australia: Arthur Beetson (Rugby League).

First television show with an all-Aboriginal cast (Basically Black).

1974

First Indigenous Australian elected to a state or territory parliament: Hyacinth Tungutalum.

1975

First Indigenous Australian to be employed in Australia's tertiary education sector as a lecturer: Maryann Bin-Salik.

1976

First Indigenous Australian to hold vice-regal office (Governor of South Australia): Sir Douglas Nicholls.

First Indigenous Australian to be appointed a Justice of the Peace in South Australia: Ken Hampton (see also 1961).

1977

First Indigenous Australian to hold a shadow portfolio in a federal, state or territory parliament: Neville Perkins (Northern Territory).

First Indigenous Australian to referee a world title boxing match: Trevor Christian.

First city council to fly the Aboriginal flag (Newcastle City Council).

1978

1979

First Indigenous Australian to represent Australia in volleyball: Mark Tutton.

1980s

1980

First Indigenous Australian to receive a PhD: Bill Jonas.

First Indigenous Australian to officially address the United Nations: Jim Hagan.

1981

First boxer to become Australian titleholder in four weight divisions: Tony Mundine.

First feature film starring all-Indigenous Australian cast: Wrong Side of the Road.

1982

First Indigenous Australian woman to gain a private pilot's licence: Virginia Wykes.

First Indigenous Australian man to play at Wimbledon: Ian Goolagong (mixed doubles with sister Evonne).

First Indigenous Australian to win the Norm Smith Medal: Maurice Rioli.

First Indigenous Australian to head a state government department (New South Wales Department of Aboriginal Affairs): Pat O'Shane.

1983

First Indigenous Australian to become a medical doctor: Dr Helen Milroy.

1984

First Indigenous Australian to become permanent head of a federal government department (Department of Aboriginal Affairs): Charles Perkins. (see also 1966)

1985

First Indigenous Australian television station commences: Channel 4 Yuendumu.

1986

First Indigenous Australian Minister of the Crown: Ernie Bridge (Western Australia).

First Indigenous Australian to represent Australia in netball: Marcia Ella-Duncan.

1987

First Indigenous Australian psychologist: Pat Dudgeon.

1988

1989

First Indigenous Australian to win the Magarey Medal: Gilbert McAdam.

1990s

1990

First Indigenous Australian to win an international track medal (bronze, 4 × 400 m relay, 1990 Commonwealth Games): Cathy Freeman (see also 1992 and 2000).

First Indigenous Australian rock opera: Bran Nue Dae.

1991

First Indigenous Australian woman to represent Australia in hockey: Lorelle Morrissey.

1992

First Indigenous Australian woman to be selected in the Olympic Games: Cathy Freeman (see also 1990 and 2000).

The Torres Strait Islander Flag is flown for the first time.

1993

First Indigenous Australian to win a Brownlow Medal: Gavin Wanganeen.

1994

First Indigenous Australian to be appointed a university Chancellor: Pat O'Shane (University of New England).

1995

First Indigenous Australian to graduate as a veterinary surgeon: Joe Schmidt.

1996

First Indigenous Australian to win a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games: Nova Peris (hockey).

First Indigenous Australian to play Test cricket: Jason Gillespie.

First Indigenous Australian male to represent Australia in hockey: Baeden Choppy.

First Indigenous Australian to be appointed a judge: Bob Bellear.

1997

First Indigenous performing arts centre: Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA)

First Indigenous Australian elected to the International Rugby Hall of Fame: Mark Ella.

1998

1999

First Indigenous Australian to become Miss Australia: Kathryn Hay.

2000

First Indigenous Australian to win an individual Olympic gold medal (400m, 2000 Summer Olympics): Cathy Freeman (see also 1990 and 1992).

2000s

2001

First Indigenous Australian woman elected to an Australian parliament: Carol Martin.

2002

2003

First Indigenous Australian woman Minister of the Crown: Marion Scrymgour.

First Indigenous Nurse Practitioner Australia: Lesley Salem

2004

2005

2006

First Indigenous Australian surgeon: Kelvin Kong.

2007

2008

First Indigenous Australian to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA): Nathan Jawai.

2009

First Indigenous Australian woman to become an Anglican remote area priest: Yulki Nunggumajbarr.

2010s

2010

First Indigenous Australian woman elected to a United Nations body: Megan Davis (Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues).

First Indigenous Australians to set foot on Antarctica: Narelle Long and Malcolm Lynch.

First Indigenous Australian to play international Twenty20 cricket: Dan Christian (Australia vs West Indies).

First Indigenous Australian elected to the Australian House of Representatives: Ken Wyatt.

2011

First Indigenous Australian Rhodes Scholar: Rebecca Richards.

2012

First Indigenous Australian woman archdeacon in the Anglican Church: Karen Kime.

First Indigenous Australian to join golf's PGA Tour: Scott Gardiner.

First Indigenous Australian to study at the University of Cambridge: Lilly Brown.

First Indigenous Australian appointed to a federal court: Matthew Myers.

2013

First Indigenous Australian to become a head of government: Adam Giles (Northern Territory).

First Indigenous Australian appointed as head of an overseas mission: Damien Miller (Denmark).

First time Aboriginal flag flown over an overseas military base (Al Minhad Air Base, United Arab Emirates).

First Indigenous Australian woman elected to Australian parliament: Nova Peris.

2015

First Indigenous Australian to become an Anglican bishop: Reverend Chris McLeod.

First Indigenous Australian to be appointed a federal frontbench minister: Ken Wyatt.

First Indigenous Australian to become a Queen's Counsel: Tony McAvoy.

2016

First Indigenous Australian woman elected to Australian House of Representatives: Linda Burney.

First Indigenous Australian to win the X Factor: Isaiah Firebrace.

2017

First Indigenous Australian to be appointed a minister in the Commonwealth Government: Ken Wyatt (Minister for Indigenous Health).

References

List of Indigenous Australian firsts Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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