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. Since the
colonisation of Australia in 1788, Indigenous Australians have been segregated from European Australians both in their rights and socially within society. The 'firsts' listed in this article contain historical steps that have changed this initial racist segregation both legally and culturally.
First Torres Strait Islanders to be ordained deacons in the Anglican Church of Australia (then called the Church of England in Australia):
Joseph Lui and
Poey Passi.[28]
1920s
1925
First Indigenous Australian to tour abroad as part of open sporting team:
Glen Crouch (Queensland rugby league team to New Zealand).[29]
First Aboriginal Australian to be ordained deacon in the Anglican Church of Australia (then called the Church of England in Australia):
James Noble (clergyman).[28]
First Torres Strait Islanders to be ordained priests in the Anglican Church of Australia (then called the Church of England in Australia):
Joseph Lui and
Poey Passi.[28]
1927
First Indigenous Australian to have a book published:
David Unaipon (Aboriginal Legends).[30]
First Indigenous Australian woman to be selected for a national sporting side:
Faith Coulthard (cricket).[42]
First song written and recorded by Indigenous Australians: "Give the Coloured Boy a Chance" (written by Jimmy Little, Snr and recorded by
Jimmy Little).[43]
1959
First Indigenous Australian entertainer to appear on television:
Jimmy Little.[44]
First Indigenous Australian to play soccer for Australia:
Harry Williams.[66]
First Aboriginal Australian to be ordained priest in the Anglican Church of Australia (then called the Church of England in Australia):
Patrick Brisbane.[28]
First Indigenous Australian theatre company formed: "Nindethana" (founded by
Jack Charles and
Bob Maza).[72]
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).[73]
First Indigenous Australian representative Australian rules team to play overseas (Papua New Guinea).[74]
First Indigenous Australian to head a state government department (New South Wales Department of Aboriginal Affairs):
Pat O'Shane.[94]
1983
First Indigenous Australian to become a medical doctor: Dr
Helen Milroy.[95]
1984
First Indigenous Australian to become permanent head of a federal government department (Department of Aboriginal Affairs):
Charles Perkins.[96] (see also 1966)
1985
First Indigenous Australian television station commences: Channel 4
Yuendumu.[97]
First Indigenous Australian to receive a PhD from an Australian university:
Eve Fesl (
Monash)[102][103]
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).[104]
^"The estimated resident Indigenous population of Australia at 30 June 1991 was 351,000 people. In 2006, there were 517,000 people, representing 2.5% of the total Australian population. Between 1991 and 2006 the Indigenous population increased by 2.6% per year on average, compared with 1.2% for the total Australian population. The population of Indigenous Australians is projected to increase to between 713,300 and 721,100 people in 2021, at an average growth rate of 2.2% per year":
Australian Bureau of Statistics, "Australia" (2009)
^Hall, Robert A. (1989), The Black Diggers: Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in the Second World War, Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press.
ISBN0-85575-319-6.
^
ab"Weir, Margaret Williams". The Encyclopedia of Women and Leadership in twentieth century Australia. Australian Women's Archives Project 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
^Ramsland, J. & Mooney, C. (2006), Brolga Publishing, p. 206.
ISBN192078585X.
^
ab"Jimmy Little AO 1978". Australian Country Music Hands of Fame. Australian Country Music Hall of Fame. Archived from
the original on 10 April 2013.
^Mundine, P. "As it happened", Tracker, August 2012, p. 48.
^"FARMER, Graham". It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
^"Patrons". www.pff.com.au. The Graham "Polly" Farmer Foundation. Archived from
the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
^"The Aboriginal Flag". www.aiatsis.gov.au. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Archived from
the original on 8 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
^Bock, A. "Academics open doors to social benefits", The Age, 17 March 2014, Education Supplement, p. 14.
^Trudgett, Michelle; Page, Susan; Harrison, Neil.
"Brilliant Minds: A Snapshot of Successful Indigenous Australian Doctoral Students". The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 45 (1): 71.
doi:
10.1017/jie.2016.8. ...the earliest record that we could find was the PhD awarded to Dr Bill Jonas in 1980 by the University of Papua New Guinea... we estimate that approximately 25 Indigenous people were awarded their doctorate [during the 1980s]
^McKenna, M. "Aboriginal activist Jim Hagan dies at 83", The Australian, 11 April 2016, p. 5.
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. Since the
colonisation of Australia in 1788, Indigenous Australians have been segregated from European Australians both in their rights and socially within society. The 'firsts' listed in this article contain historical steps that have changed this initial racist segregation both legally and culturally.
First Torres Strait Islanders to be ordained deacons in the Anglican Church of Australia (then called the Church of England in Australia):
Joseph Lui and
Poey Passi.[28]
1920s
1925
First Indigenous Australian to tour abroad as part of open sporting team:
Glen Crouch (Queensland rugby league team to New Zealand).[29]
First Aboriginal Australian to be ordained deacon in the Anglican Church of Australia (then called the Church of England in Australia):
James Noble (clergyman).[28]
First Torres Strait Islanders to be ordained priests in the Anglican Church of Australia (then called the Church of England in Australia):
Joseph Lui and
Poey Passi.[28]
1927
First Indigenous Australian to have a book published:
David Unaipon (Aboriginal Legends).[30]
First Indigenous Australian woman to be selected for a national sporting side:
Faith Coulthard (cricket).[42]
First song written and recorded by Indigenous Australians: "Give the Coloured Boy a Chance" (written by Jimmy Little, Snr and recorded by
Jimmy Little).[43]
1959
First Indigenous Australian entertainer to appear on television:
Jimmy Little.[44]
First Indigenous Australian to play soccer for Australia:
Harry Williams.[66]
First Aboriginal Australian to be ordained priest in the Anglican Church of Australia (then called the Church of England in Australia):
Patrick Brisbane.[28]
First Indigenous Australian theatre company formed: "Nindethana" (founded by
Jack Charles and
Bob Maza).[72]
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).[73]
First Indigenous Australian representative Australian rules team to play overseas (Papua New Guinea).[74]
First Indigenous Australian to head a state government department (New South Wales Department of Aboriginal Affairs):
Pat O'Shane.[94]
1983
First Indigenous Australian to become a medical doctor: Dr
Helen Milroy.[95]
1984
First Indigenous Australian to become permanent head of a federal government department (Department of Aboriginal Affairs):
Charles Perkins.[96] (see also 1966)
1985
First Indigenous Australian television station commences: Channel 4
Yuendumu.[97]
First Indigenous Australian to receive a PhD from an Australian university:
Eve Fesl (
Monash)[102][103]
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).[104]
^"The estimated resident Indigenous population of Australia at 30 June 1991 was 351,000 people. In 2006, there were 517,000 people, representing 2.5% of the total Australian population. Between 1991 and 2006 the Indigenous population increased by 2.6% per year on average, compared with 1.2% for the total Australian population. The population of Indigenous Australians is projected to increase to between 713,300 and 721,100 people in 2021, at an average growth rate of 2.2% per year":
Australian Bureau of Statistics, "Australia" (2009)
^Hall, Robert A. (1989), The Black Diggers: Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in the Second World War, Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press.
ISBN0-85575-319-6.
^
ab"Weir, Margaret Williams". The Encyclopedia of Women and Leadership in twentieth century Australia. Australian Women's Archives Project 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
^Ramsland, J. & Mooney, C. (2006), Brolga Publishing, p. 206.
ISBN192078585X.
^
ab"Jimmy Little AO 1978". Australian Country Music Hands of Fame. Australian Country Music Hall of Fame. Archived from
the original on 10 April 2013.
^Mundine, P. "As it happened", Tracker, August 2012, p. 48.
^"FARMER, Graham". It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
^"Patrons". www.pff.com.au. The Graham "Polly" Farmer Foundation. Archived from
the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
^"The Aboriginal Flag". www.aiatsis.gov.au. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Archived from
the original on 8 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
^Bock, A. "Academics open doors to social benefits", The Age, 17 March 2014, Education Supplement, p. 14.
^Trudgett, Michelle; Page, Susan; Harrison, Neil.
"Brilliant Minds: A Snapshot of Successful Indigenous Australian Doctoral Students". The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 45 (1): 71.
doi:
10.1017/jie.2016.8. ...the earliest record that we could find was the PhD awarded to Dr Bill Jonas in 1980 by the University of Papua New Guinea... we estimate that approximately 25 Indigenous people were awarded their doctorate [during the 1980s]
^McKenna, M. "Aboriginal activist Jim Hagan dies at 83", The Australian, 11 April 2016, p. 5.