Aboriginal communities in Western Australia facts for kids
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- Large red dot: 500 people or more
- Medium red dot: 200 to 499
- Small red dot: 50 to 199
- Smaller back dot: less than 50 people
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- Very remote
- Remote
- Outer regional
- Inner regional
- Major city
Aboriginal communities in Western Australia are special places where Aboriginal Australians live on their traditional lands. These communities are made up of families who have strong connections to their ancestral country. Their links to these lands go back long before Europeans arrived in Australia.
For over 40 years, the governments of Australia and Western Australia have helped these communities. They have provided support and funding. Before this, Indigenous people were not considered citizens and had very few rights. Many were forced to work on large farms called stations. Others were moved from their homes by government actions, a sad time known as the Stolen Generation.
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Supporting Aboriginal Communities
Governments have tried different ways to support Aboriginal communities. This support has changed over time.
The Aboriginal Communities Act of 1979
In 1979, a law called the Aboriginal Communities Act 1979 was created. This act allowed Aboriginal councils to make and enforce their own rules, called by-laws, on their land.
At first, this law only applied to two communities: Bidyadanga and Bardi. Later, it was extended to include many other Aboriginal communities. This gave them more control over their own areas.
Discussions About Funding
In 2014 and 2015, there were many discussions in Western Australian and Australian politics. Some people questioned whether the government should continue to support all these communities. This led to a lot of debate.
Protests for Support
In 2015, people across Australia and even around the world held rallies. They were protesting against the idea of stopping government support for these communities.
A group of Aboriginal protesters set up a camp on Heirisson Island. They called it "a place of retreat." This camp was for all Aboriginal people who had been, or might be, forced to leave their homes by the Western Australian Government. It showed how important these communities are to their people.
