Walter MacDougall facts for kids

Walter Batchelor MacDougall (6 April 1907 – 5 May 1976) was an Australian missionary and patrol officer. He worked closely with Indigenous people in the desert parts of Western Australia and South Australia.

Life Story

Walter MacDougall was born in Mornington, Australia, in 1907. He was the fifth son of a Scottish Presbyterian church leader. After living in Tasmania for some years, his family moved back to Melbourne. There, he finished his schooling at Scotch College in 1922.

For eight years, from 1931 to 1939, Walter worked as an assistant at a Presbyterian mission. This mission was located at Port George IV (also known as Kunmunya) in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

In 1940, he started a new job at the Ernabella mission in the northwest of South Australia. Here, he learned to speak some Pitjantjatjara, an Indigenous language. Even though he had a hand injury, he joined the army. He worked in a transport team in northern Australia until 1944.

Working as a Patrol Officer

In 1947, Walter was hired as a patrol officer. He had a lot of experience working with Indigenous communities. His new job was connected to the Woomera Test Range. This was a special area where Britain was testing weapons, including the atomic bomb. These tests took place at places like Emu Field and Maralinga.

Walter's job was to help move Indigenous people away from these dangerous test areas. He helped them move to safer places like Yalata. In 1956, he was promoted. He became the Protector of Aborigines in Western Australia. This meant he was in charge of a huge desert area, about 400,000 square miles.

Protecting Indigenous Lands

Walter MacDougall believed that Indigenous people should slowly become part of the wider Australian society. He said that "We have taken away their beliefs and customs and trespassed on their lands. We have a moral duty to give them something in return."

He often disagreed with government officials. These officials were planning military sites and weapon tests. Walter carefully mapped out special areas that were important to Indigenous culture. These were places with ceremonies or sacred sites. He told the government to avoid these areas. He wanted to make sure no one caused offense by disturbing them.

He strongly opposed building the Giles Weather Station in the Rawlinson Ranges. This was because the station was planned on land that belonged to Indigenous tribes. Government officials were sometimes worried about Walter. He was very direct in his criticism. He knew a lot about Indigenous societies. He even threatened to tell newspapers about problems. He was warned not to get involved in political issues.

Walter MacDougall retired after 25 years of service. He passed away in 1976 in Heidelberg.