What were the Yirrkala Bark Petitions?

In 1963, the Yolngu learned that the federal government had granted mining leases to a private company, Nabalco, over a large area of their ancestral land, without consulting or compensating them.

The Yolngu decided to challenge this decision by sending two bark petitions to the Australian Parliament, written in their own language and adorned with traditional paintings.

These petitions were the first documents prepared by Indigenous Australians that were recognised by the Australian Parliament, and the first documentary recognition of Indigenous people in Australian law. 

The petitions stated that the land in question had been hunting and food gathering land for the Yirrkala tribes since time immemorial, and that it contained places sacred to them as well as vital to their livelihood.

They expressed their fear that their needs and interests would be ignored as they had been in the past, and they requested that a committee be appointed to hear their views before permitting the excision of the land for the mine.

They also asked that no arrangements be entered into with any company that would destroy their livelihood and independence. 

The petitions were tabled in the House of Representatives on 14 and 28 August 1963, and received widespread media attention and public support.

They led to the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry into the grievances of the Yolngu, which visited Yirrkala and heard evidence from the elders.

However, the inquiry ultimately concluded that the mining leases were valid and that the Yolngu had no legal claim to their land under Australian law.

The Yolngu then took their case to the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, in what became known as the Gove land rights case or Milirrpum v Nabalco (1971).

The court also ruled against them, finding that they did not have native title at common law, but only a right of occupancy subject to the sovereignty of the Crown. 

Despite these legal setbacks, the Yirrkala bark petitions had a lasting impact on Australian politics and society.

They raised awareness of the injustices faced by Indigenous people, and inspired other Aboriginal groups to fight for their land rights.

They also influenced the development of legislation and policies that recognised Indigenous land rights, such as the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 and the Native Title Act 1993.

The petitions are now regarded as national treasures and are on permanent display at Parliament House in Canberra, along with a digging stick associated with the creation story of the Yolngu.