Timeline

In discussions with McLeod and among themselves, marrngu explore options for improving their lives. McLeod outlines these plans to A.P. Elkin.

DNA attempts to stop McLeod associating with marrngu.

Marrngu organisers, Clancy McKenna, Kitchener, Roy McKay, Ron Captain and Dougall Cornish, moving around stations talking about the strike.

Dooley and McKenna make final arrangements for a strike on 1 May.

Workers on De Grey station strike for higher wages. Awarded 5/- increase for the duration of the shearing.

Aboriginal people in the Port Hedland and Marble Bar region strike. Constable Gordon Marshall pressures most in the Marble Bar District to return to work.

McKenna arrested and charged under section 47 Native Administration Act 1936.

Dooley arrested by Marshall at Moolyella.

200 people on the Perth Esplanade call for the release of Clancy, Dooley and McLeod.

Provisional Committee for Defence of Native Rights formed at meeting convened by Alec Jolly.

Protest meeting held in the Perth Town Hall. Committee for Defence of Native Rights (CDNR) formed.

McLeod addresses meetings in Perth and Fremantle.

McKenna and Dooley released before serving their full sentences.

Marrngu demonstrate over ration coupons. McLeod arrested but released on good behaviour bond. Strikers march into Port Hedland in protest.

Hodge flies to Port Hedland and is arrested, along with McLeod.

McKenna, Dooley and McLeod granted leave to appeal convictions.

Appeal against Hodge’s conviction dismissed by the full court of the Western Australian Supreme Court.

Dorothy Hewett and Lloyd Davies visit the strikers.

McKenna and other strikers take Mackay’s breakaway group from Marble Bar to the Twelve Mile to prevent them returning to station employment and weakening the strike.

Meeting in Perth protests against the imprisonment of McKenna and other strikers.

The Department of Native Affairs attempts for the first time to negotiate with strikers, but these attempts are unsuccessful.

Ernie Mitchell sentenced to 7 days imprisonment for threatening to escalate the strike.

Twelve Mile strike camp declining in numbers. Moolyella becomes the main strike camp.

Port Hedland Catholic priest, Edward Bryan, proposes establishing a mission on the abandoned White Springs Station.

Department of Native Affairs declares the Twelve Mile a ‘forbidden settlement’ for Aboriginal people.

Thirteen men given 2- and 3-month jail sentences for entering Corunna Downs to remove workers. Strikers promise to fill the jails in protest.

Fremantle Branch of the Seamen’s Union threatens to ban wool shipments from the Pilbara if men are not released.

Native Affairs Officer Sydney Elliott-Smith reaches an agreement with the strikers, granting concessions in return for an undertaking to cease protest action.

Western Australian government backs away from Elliott-Smith’s concessions.

Some marrngu return to employment while others begin prospecting.

Marrngu collect funds to establish a hostel in Marble Bar so their children can attend school.

Marrngu who have not taken employment decide to join the mining operation on a trial basis and begin mining in the Cooglegong mining area.

Marrngu begin working significant wolfram deposit at Cooke’s Creek. Arrangements made with South Australian interests to form a syndicate.

The cooperative is making large profits from mining.

Many marrngu leave station and other employment to join the mining cooperative. DNA withdraws its opposition to the movement.

Large meetings held in Marble Bar to invite more marrngu to join the cooperative. Daisy Bindi attends but returns to Roy Hill.

Northern Development and Mining established, a development applauded by the Department of Native Affairs.

Daisy Bindi and other marrngu leave Roy Hill and surrounding stations and set up their own mining cooperative under Daisy’s leadership.

The Council for Aboriginal Rights makes contact with McLeod.

From March to May Sir Ross McDonald and Magistrate F.E.A. Bateman conduct inquiry into the movement.

White Springs Mission closes.

NODOM’s business arrangements with Western Wolfram break down.

Litigation against Western Wolfram sees NODOM lose its valuable wolfram deposits.

Esther and Joseph Birdsell, Dorothy and Norman Tindale, and Phillip Jud Epling, of the University of Adelaide and University of California Anthropological Expedition 1952-54, arrive in Marble Bar and spend three months in the cooperative camps.

Middleton withdraws his support for the establishment of a Department of Education school at Yandeyarra.

Bill Rourke, District Superintendent of North-West Schools, visits Yandeyarra and strongly recommends a school there, in the light of which Middleton withdraws his opposition.

As the group’s economic situation deteriorates, McLeod attempts to organise meetings between government representatives and the group.

Commissioner Middleton again opposes the establishment of a school at Yandeyarra, probably in response to negative reports from Donald Stuart.

The cooperative enters hard times. 364 people remain.

With stores severely depleted, NODOM members spread out in small camps living off the land.

Department of Native Welfare begins fortnightly rationing of children of the group.

Des Stuart leaves the group for Darwin and later London, suffering tuberculosis.

The Department of Native Welfare arranges for the sale of mineral won by the group, now mostly living at Pilgangoora.

Middleton visits Pilbara and establishes the Pilbara Native Society.

McLeod conducts a lecture tour of Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.

Department begins establishing a hostel at Riverdale Station near Nullagine, previously owned by NODOM.

Cooperative shifts from Pilgangoora to camps along the coast and start working on grass seed and pearl shell collection.

Sound recordings of McLeod are sent to Jessie Street in London.

Department attempts unsuccessfully to amend the Native Welfare Act to give Commissioner greater control over the assets of Aboriginal people.

Pindan challenges Western Australia’s ‘leper line’ legislation by travelling back and forth across the twentieth parallel and bringing new members into the cooperative from northern stations.

Mitchell and Coppin return to Port Hedland with Jessie Street. Street spends four days visiting the cooperative camps.

Dooley found guilty of leper line offences, fined £1 with £32.7.0 costs. Conviction is unsuccessfully appealed in Western Australian Supreme Court in December.

Pindan begins prospecting for manganese.

Pindan finds manganese deposit at Nimingarra and begins preparing to work it as a joint enterprise with Albert G. Sims Ltd.

In Perth, Jessie Street holds meetings with McLeod, the lawyer T.J. Hughes and Sims representative Jim Hallam, attempting to resolve disputes.

Dissatisfaction continues over issues including the lack of schooling. McLeod, removed as leader, is to work on projects with a team of young men.

Splinter group, called Nomads, forms and grows in size throughout 1959.

Nomads Pty Ltd incorporated. Nomads move to Roebourne area during 1960.