In the making of this map, we acknowledge that Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children succeeded in an effective education system for thousands of years before the colonial invasion of Australia.

This map gives the locations/information of ‘Aboriginal Schools’ (as they were then called), most of which were on Aboriginal missions or reserves *, and operated across New South Wales (NSW) from the 1800s until 1968.

Under colonisation, the NSW Public Instruction Act (1880) created a state-wide system where every family was obliged to send their child to school. Since then, there have been several iterations of policy on the education of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students into the western system of education. Initially, separate schools for Aboriginal students were established in NSW. During the Protectionist era (c.1870s-1930s) the movement of Aboriginal people in the state was controlled by the NSW Aborigines Protection Board. Aboriginal Schools provided basic education for Aboriginal students usually with the white reserve manager (or his wife) also acting in the role of schoolteacher.

After 1940, during the Assimilation era (c.1930s-1960s), NSW Aboriginal schools were merged into local public (government) schools and managed by the Department of Public Instruction. This transition occurred over the years and in 1968, the title “Aboriginal School” was abolished, and the few surviving schools were given public school status. We have included the date that each Aboriginal school closed. Where these schools were renamed as Public Schools and are still operating, we have noted this.

Although approximately 86 Aboriginal schools were established between 1814-c.1968, these places did not provide abundant opportunities for their students. Apart from the limited syllabus for Aboriginal schools, unqualified teachers and questionable teaching standards, many of these “schools” were mission schools, children’s homes or reserves where children were taken away from their families, elders, language, and culture.

The documentation of the education of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students in NSW has, at times, been scant or ambiguous. If you would like to contribute or update any information, please contact purai@newcastle.edu.au

Here is a direct link to using and creating maps in the Time-layered cultural map guide.

*Where available, the Aboriginal Reserve (AR) number is included with the entry. Please note, many reserves have more than one AR number. AR numbers changed when, for example, the size of a reserve was changed or the parish in which it was located was re-gazetted.

A note on Aboriginal Tribal/Language Group/Nation names:

Names refer to traditional NSW Aboriginal people and/or the language and/or nation in which the Aboriginal school is located. Occasionally, the location of a school appears to border two tribal/language/nation areas. In these cases, both names are included to reflect inexact borders.

This information was extrapolated from the AIATSIS Map of Indigenous Australia and the spelling for language groups is as per the Reconciliation NSW Aboriginal Nations/Languages map in NSW & ACT. These maps are not definitive, and we acknowledge that some traditional custodians may not agree with its representation.

The language group does not indicate that the language was spoken by the students attending the Aboriginal school. In fact, Aboriginal children were forbidden to speak their traditional language/s at school.

]]> 153.4571,-28.9817 #TLCMapStyle

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders are advised that this map may include language/views from the period which may be considered inappropriate or even offensive today.

Wardell. On Cabbage Tree Island Aboriginal Station. This reserve was located on an island in the Richmond River, about 5kms from Wardell. The reserve was established in 1893 and there was an Aboriginal School here from October 1893 to 1895 and from 1908 to 1952. Cabbage Tree Island school is mentioned in an address by V. J. Truskett to the Joint Committee upon Aborigines Welfare (1967). See Fletcher (1989b) p. 253