Help shape 1965 Freedom Ride Blue Plaque Trail

COMMUNITIES across NSW are being asked which towns and specific locations should be commemorated with a blue plaque to create a Freedom Ride Blue Plaque Trail, honouring a significant chapter in Australia’s civil rights movement.

The 1965 Freedom Ride brought national attention to racial injustice and discrimination against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Taking inspiration from the US Civil Rights Freedom Rides, a group of 30 University of Sydney students, the Student Action for Aborigines (SAFA) group, hired a bus and set off on a 15-day journey through regional NSW.

Led by civil rights activist Charles Perkins – who went on to become the first Aboriginal man to graduate from an Australian University – the Freedom Ride aimed to bring attention to the poor living conditions and discrimination faced by Aboriginal people.

The group travelled through regional NSW, starting in Wellington, Gulargambone and Walgett, and then moving through Moree, Boggabilla, Tenterfield, Grafton, Lismore, Bowraville and Kempsey, exposing racial injustice and building momentum for reconciliation action in Australia.

All personal stories, memories, and documents relating to the Freedom Ride are welcome, and with permission, may be shared to ensure the legacy is widely known.

The Freedom Ride Blue Plaque Trail will capture the stories and events that took place at the key stops on the Freedom Ride journey and join with the existing Freedom Ride blue plaques at the Wayside Chapel (Potts Point) and Walgett Freedom Ride Park.

Heritage NSW Director Renae Patterson said, “This is a unique opportunity for the people of NSW to have their say and directly contribute to helping us determine where the plaques will be located and how this important piece of our history is commemorated.

“We want to hear from those who were there, those who remember the events, and those who have personal connections to the towns, people and locations on the route.

“We encourage everyone to share their stories; your input will be vital in shaping this memorial and bringing the history of the Freedom Ride to life for generations to come.”

Earlier this year, the State Government marked the 60th anniversary of the 1965 Freedom Ride with funding to complete a community pavilion in Walgett, along with unveiling a blue plaque in the town to commemorate the historic event.

To contribute your story or suggest a location, fill out the submission form at https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/freedom-ride-trail-blue-plaques-nsw

The submission form will be open until Sunday 30 November.

Heritage NSW will also be consulting with stakeholders, including relevant First Nations groups, and visiting towns along the trail to hear directly from communities.

Blue plaques are located throughout NSW, recognising the events, groups and people who contributed to the rich history of the state.