Anniversary of the Gurindji Land Handback

16 August

16 August marks the anniversary of the 1975 Gurindji land handback ceremony at Daguragu, also known as Wattie Creek. The image of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam pouring soil into Vincent Lingiari’s hands became an enduring expression of the struggle for Aboriginal land rights.

From the walk-off to the handback

In August 1966, workers and families walked off Wave Hill station. Led by Vincent Lingiari, their struggle concerned pay and conditions as well as the return of their Country. It continued over years, sustained by community resolve and support from others.

The handback anniversary is distinct from the Wave Hill Walk-Off anniversary on 23 August. Learning about both dates connects the decision to take action with the persistence required to secure change. It also avoids compressing a long community campaign into a single photograph or speech.

What happened on 16 August 1975

At the ceremony, Whitlam formally handed over a lease to a parcel of land at Wave Hill. The soil passing into Lingiari’s hands symbolised a recognition of Gurindji people’s relationship with their Country and their struggle to have it respected.

The legal form matters. This ceremony should not be described as the immediate return of all Gurindji land in unrestricted freehold. Describing the lease accurately acknowledges a significant achievement while leaving room to understand the further work required for land rights.

Reading the historical record

The National Archives of Australia and National Library of Australia hold dated records and photographs of the ceremony. Reading the image alongside its catalogue description helps establish who is represented, where the ceremony took place and what was being handed over.

The federal government’s 50th-anniversary account also identifies 16 August 1975 and distinguishes it from the 1966 walk-off. Anniversary statements are useful companions to original records, but a fuller history should continue to centre the people who maintained the campaign and their own accounts of its meaning.

Ways to mark the anniversary

Explore the history of the walk-off and the handback together. Ask what land, work, family and self-determination meant within the campaign, and why a symbolic gesture can matter without completing every legal or political task.

Follow Gurindji-led information about any contemporary gatherings. The Freedom Day Festival is connected with this history, but its program dates vary and should be checked separately. A carousel anniversary is not confirmation of a particular year’s festival, access arrangements or permission to visit Country.

Sources and further reading

The resources below provide historical records, community or institutional perspectives, and further learning. Linked material may include historical language, names or images of people who have died.

50 years since the Gurindji land handback. Minister for Indigenous Australians and Prime Minister, 2025. Confirms the ceremony’s date and the handover of a lease.
50 years since the Gurindji land handback

Vincent Lingiari speaking at the Wave Hill handover. National Archives of Australia. A historical record placing the ceremony within the land-rights campaign.
Vincent Lingiari speaking at the Wave Hill handover

Wave Hill handover photographic record. National Library of Australia. A dated collection record of the ceremony on 16 August 1975.
Wave Hill handover photographic record

Wave Hill Walk-Off. National Museum of Australia. Background to the campaign that preceded the handback.
Wave Hill Walk-Off

Related learning and resources

Use the reading links above as a starting point for further learning. Any future products or learning resources linked to this anniversary will be selected for their relevance and the quality of their information.