New coin honours the courage of the Gurindji people
The Royal Australian Mint have released a new 50 cent coin titled ‘Unity – Gurindji Wave Hill Walk Off 1966 and Birthplace of Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976’.
The coin has been launched to mark the 60th anniversary of the Wave Hill Walk Off and the 50th anniversary of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. It celebrates the courage, resilience and determination of the Gurindji people, whose actions helped change the nation forever.
The Wave Hill Walk Off, led by Vincent Lingiari in 1966, began as a protest against unfair wages and living conditions on Wave Hill Station. What followed became one of the most significant chapters in Australia's land rights movement. The Gurindji people stood against injustice despite enormous personal risk. They believed that their land, culture and dignity were worth fighting for. Their courage over nine long years changed Australia forever.
The design depicts the 1966 Wave Hill Walk Off and the path it forged towards the 1975 handover of land, and the Aboriginal Land Rights Act passed a year later. In the foreground, a gathering of Gurindji people stand together beneath the hot sun, their shadows stretching across the landscape as they set forth on the walk off. Looking towards distant hills, the horizon transforms into the hand of Vincent Lingiari as he receives the hand-back of land on behalf of the Gurindji people.
The merging of hand and landscape symbolises the enduring connection between Traditional Owners and Country. Across the sky, the words of Vincent Lingiari shine as an everlasting reminder of the power of his leadership and vision.
The word UNITY is embedded within the overlapping shadows of the Gurindji community, reflecting the collective strength that comes from standing together in pursuit of justice.
Gurindji Aboriginal Corporation Director and Traditional Owner Roslyn Frith said the coin was reflective of the historic events she had been part of as a child.
“Unity is Gurindji’s strength. This coin design represents the proud Gurindji people’s story, history and legacy. We are commemorating the past while celebrating the present as one. The Gurindji people have come a long way and as Vincent Lingiari said, ‘let us be mates’,” Ms Frith said.
Australians can now check their change to find this special commemorative coin. Collectors can also secure the coin as a coin-in-card and a silver proof edition through the Royal Australian Mint and its authorised distributors.
You can visit the: Mint eShop | Royal Australian Mint.
More information
For further information, you can refer to: New circulating coin honours the courage of the Gurindji people and tells the story of the 1966 Wave Hill Walk Off | Royal Australian Mint.