List of Indigenous Australian firsts

17th century

1600s

• 1606
• * First known meeting between Indigenous Australians and Europeans.

  18th century

1780s

• 1788
• * First Indigenous Australian to live amongst Europeans: Arabanoo.

  1790s

• 1793
• * First Indigenous Australian song performed in Europe: Bennelong, Yemmerrawanne.
• 1796
• * First Indigenous Australian to appear in print: Bennelong.

  19th century

1800s

• 1802
• * First Indigenous Australian to circumnavigate Australia: Bungaree.

  1810s

• 1815
• * First Indigenous Australian to be granted land by the colonial authorities: Bungaree.

  1820s

1830s

• 1835
• * First Indigenous Australian to be recorded playing western sport: Shiney.
• 1836
• * First publication solely written and published by Indigenous Australians: Flinders Island Chronicle.

  1840s

1850s

• 1856
• * Indigenous Australian males first given the right to vote in elections.

  1860s

• 1864
• * First time portions of the Bible published in an Indigenous Australian language.
• 1868
• * First Australian cricket team to tour overseas and the first sporting team to represent Australia abroad, is composed of Australian Aboriginal people.

  1870s

• 1870
• * First Indigenous Australian to play first-class cricket: Twopenny.
• 1871
• * First Indigenous Australian to become a deacon: James Unaipon.
• 1872
• 1874
• 1875
• 1876
• 1877
• 1879

  1880s

• 1880
• 1881
• 1883
• * First Indigenous Australian to win the Stawell Gift: Bobby Kinnear.
• 1884
• *
• 1885
• *
• 1886
• 1887
• 1888
• 1889
• * First Indigenous Australian to play in a major Australian rules football league, South Australian Football Association : Harry Hewitt.
• **

  1890s

• 1891
• 1892
• 1893
• * First Indigenous Australian to play representative rugby union: Frank Ivory.
• 1895
• * Indigenous Australian women first gain the right to vote in elections.
• 1896
• 1897
• *First translation of the New Testament into an Indigenous Australian language.
• 1899
• * First Indigenous Australian to be recorded: Fanny Cochrane Smith.

  20th century

1900s

• 1900
• * First Indigenous Australian to regularly play in a major Australian rules football league, West Australian Football Association : Jimmy Melbourne.
• 1901
• 1902
• 1903
• 1904
• * First Indigenous Australian to play in the Victorian Football League : Joe Johnson.
• 1906
• 1907
• 1908
• 1909
• * First Indigenous Australian to play first-grade level rugby league: George Green.

  1910s

• 1910
• 1911
• 1912
• * First Indigenous Australian to win a national boxing title: Jerry Jerome.
• * First Indigenous Australian to be awarded a medal for gallantry: Neighbour.
• 1915
• 1916
• * First Indigenous Australian to be awarded the Military Medal in World War I : Maitland Madge.
• 1917

  1920s

• 1920
• 1921
• 1924
• 1925
• * First Indigenous Australian to tour abroad as part of open sporting team: Glen Crouch.
• 1926
• 1927
• * First Indigenous Australian to have a book published: David Unaipon.
• 1928
• 1929
• * First Indigenous Australian to win the World Professional Sprint Championship: Lynch Cooper.

  1930s

• 1931
• 1932
• * First literary writing in Indigenous Australian vernacular: Sam Dintibana, in Dieri.
• 1934
• 1935
• * First Indigenous Australian to be selected in the Victorian interstate Australian rules team: Doug Nicholls.
• 1936
• 1937
• 1938
• 1939
• * First mass strike of Indigenous Australians: Cummeragunja walk-off.

  1940s

• 1940
• 1941
• 1942
• 1943
• 1944
• * First Indigenous Australian to be commissioned as an officer in the Australian armed forces: Reg Saunders.
• * First Indigenous military aviator: Len Waters.
• 1945
• 1947
• 1948
• 1949
• * First federal electorate named after an Indigenous Australian: Division of Bennelong, named in honour of Bennelong.

  1950s

• 1950
• * The first named Indigenous Australian to appear on an Australian stamp: Gwoya Jungarai.
• 1952
• 1953
• 1954
• * First Indigenous nurse in South Australia: Lois O’Donoghue
• * First Indigenous Railway Station Master
• 1955
• 1956
• 1957
• * First Indigenous Australian to become an Australian citizen: Albert Namatjira.
• * First Indigenous Australian to enrol in university: Margaret Williams-Weir.
• 1958
• * First Indigenous Australian woman to be selected for a national sporting side: Faith Coulthard.
• * First song written and recorded by Indigenous Australians: "Give the Coloured Boy a Chance".
• 1959
• * First Indigenous Australian entertainer to appear on television: Jimmy Little.
• * First Indigenous Australian to gain a university qualification: Margaret Williams-Weir.

  1960s

• 1960
• * First Indigenous Australian to compete at the Paralympics: Kevin Coombes.
• * First Indigenous Australian to represent Australia in rugby league: Lionel Morgan.
• 1961
• * First Indigenous Australian to win the Bay Sheffield: Ken Hampton.
• * First Indigenous Australians to represent Australia in basketball: Bennie Lew Fatt and John Bonson.
• 1962
• * First Indigenous Australian to win a Gold Medal at the Commonwealth Games: Jeff Dynevor.
• * First Indigenous Australian to release an album: Georgia Lee.
• * First Indigenous Australian to represent Australia in rugby union: Lloyd McDermott.
• * Indigenous Australians first given right to enrol to vote in Australian federal elections.
• * Indigenous Australians first given right to enrol to vote in Northern Territory elections.
• 1963
• * First time Indigenous Australians legally allowed to drink alcohol in New South Wales.
• * First Indigenous Australian to have a number one hit on the Australian music charts: Jimmy Little.
• * First documentary recognition of Indigenous Australians in Australian law: Yirrkala bark petitions.
• 1964
• * First Indigenous Australian to publish a book of verse: Oodgeroo Noonuccal.
• * First Indigenous Australians to compete in an Olympic Games: Michael Ah Matt, Adrian Blair and Frank Roberts.
• 1965
• * First Indigenous Australian police officer: Colin Dillon.
• * Indigenous Australians first given right to vote in Queensland elections.
• * First all-Indigenous Australian contemporary music concert held in Sydney.
• * First novel by an Indigenous Australian author to be published in Australia: Wild Cat Falling by Mudrooroo
• 1966
• * First Indigenous Australian university degree graduates: Charles Perkins and Margaret Valadian.
• * First Indigenous Australian to be ordained as a Minister of the Methodist Church: Lazarus Lamilami.
• 1967
• * Indigenous Australians allowed to be counted in the Australian census.
• 1968
• * First Indigenous Australian to become world champion : Lionel Rose.
• * First Indigenous Australian to be named Australian of the Year: Lionel Rose
• * First Indigenous Australian to compete internationally in wrestling: John Kinsella.
• * First Indigenous Australian to become a state champion cyclist: Brian Mansell.
• 1969
• * First Indigenous Australian to play List A cricket: Ian King.
• * First legal challenge for Aboriginal title to land: Milirrpum v Nabalco.

  1970s

• 1970
• * First Indigenous Australian to play soccer for Australia: Harry Williams.
• 1971
• * First indigenous Australian to sit in the Parliament of Australia: Neville Bonner.
• * First play written by an Indigenous Australian performed in mainstream theatre: The Cherry Pickers by Kevin Gilbert.
• * First Indigenous Australian to win a Grand Slam tennis event : Evonne Goolagong.
• * First Australian rules footballer to be honoured with an MBE: Graham Farmer.
• * Australian Aboriginal Flag first flown in public.
• 1972
• * First Indigenous Australian theatre company formed: "Nindethana".
• * First Indigenous Australian-produced community radio programs went to air.
• * First Indigenous Australian representative Australian rules team to play overseas.
• * First film made by an Indigenous Australian.
• 1973
• * First Indigenous Australian jockey to win the Melbourne Cup: Frank Reys.
• * First Indigenous Australian to captain Australia: Arthur Beetson.
• * First television show with an all-Aboriginal cast.
• 1974
• * First Indigenous Australian elected to a state or territory parliament: Hyacinth Tungutalum.
• 1975
• * First Indigenous Australian to be employed in Australia's tertiary education sector as a lecturer: Maryann Bin-Salik.
• 1976
• * First Indigenous Australian to hold vice-regal office : Sir Douglas Nicholls.
• * First Indigenous Australian to be appointed a Justice of the Peace in South Australia: Ken Hampton.
• *First Indigenous Australian Barrister: Patricia O’Shane
• *First Indigenous Australian woman to be awarded an Order of Australia: Lois O’Donoghue
• 1977
• * First Indigenous Australian to hold a shadow portfolio in a federal, state or territory parliament: Neville Perkins.
• * First Indigenous Australian to referee a world title boxing match: Trevor Christian.
• * First city council to fly the Aboriginal flag.
• 1978
• 1979
• * First Indigenous Australian to represent Australia in volleyball: Mark Tutton.
• *First woman to be appointed to the New South Wales Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board.
• *First Indigenous Principal in Western Australia after being promoted to Principal Class II of Wiluna Special Aboriginal School:

  1980s

• 1980
• * First Indigenous Australian to receive a PhD: Bill Jonas.
• * First Indigenous Australian to officially address the United Nations: Jim Hagan.
• 1981
• * First boxer to become Australian titleholder in four weight divisions: Tony Mundine.
• * First feature film starring all-Indigenous Australian cast: Wrong Side of the Road.
• *First Aboriginal person and first woman to become a permanent head of ministry in Australia:
• 1982
• * First Indigenous Australian woman to gain a private pilot's licence: Virginia Wykes.
• * First Indigenous Australian man to play at Wimbledon: Ian Goolagong.
• * First Indigenous Australian to win the Norm Smith Medal: Maurice Rioli.
• * First Indigenous Australian to head a state government department : Pat O'Shane.
• 1983
• * First Indigenous Australian to become a medical doctor: Dr Helen Milroy.
• 1984
• * First Indigenous Australian to become permanent head of a federal government department : Charles Perkins.
• 1985
• * First Indigenous Australian television station commences: Channel 4 Yuendumu.
• * First Indigenous Australian bishop of the Anglican Church of Australia: Arthur Malcolm.
• 1986
• * First Indigenous Australian Minister of the Crown: Ernie Bridge.
• * First Indigenous Australian to represent Australia in netball: Marcia Ella-Duncan.
• 1987
• * First Indigenous Australian psychologist: Pat Dudgeon.
• 1988
• 1989
• * First Indigenous Australian to win the Magarey Medal: Gilbert McAdam.

  1990s

• 1990
• * First Indigenous Australian to win an international track medal : Cathy Freeman.
• * First Indigenous Australian rock opera: Bran Nue Dae.
• 1991
• * First Indigenous Australian woman to represent Australia in hockey: Lorelle Morrissey.
• 1992
• * First Indigenous Australian woman to be selected in the Olympic Games: Cathy Freeman.
• * The Torres Strait Islander Flag is flown for the first time.
• 1993
• * First Indigenous Australian to win a Brownlow Medal: Gavin Wanganeen.
• 1994
• * First Indigenous Australian to be appointed a university Chancellor: Pat O'Shane.
• 1995
• *First Indigenous Australian to graduate as a veterinary surgeon: Joe Schmidt.
• 1996
• * First Indigenous Australian to win a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games: Nova Peris.
• * First Indigenous Australian to play Test cricket: Jason Gillespie.
• * First Indigenous Australian male to represent Australia in hockey: Baeden Choppy.
• * First Indigenous Australian to be appointed a judge: Bob Bellear.
• 1997
• *First Indigenous performing arts centre: Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts
• * First Indigenous Australian elected to the International Rugby Hall of Fame: Mark Ella.
• 1998
• 1999
• * First Indigenous Australian to become Miss Australia: Kathryn Hay.
• 2000
• * First Indigenous Australian to win an individual Olympic gold medal : Cathy Freeman.

  21st century

2000s

• 2001
• * First Indigenous Australian woman elected to an Australian parliament: Carol Martin.
• 2002
• 2003
• * First Indigenous Australian woman Minister of the Crown: Marion Scrymgour.
• * First Indigenous Nurse Practitioner Australia: Lesley Salem
• *First Indigenous medical practitioner to be awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy: Sandra Eades.
• 2004
• 2005
• 2006
• * First Indigenous Australian surgeon: Kelvin Kong.
• 2007
• 2008
• * First Indigenous Australian to play in the National Basketball Association : Nathan Jawai.
• 2009
• * First Indigenous Australian woman to become an Anglican remote area priest: Yulki Nunggumajbarr.

  2010s

• 2010
• * First Indigenous Australian woman elected to a United Nations body: Megan Davis.
• * First Indigenous Australians to set foot on Antarctica: Narelle Long and Malcolm Lynch.
• * First Indigenous Australian to play international Twenty20 cricket: Dan Christian.
• * First Indigenous Australian elected to the Australian House of Representatives: Ken Wyatt.
• 2011
• * First Indigenous Australian Rhodes Scholar: Rebecca Richards.
• 2012
• * First Indigenous Australian woman archdeacon in the Anglican Church: Karen Kime.
• * First Indigenous Australian to join golf's PGA Tour: Scott Gardiner.
• * First Indigenous Australian to study at the University of Cambridge: Lilly Brown.
• * First Indigenous Australian appointed to a federal court: Matthew Myers.
• 2013
• * First Indigenous Australian to become a head of government: Adam Giles.
• * First Indigenous Australian appointed as head of an overseas mission: Damien Miller.
• * First time Aboriginal flag flown over an overseas military base.
• * First Indigenous Australian woman elected to Australian parliament: Nova Peris.
• 2015
• * First Indigenous Australian woman elected to the Queensland Parliament: Leeanne Enoch.
• * First Indigenous Australian to become an Anglican bishop: Reverend Chris McLeod.
• * First Indigenous Australian to be appointed a federal frontbench minister: Ken Wyatt.
• * First Indigenous Australian to become a Queen's Counsel: Tony McAvoy.
• 2016
• *First Indigenous Australian woman elected to Australian House of Representatives: Linda Burney.
• *First Indigenous Australian to win the X Factor: Isaiah Firebrace.
• 2017
• * First Indigenous Australian to be appointed a minister in the Commonwealth Government: Ken Wyatt.
• 2019
• *Twelve year old Indigenous Australian Dujuan Hoosan becomes the youngest person to address the UN Human Rights Council.

  2020s

• 2020
• * First Indigenous Australian to win AFLW Best and Fairest: Madison Prespakis.