Segregation and Assimilation in York, Western Australia

This new archival research-based case study by Roland See looks primarily at segregation and 'assimilation' in interaction with the settler-Australian community in the Western Australian wheatbelt town of York. The period under review spans from 1923 to 1974 which corresponds with the official existence of the 'York Native Reserve'-a space of total segregation.

Coinciding with a growing Aboriginal population in York, the 1940s witnessed the peak of public demands for Aboriginal segregation and its implementation through State Government agencies.

The 1950s witnessed the struggle of those same agencies in trying to 'assimilate' Aboriginal people into 'mainstream' society against a swell of opposition from vocal parts of the settler-Australian community in York.

These protests included requests for the removal of Aboriginal people from York in their entirety, which saw, in turn, a call for increased control of Aboriginal people, the implementation of curfews and finally, York being declared a 'prohibited area'.

Later, the introduction of conditional citizenship for Aboriginal Western Australians was subverted when perceived abuse of this new 'privilege' in York was met with punishment through the law as it was applied by local actors. Further State-sponsored initiatives, including flawed housing schemes for Aboriginal people, were not helped in any regard thanks to local authority and press attitudes.

Resistance to change was overwhelmingly evident in community agitation for a segregated maternity ward at the York Hospital, while the Coolbaroo League dances in York assisted in asserting an Aboriginal social presence in town. Reserve housing schemes and the general social change occurring during the 1960s further shaped the Aboriginal and settler-Australian relationship.

This case study's local focus assists in making the topic more tangible than other history books that cover much broader areas. This concentration makes it complementary to such broader works as it enables the reader to focus on settler-Australian attitudes within one locality over an extended period and how it impacted the lives of local Aboriginal people. Yet against this backdrop, the wider context of state and national practices and legislation is also evaluated.

An exceptional study, one that can be used as a resource for students and academics, as well as being readily accessible to readers who may be unfamiliar with 20th century Aboriginal history in Western Australia or the York locality.