Timeline
- 12th February 1965 - The Freedom Rides left from Sydney University t on the evening of 12th of February 1965 with a bus of 30 students.
- 13th February 1965 - First stop of the bus tour was Wellington. No protests were carried out, but surveys were carried out which affirmed views on Aboriginal discrimination. Aboriginal and white living standards were also taken note of.
- 14th February 1965 - no protests were carried out and surveys were taken of living standards, etc. The results showed the overt discrimination shown against Aborigines, and concluded that the local population were actively segregating Aborigines and denying them access to rights and facilities.
- 15th-16th February 1965 - Freedom Ride bus stopped at Walgett. First demonstration was carried out here, with the barricading of the RSL club. Charles Perkins was denied usage of the RSL bar because of his race. The students paraded in front of the club with postersand signs. The local residents of Walgett retaliated by insulting the Freedom Riders. On the outskirts of the town that evening, hostile townspeople ran the freedom bus off the road. This wascaptured on film.
- 16th-17th February 1965 - Freedom Riders reached Moree. Charles Perkins brought a group of indigenous children with him to the local pool, in which Aboriginals had been banned since it was built 40 years prior. This caused uproror among the white citizens of Moree and the next day the Freedom Riders was confronted by 500 locals who verbally abused and threw objects such as eggs. Threats of physical violence was also issued. Riders were escorted out of the town by police officers.
Primary Source
The primary source above is an example of the Moree protests that occurred on the 16th and 17th of Febuary during the freedom rides. This protest was one of the most media attention grabbing. The source is a cartoon drawn by John frith that was featured in the Melbourne Herald two days after the events. The source is showing Charles Perkins painting the Aboriginal children white so they could enter the swimming pool. This cartoon is telling of how Perkins wanted the Aboriginal people to fit into white society without having to change themselves. The cartoon is only one example of the many media articles, cartoons, posters, reports and films telling about the freedom rides.