LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
Racial Segregation in the
Words of the Descendants
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Blue
- Whites
Green
- Aboriginal and
White of half-caste
Yellow
- Asiatics
Red
- Half-caste and
Asiatics
Mitchell’s map. An extract from Mitchell’s notes indicated the colors and categories used for ‘racial’ classification: yellow for Asiatics only; h/c for half-caste; green for Aboriginal and white of half-caste; red and blue for half-caste Asiatic, blue for ‘Whites’; FBF (probably full-bloodied female Aborigine; and red for half-caste and Asiatic or FBS and Asiatic.
Photo courtesy of State Records Office of Western Australia, Series 2030, Cons 993, Item 1927/0248.
The Aborigines Act of 1905 dictated the living quarters
and movement, through the ‘Common Fence,’ originally
used to keep the cattle out, in Broome. The wire fence
was conveniently used to regulate the entry into
the town of Aboriginal people with no work permits.

“We used to have quite a few strikes because the
picture show was segregated. If a coloured man or
a black man sat where they shouldn’t have
because it was reserved for whites only, they’d get
kicked out or thrown out…”
- Sally Bin Demin

Manilamen descendant

“I experienced how Aboriginal people were
removed from the town site after 5PM daily. It
was known as the Common Fence. Any
Aboriginals who were inside the fence line, would
be penalised and go to jail… I was only about
four to five years old.”
- Anthony Ozies

Manilamen descendant

“There was a place called Common Gate where
Aboriginals and part—Aboriginal people could
have activities there; they had their dances which
were very good. We lit fires everywhere… It was
good because we were all happy.”
- Mary Manolis

Manilamen descendant

    Intermarriage and Naturalization The Manilamen and their Descendants