Aborigines Protection Act

The Aborigines Protection Act, passed in Victoria, Australia, in 1886, was a piece of legislation that categorized Aboriginal Australians and removed those of mixed ancestry from reserves. This act contributed to the broader pattern of European colonization, which significantly impacted Indigenous populations.12

The colonization of Victoria began in the 1830s with pastoral pioneers, leading to conflict with the Aboriginal people who were dispossessed of their land and suffered from violence and introduced diseases. Mission stations were established, but they had limited success, and by 1850, the Aboriginal population in the colony had drastically reduced. The Aborigines Protection Act further restricted the lives of Aboriginal people, leading to their concentration on mission stations and the separation of children from their families.123