Aboriginal people of NSW

At the 1996 Census about 101 500 people in New South Wales identified themselves as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. New South Wales now has the highest number of indigenous people of any State or Territory. They live in all areas of the State, from the heart of Sydney to remote outback communities. Many Aboriginal people prefer to be called 'Kooris', a word that comes from a north coast Aboriginal language. The name 'Murri' is also used in the north and northwest of the State.

Once Kooris were the only people occupying the area that is now called New South Wales. White settlement led to their being dispossessed of their land and the destruction of many aspects of their culture. In spite of these devastating actions, the Koori/Murri community is now looking with confidence to a future based on Aboriginal initiatives and values.

These pages provide a brief outline of Aboriginal life in New South Wales before white contact and of the people's struggle to maintain their identity and culture since 1788.