Reference articles on history, science, culture and more
Encyclopedia

Perth Prohibited Area

Restricted area in Perth, Western Australia

The Perth Prohibited Area was an area of the metropolitan area in Perth, Western Australia that Aboriginal people were not permitted to enter without a permit. The prohibition was in force from 1927 to 1954, and covered approximately 13 square kilometres (5 mi2) wholly within the boundaries of the City of Perth. The ban was instigated by A.O. Neville, the protector of Aborigines, and proclaimed under the Aborigines Act 1905 (WA) in 1927.

Aboriginal people working in the city had to leave by 6 pm or face the threat of arrest and a fine, or in some cases a custodial sentence. The edict was actively enforced, with the records of the Central Police Office showing 78 Indigenous people charged from July 1949 to February 1950. The historian Stephen Kinnane has suggested that Neville did not like the fact that Aboriginals were beating white Australians at competitive events held in White City.

Watch videos about Perth Prohibited AreaExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Perth Prohibited Area, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

Fathomly is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Spotted a problem? Tell us.