A new circulating 50 cent coin has been released to mark the 60th anniversary of the Wave Hill Walk Off and the 50th anniversary of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976.
The Royal Australian Mint's Unity - Gurindji Wave Hill Walk Off 1966 and Birthplace of Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976 coin entered circulation nationally on Wednesday.
The design honours the courage and determination of the Gurindji people and traces the movement from the 1966 protest to the return of land in 1975 and the passage of the land rights legislation a year later.
Led by Gurindji Elder Vincent Lingiari, the Wave Hill Walk Off began as a protest against unfair wages and living conditions at Wave Hill Station.
The Gurindji people continued their campaign for nine years, helping establish the foundations of Australia's Aboriginal land rights movement.
The coin shows a group of Gurindji people standing beneath the sun as they begin the walk-off, with their shadows extending across the landscape.
Distant hills merge into the hand of Mr Lingiari as he receives the land on behalf of the Gurindji people during the 1975 handback.
The word "UNITY" appears within the overlapping shadows, while Mr Lingiari's words, "Ngumpin, kartiya karru-la jintaku-la - blackfella, whitefella unite as one", appear across the sky.
Gurindji Aboriginal Corporation director and Traditional Owner Roslyn Frith experienced the historic events as a child.
"Unity is Gurindji's strength," Ms Frith said.
"This coin design represents the proud Gurindji people's story, history and legacy. We are commemorating the past while celebrating the present as one.
"The Gurindji people have come a long way and as Vincent Lingiari said, 'let us be mates'."
Minister for Indigenous Australians and Northern Territory Senator Malarndirri McCarthy described the walk-off as a turning point in the national land rights movement.
"The Wave Hill Walk Off in 1966 laid the foundation for Aboriginal land rights across the Northern Territory and the country," Senator McCarthy said.
"It was a defining moment in history that led to the Aboriginal Land Rights Act ten years later.
"This coin recognises the bravery of the Gurindji people, led by Vincent Lingiari, and tells a story of collective strength, solidarity and unity."
The 1975 handback became one of the country's most recognised historical moments after Wailwan photographer Mervyn Bishop captured prime minister Gough Whitlam pouring soil into Mr Lingiari's hand.
Mr Bishop's life, family and wider photographic archive are explored in the State Library of NSW exhibition 'Mervyn Bishop: Close Up'.
The commemorative coin is entering general circulation, while coin-in-card and silver proof versions are available through the Royal Australian Mint and authorised distributors.
