State of Western Australia
The Aborigines Department was created in 1926, taking over the responsibilities for Aborigines for the whole of the state of Western Australia that were divided previously between the Department of the North West and the Department of Fisheries. The Department had the Protector of Aborigines as its head. It was replaced by the Department of Native Affairs in 1936.
The Aborigines Department operated from 1 January 1926 to 1 January 1936.
The State Records Office website provides an overview of the second-named Aborigines Department:
In 1926, a new Aborigines Department was created to administer Aboriginal affairs for the whole of the State. This responsibility had been split across two departments - the Department of the North West and the Department of Fisheries - between the years 1920 and 1926.
1887 - 1890 Aborigines Protection Board
1890 - 1898 Aborigines Protection Board
1898 - 1908 Aborigines Department
1909 - 1920 Department of Aborigines and Fisheries
1909 - 1920 Department of Aborigines and Fisheries
1920 - 1926 Department of the North West
1920 - 1964 Fisheries Department
1926 - 1936 Aborigines Department
1936 - 1954 Department of Native Affairs
1955 - 1972 Department of Native Welfare
1972 - 1985 Department for Community Welfare
1972 - 1994 Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority
1985 - 1992 Department for Community Services
1994 - 2001 Aboriginal Affairs Department
1992 - 1995 Department for Community Development
2001 - 2013 Department of Indigenous Affairs
1995 - 2001 Department for Family and Children's Services
2013 - 2017 Department of Aboriginal Affairs
2001 - 2007 Department for Community Development
2007 - 2013 Department for Communities
2007 - 2013 Department for Child Protection
2013 - 2017 Department of Local Government and Communities
2013 - 2017 Department for Child Protection and Family Support
2017 - Department of Communities
2017 - Department of Communities
2017 - Child Protection and Family Support
2017 - Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries
Sources used to compile this entry: 'AU WA A63 - Aborigines Department [2]', in State Records Office of Western Australia - Organisations & People, State Records Office of Western Australia, 2015, https://archive.sro.wa.gov.au/index.php/aborigines-department-2-au-wa-a63.
Prepared by: Debra Rosser
Created: 27 June 2011, Last modified: 9 July 2014