The Aborigines Protection Act 1886, No. DCCCCXII (912), commenced the policy of forcibly removing "half caste" aboriginals from missions and reserves. It did so by changing the definition of aboriginal to exclude "half-castes".
The Long title of the Act is 'An Act to amend an Act intituled "An Act to provide for the Protection and Management of the Aboriginal Natives of Victoria" '. It amended 'An Act to provide for the Protection and Management of the Aboriginal natives in Victoria 1869.' The 1886 legislation came into operation in January 1887 and in August 1890 was repealed by the Aborigines Act 1890, No.1059.
1887 - 1890 The Aborigines Protection Act 1886
1890 - 1915 Aborigines Act 1890
1915 - 1929 Aborigines Act 1915
1929 - 1957 Aborigines Act 1928
1957 - 1959 Aborigines Act 1957
1959 - 1968 Aborigines Act 1958
Sources used to compile this entry: 'Victoria: Legislation', in To remove and protect: laws that changed Aboriginal lives, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 2008, https://aiatsis.gov.au/collection/featured-collections/remove-and-protect; Law Research Service, Melbourne Law School, Law Library, The University of Melbourne. 'Find and Connect Project - Victoria Legislation', 13 December 2013, held in the project files at the University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre.
Prepared by: Cate O'Neill
Created: 15 September 2009, Last modified: 26 April 2016