The Wire

In 1965, a busload of Sydney University students led by Aboriginal activist Charlie Perkins, spent a fortnight travelling around rural New South Wales, exposing rampant discrimination and inviting international media attention. Forty years later a group of students are retracing the Freedom Ride to find out how far Australia has come towards reconciliation. They left Sydney on the 12th of February, travelling throughout north-west NSW, visiting 12 towns including Dubbo, Lismore, and Moree. Unlike 40 years ago, this time around, half of the group are Indigenous Australians. ReconciliACTION, the youth arm of the NSW Reconciliation Council, organised the trip in consultation with Indigenous communities. Alma Mistry spoke to Sylvie Ellsmore, the Co-convenor of ReconciliACTION. Alma also spoke to Kirsten Cheatham, an indigenous woman, participating in the ride and Ann Curthoys, Manning Clark Professor of History at ANU.