- Established by the Western Australian government in 1918 as a settlement for Aboriginal children following the creating of protection laws to 'regulate' the lives of Aboriginal people.
- The Settlement was opened under the direction of the Chief Protector of Aborigines, A. O. Neville, who was completely inexperienced in Indigenous affairs and had little experience with Aborigines.
- It was originally supposed to be a small self-sufficient farming settlement for 200 Aborigines, with school and health facilities for children and employment opportunities for adults.
- This failed because the land was unsuitable for farming.
- In the 1920's, the purpose shifted as Aboriginal and mixed-race children were forcibly removed from their homes to the Settlement, forming part of the Stolen Generation.
- The Settlement also met the demands of white Australians who wanted segregation from Aboriginals.
- Neville was also determined to spend an absolute minimum on Aboriginal people.
- By the mid-1920s conditions deteriorated as the camp become more and more overcrowded due to Neville's actions.
- The camp, originally designed for about 80 residents, had reached an average population of 300 by 1924 and the building were becoming run-down and sanitation was very poor due to overuse.
- By 1933, the population was over 500.
- 364 deaths were recorded between 1918 and 1952, almost half of which were children under 5.
- Strict gender and child segregation was practised within the Settlement.
- Residents were not allowed to leave without written permission.
- The Moore River Settlement is also the major setting of the book and film, Rabbit Proof Fence, which you can watch below to get a better idea of the living conditions:
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore_River_Native_Settlement and http://nosugarbyjackdavis.weebly.com/