Aboriginal reserves in New South Wales, together with Stations, and Aboriginal Missions in New South Wales were areas of land where many Aboriginal people were forced to live in accordance with laws and policies. The British government, which controlled the Australian colonies, and later the state governments had various policies of segregation and assimilation. The Aboriginal reserves were established by government authorities as portions of land set aside for the sole use of Aboriginal people, a practice that continued after Federation in 1901. Of the 85 Aboriginal reserves created from 1885 to 1895, 47 were initiated by Aboriginal families. The Register of Aboriginal Reserves 1875-1904 held by NSW State Archives includes a map of the locality and a description of the area and whether it is good for hunting and fishing.

The reserves were operated under the direction of various government authorities including the Aborigines Protection Board (1883–1940), the Aborigines Welfare Board (1940–1969) and the Aborigines Welfare Directorate (1969–1975).

Aboriginal reserves, like the missions and other institutions, had the effect of isolating, confining and controlling Aboriginal people. People who were relocated to these reserves lost the human rights of freedom of movement and work, control over their personal property and the custody of their children. In New South Wales, some reserves were created in response to complaints by white residents who objected to Aboriginal people living in towns or in fringe camps on the edges of towns. Aboriginal Reserves were gazetted in the Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. There were two types of reserves, managed reserves which are frequently called stations were normally staffed by a manager or matron and residents were provided with rations and housing. Unmanaged reserves provided only rations and were under the control of the local police.

Following World War I, a number of reserves were revoked, which may be linked to the allocation of land to returned servicemen.

In 1945, there were more than 100 reserves under the control of the Aborigines Welfare Board. Between 1954 and 1964 more than 25 reserves were revoked, which may be due to policies of assimilation and the relocation of people to town reserves. In 1953 there were 19 reserves under the control of the board, and at least one (Moree) was being actively consolidated and housing expanded. Reserves were sometimes added to, enlarging the area or revoked in portions over time.

The system of reserves and stations was ended by the Aborigines Act 1969. The Aboriginal Lands Trust was established by the Aborigines (Amendment) Act 1973. The Trust assumed the corporate ownership of all Aboriginal reserves throughout New South Wales on behalf of, and for the benefit of Aboriginal people. Freehold title to the remaining reserves was transferred to the Trust, to maintain, develop or dispose of these reserves in the manner which would best serve the needs of the Aboriginal community. The Trust was also responsible for houses located on the reserves. The Aboriginal Lands Trust was abolished by the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983. The property was transferred to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and from there to Aboriginal Land Councils.

In 1997 a system of Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) was introduced in Australia. The remaining Aboriginal Reserves in New South Wales are not automatically part of this system.

Early history In the 1870s and 1880s, land reserves were gazetted for specific individuals from Aboriginal clans including: Amos Lewis and others (15 June 1875) W. Campbell (13 July 1875) Richard Bolway ( Bolloway or Bollaway) (19 October 1877) Merriman (19 October 1877) Yarboro (19 October 1877) Neddy (20 May 1878) Henry Roberts (19 August 1878) No. 43 county of Wellington, parish of Tunnabidgee. Revoked 8 June 1882. Mary Ann Willoughby (14 February 1879), 140 acres of No. 86, county of St.Vincent, parish of Mongarlowe. James Murray (7 April 1879) No. 1,056 county of Ashburnham, parish of Canomodine William Benson (22 November 1880) Tommy Again (14 June 1880) No. 76 county of Wellington, parish of Tunnabidgee (24 July 1882) No. 76a county of Wellington, parish of Tunnabidgee John Ambrose (11 August 1874) No. 1,209 county of Goulburn, parish of Vautier. Revoked 14 February 1881. Henry Wedge (11 July 1881) and (28 February 1883) Billy Billy (4 August 1884) Margaret Bryant (20 May 1885), just under 9 acres of No. 133, county of St.Vincent, parish of Mongarlowe Revoked 29 April 1893. John Bell (11 June 1887) and (09 February 1889)

A Reserve Gazette number Date gazetted Date revoked Notes Parish and county References Allgomera Aboriginal Reserve AR 38,625 10/12/1904 ? near Macksville on Tom Mara's Creek Parish of Allgomera, County of Raleigh Angeldool Aboriginal Reserve AR 41,025/6 07/11/1906 08/02/1944 appears to continue as a reserve from 22/10/1973 Parish of Birruma, County of Narran Armidale Aboriginal Reserve AR 81,255 21/11/1958 13/06/1975 Parish of Armidale, County of Sandon Armidale Aboriginal Reserve AR 87,623 16/01/1970 27/09/1973 Parish of Armidale, County of Sandon Ashby Aboriginal Reserve AR 31,665 03/11/1900 05/08/1927 on the Broadwater and Clarence Rivers Parish of Ashby, County of Clarence Ashford Aboriginal Reserve AR 17,800 27/05/1893 20/12/1957 Parish of Pindari, County of Arrawatta Ashford Aboriginal Reserve AR 40,459 02/05/1906 20/11/1925 Sevington, Ashford area Parish of Blbonbah, County of Arrawatta Ashford Aboriginal ReserveAR 69,11821/05/194026/07/1974Known as Deadbird Mission or Tarrangower ReserveParish of Chapman, County of Arrawatta Ashford Aboriginal Reserve AR 85,428 20/08/1965 27/09/1973 Cooke Street Parish of Ashford, County of Arrawatta Ashford Aboriginal Reserve AR 87,126 28/03/1969 07/02/1975 Town Houses, Ashford Parish of Ashford, County of Arrawatta

B Reserve Gazette number Date gazetted Date revoked Notes Parish and county References Ballina Aboriginal Reserve AR 5,081 14/01/1888 ? on Emigrant Creek Parish of Ballina County of Rous Balranald Aboriginal Reserve AR 16,477 12/01/1910 08/08/1950 between Yanga Creek and the Murrumbidgee River and included AR 44,736 Parish of Mamang, County of Caira Balranald Aboriginal Reserve AR 44,736 01/10/1892 080/8/1950 between Yanga Creek and the Murrumbidgee River Parish of Mamang, County of Caira Balranald Aboriginal Reserve AR 84,805 13/03/1964 23/08/1974 Lot 21, Section 22 located on Piper and Sydney Streets Parish of Mamang, County of Caira Balranald Aboriginal Reserve AR 66,640 19/03/1937 07/02/1975 DP4918 notified on 13/4/1892 and registered on 19/3/1937 Parish of Mamang, County of Caira Barrington Aboriginal Reserve AR 35,673 31/01/1903 23/05/1958 known as Portion 21 and located north of Gloucester Parish of Fitzroy, County of Gloucester Barrington River Aboriginal Reserve AR 36,574 1890 05/10/1905 at the junction of the Talbragar and Macquarie Rivers Baryugil Aboriginal Reserve AR 82,681 05/08/1960 26/07/1974 located on the Clarence River, Grafton land district Parish of Yulgibar, County of Drake Batemans Bay Aboriginal Reserve AR 112 09/01/1882 09/05/1975 on the Tomago River, also known as Moruya Parish of Bateman, County of St Vincent Batemans Bay Aboriginal Reserve AR 34,759 19/07/1902 16/09/1927 Portions 139, 140 and 141 Parish of Bateman, County of St Vincent Beemunnel Aboriginal Reserve AR 76,776 ? ? Parish of Umangla, County of Ewenmar Bega Aboriginal Reserve AR 17,616 1893 ? 55 acres at Blackfellows Lake (then called Cohens Lake), included part of the reserve created for Jack Hoskins and his family In some sources known as Cohens' Lake Aboriginal Reserve n/a Bega Aboriginal Reserve AR 85,253 1955 ? 9 acres Parish of Bega, County of Auckland Bellbrook Aboriginal Reserve AR 49,982 10/06/1914 06/06/1975 Initially a station north of Kempsey Parish of Nulla Nulla, County of Dudley Bellingen Aboriginal Reserve AR 14,679 24/10/1891 17/12/1954 An island in the Nambucca River Parish of South Bellingen, County of Raleigh Bellingen Aboriginal Reserve AR 73,990 26/01/1951 17/03/1975 2 miles from Nambucca Heads, were expanded in 1951 and 1969, total size of AR 73,990 and AR 87,256 was 42 acres Parish of Nambucca, County of Raleigh Bellingen Aboriginal Reserve AR 83,084 10/03/1961 20/09/1974 in Coffs Harbour Parish of Coffs, County of Fitzroy Bellingen Aboriginal Reserve AR 87,033 27/12/1968 20/09/1974 Parish of Coffs, County of Fitzroy Bellingen Aboriginal Reserve AR 87,256 26/01/1951 24/04/1975 2 miles from Nambucca Heads, were expanded in 1951 and 1969, total size of AR 73,990 and AR 87,256 was 42 acres Parish of Nambucca, County of Raleigh Bermagui Aboriginal Reserve AR 86,062 23/10/1964 ? on Hill Street, Bermagui Parish of Bermagee, County of Dampier Bodalla Aboriginal Reserve AR 553 22/11/1880 070/9/1917 32 acres on the bank of Tuross Lake Parish of Congo, County of Dampier Bodalla Aboriginal Reserve AR 345 19/10/1877 27/01/192240 acres at the mouth of the Tuross River Parish of Bodalla, County of Dampier Bodalla Aboriginal Reserve AR 346 19/10/1877 16/12/191456 acres at the mouth of the Tuross River Parish of Bodalla, County of Dampier Bodalla Aboriginal Reserve AR 347 19/10/1877 23/05/1969 40 acres at the mouth of the Tuross River Parish of Bodalla, County of Dampier Boggabilla Aboriginal Reserve AR 14,210 08/08/1891 24/05/1918 457 acres Parish of Boggabilla, the County of Staplyton Bokal-Ynee Aboriginal Reserve AR 42,950 05/08/1908 20/09/1974 Woodenbong area registered as AR 42,950 on 5/8/1908 and renotified as AR 66,508 AR 66,509 on 15/1/1937. Transferred to management by Mulli Mulli Aboriginal Land Council 9 March 1984. Parish of Lindsay, County of Bullar Boorowa Aboriginal Reserve AR 33,675 21/12/1901 09/08/1974 Parish of Opton, County of King Boorowa Aboriginal Reserve AR 64,379/80 02/02/1934 ? known as Portion 90 Parish of Opton, County of King Bourke Aboriginal Reserve AR 72,021 30/08/1946 02/08/1974 a town reserve Parish of Bourke, County of Cowper Bourke Aboriginal Reserve AR 78,457/8 06/04/1956 ? a town reserve in Cowper and Hope Streets Parish of Bourke, County of Cowper Bourke Aboriginal Reserve AR 83,582 17/11/61 27/9/68 in Adelaide Street Parish of Bourke, County of Cowper Bourke Aboriginal Reserve AR 84,544 27/09/1963 ? in Warrego Street Parish of Bourke, County of Cowper Bowraville Aboriginal Reserve AR 168 17/11/1884 30/10/1912 O'Rourkes' Settlement on the Taylor's Arm of the Nambucca River Parish of Bowra, County of Raleigh Bowraville Aboriginal Reserve AR 42,775 03/06/1908 09/05/1924 called Wirrimbi Island and included AR 57,051 Parish of Bowra, County of Raleigh Bowraville Aboriginal Reserve AR 62,815