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The Jabiluka Blockade – 22 years on

you know about one of Australia’s most effective anti-nuclear blockades? The Jabiluka blockade in 1998 stopped the Ranger Uranium Mine in Australia.

The battle for Aboriginal heritage on Perth’s foreshore 30 years on

Thirty years ago from January 2019 Noongar activists set up a protest camp at Gooninup, the site of the derelict Old Swan Brewery on Perth’s foreshore. This marked the beginning of a four-year long struggle to secure recognition of an Aboriginal sacred site. 

Enabling Emergence The Bentley Blockade and the Struggle for a Gasfield Free Northern Rivers

A case study and theoretical examination of nonviolent direct action against fracking in the Northern Rivers Region in Australia.

Listen and watch 40 years of Australian blockading songs

A list of songs from the last 40 years of the environmental movement in Australia including the Terania and Franklin River blockades.

Sign Language The story of the Jabiluka symbol

The artist’s story of how the Stop Jabiluka hand symbol was designed and developed and grew to become a symbol for the anti-nuclear movement.

30 years of Creative Resistance

’30 years of Creative Resistance’ is a compilation of writing and art celebrating the work of Friends of the Earth Australia over the last thirty years.

Check list for affinity groups

Checklist for affinity groups – looking out for each other and yourself when participating in a blockade or protest.

From Little Things Big Things Grow Events That Changed Australia – March

A list of some of the small actions and major events from social movement history during the month of March.  

From Little Things Big Things Grow Events That Changed Australia – April

A list of some of the small actions and major events from social movement history during the month of February.  

From Little Things Big Things Grow Events That Changed Australia – August to March

A list of small actions and major events which challenged the state of Australian society and pointed to better ways forward.  

Effective action for social change The campaign to save the Franklin River

Learn lessons from one of the largest & most successful nonviolent direct action environmental protests in Australian history – the Franklin River campaign.

TED talk: Our fight for disability rights – and we’re not done yet

In 1977 Judith Heumann helped lead the groundbreaking Section 504 sit-in protest in which disabled-rights activists occupied a federal building for almost a month, demanding greater accessibility for all.

Media Checklist for Actions

A thorough checklist to help you prepare for traditional and social media in the lead up to an action, including some considerations for non-violent direct actions. Download as a handy printable pdf from the box at the bottom of this page.

Treesits, lock-ons and barricades: Environmental blockading in the 1980s

From 1979 to the 1990s Australia, Canadian and American activists took part in a series of environmental blockades to defend old growth forests, rivers and other biodiverse places. Join Iain McIntyre for a series of conversations with the blockaders who took part in these campaigns.  

Always look on the bright side of life The AIDEX ’91 story

In 1991 over 1000 protesters blockaded the National Exhibition Centre in Canberra with the goal of shutting down the Australia International Defence Exhibition. This book includes a detailed account of the blockade, the context of the growth of the Australian arms industry, and the words of the protesters themselves.

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy was established in 1972 when the Coalition Government failed to recognise the land rights of Indigenous people. From its inception, the Embassy has been interwoven into Canberra’s physical and political landscape, blending black politics, symbolism and theatre that opponents have found difficult to counter.

Camp Walmadan Booklet

The struggle to protect James Price Point was a multi-faceted, organic campaign, fuelled by creativity, ingenuity and a fierce sense of independence and justice. The Camp Walmadan booklet gives an insight into a recent successful community campaign. It also provides a great overview of the kinds of issues to consider when organising a large scale direct action convergence.

Beginners guide to a blockade camp

Many successful campaigns have based their direct action from blockade camps and include the wins against the damming of the Franklin river, stopping the Jabiluka uranium mine, and the proposed gas hub at Walmadan/James Price Point. It can be a scary thing, heading to a blockade camp for the first time. Here are some tips to get you started.

Affinity Groups for Non-Violent Direct Action

Affinity groups are a feature of many large scale non-violent actions. An affinity group is a small group of people (eg: 5-15) who have something in common who take action together. Groups could focus on a specific theme eg street medics or legal observers or more commonly it is a group of people that take action as a team.

Jabiluka Fight for Country

In 2005 the Mirarr succeeded in halting the development of the proposed Jabiluka mine. It was the culmination of an extraordinary decade-long campaign which saw people across Australia and the world stand up and support Mirarr in their opposition to uranium mining on their land.