Fifty years after Australia first marked NAIDOC week, a new national survey reveals a complex generational divide in Indigenous historical knowledge and interest. While younger Australians express greater curiosity about First Nations histories, they demonstrate less factual awareness of key events compared to older cohorts.
Survey methodology and scope
In January 2026, researcher led a national survey of 1,503 Australians aged 18 and over as part of the War Studies Research Group. The study aimed to gauge public attitudes towards Australian history broadly, including Indigenous histories. Questions covered interest levels, self-assessed knowledge, and awareness of specific historical events.
Generational divide in interest and claimed knowledge
When asked which aspects of Australian history they found most interesting and felt most knowledgeable about, respondents ranked Indigenous history second overall, behind colonial history and ahead of cultural history. However, age proved a decisive factor. Among Australians aged 18–39, Indigenous history was the leading area of interest, with around 40% selecting it. In contrast, only 25% or fewer of those aged 50 or over expressed similar interest.
The gap widened for claimed knowledge: 34% of 18–29-year-olds said they knew most about Indigenous history, compared to 13% of those aged 50–59 and just 6% of those 70 and older.
Awareness of key events tells a different story
Despite younger Australians reporting higher interest and self-assessed knowledge, their awareness of seven specific events in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history was lower. Only three events received majority recognition overall: the 1967 referendum, the Mabo decision, and the National Apology to the Stolen Generations. The remaining four—the Frontier Wars, the Stolen Generations, the Howard government's denial of the Stolen Generations, and the 2008 Apology—were known by fewer than half of respondents.
Awareness generally increased with age. For example, more than 70% of those aged 70 and over were aware of most events, while no event achieved majority recognition among 18–29-year-olds. The closest was the Rudd government's apology, recognised by 48% of the youngest cohort. The exception was the Frontier Wars, where awareness was similar between youngest (35%) and oldest (39%) groups.
Implications for reconciliation and education
Since the 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum, surveys have shown declining public interest in Indigenous issues, with a clear generational split. This study echoes those findings but adds nuance: younger Australians' enthusiasm for learning about Indigenous history has not translated into factual knowledge, possibly because Indigenous history content remains non-mandatory in many school curricula, despite being a cross-curriculum priority.
Older Australians, who attended school before these topics were included, may have greater awareness because they lived through key events. This suggests that formal education alone may not be sufficient; living through history also shapes understanding.
"Younger Australians’ interest in these histories presents an opportunity both within and outside of the formal schooling system, where most Australians learn about history," the researcher noted. "Ensuring the broader Australian community has a stronger understanding of Indigenous histories is a necessary step in the reconciliation process. Without understanding the past, it will be more difficult to move towards a shared future."
