Autonomy Day 1967

The University of Newcastle, Australia's Autonomy Day procession through Newcastle in 1967.

These photographs document the procession from Newcastle Beach, at the top of town, along Hunter Street through what is now Pacific Park and finally coming to an end in Union Street near the oval.

We thank Mr Ross Smith for his permission to scan his private collection of images and place them online. We also thank Mrs Katherine Macneill for her donation of images which document the 1967 Autonomy Day march.

The University of Newcastle was constituted as an autonomous institution on the 1st January 1965 by a Proclamation of His Excellency the Governor of New South Wales and signed and sealed on the 23rd December 1964 under the provisions of the University of Newcastle Act of that year.

Have a look at this site for further information:
https://uoncc.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/universitys-grant-of-arms-and-autonomy-day/

The first day of January, 1965 signified when the illustrious University of Newcastle was declared Autonomous from its forebearer, the University of New South Wales.

Autonomy day is normally held in early July, and students interpreted it as celebrating the autonomy of the University of Newcastle, from the University of New South Wales.

The date actually coincided with the winning of autonomy by the University of Technology from the Public Service Board control on the 1st July 1954. The students were entitled to give the celebration whatever meaning they chose. The fact that they called it ‘autonomy day’ heightened the students’ sense of the importance of autonomy and their need to defend it against outside interference. (Wright, 1992):113

Who needs an excuse to party?