Portrait – Moomba King – Sir Doug Nicholls 1973

Summary

Framed black-and-white photograph 1973 Moomba King, Sir Doug Nicholls. Sir Doug Nicholls (1906–88) was pastor of Australia’s first Aboriginal Church of Christ, in Fitzroy, Melbourne, and in 1957 became a field officer for the Aboriginal Advancement League. His commitment to indigenous welfare made him a natural representative for Aboriginal people, and he was soon awarded a MBE for his efforts. In 1973, he became Moomba’s first Aboriginal head of state, although initially he was reluctant. He declined to wear royal attire, believing it inappropriate for him to do so. A Yorta Yorta man, Doug Nicholls was born on a mission station in NSW. Prior to his filling social-welfare and religious roles he was an athlete of significant talent. An Australian Rules scout recognised his talent and encouraged Nicholls to move to Melbourne, where he played briefly for Carlton before moving (due to racist attitudes) to Northcote and then Fitzroy. Injury forced him to retire in 1939. During the summer he was a member of Jimmy Sharman's boxing troupe, a travelling show in which the boxers took on all comers, and he also ran in races. He worked as a lay preacher at the Gore Street Mission Centre from 1935, but really began working with disadvantaged Aboriginal people in the early 1940s through the Aboriginal Advancement League. In 1968, he was awarded an OBE and also became a member of the new Victorian Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. In 1972, he was the first Aboriginal person to be knighted. Four years later he became the Governor of South Australia, but his appointment was cut short after only a few months by his suffering a stroke in 1977, which forced him to retire.