Lives Less Ordinary

My grandmother walked the rabbit-proof fence


Listen Later

Maria's grandmother was forcibly taken by Australian officials, but made a daring escape.

As children Maria Pilkington's mother and grandmother were both among the Stolen Generation, removed from their homes to be trained as domestic servants for white families. It was part of an Australian policy dating back to the 1930s to remove mixed-race children from any Aboriginal influence. But Maria's 14-year-old grandmother escaped, with her sister and cousin, by following a pest-control barrier that went right through Western Australia back to their home. The girls' extraordinary three-month, 1400km walk home became the Hollywood film Rabbit-Proof Fence, based on a book written by Maria's mother.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen

Producer: Sarah Kendal
Get in touch: [email protected] or WhatsApp 0044 330 678 2784

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Lives Less OrdinaryBy BBC World Service

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

469 ratings


More shows like Lives Less Ordinary

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,721 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

369 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,055 Listeners

Woman's Hour by BBC Radio 4

Woman's Hour

394 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,538 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,797 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

975 Listeners

The History Hour by BBC World Service

The History Hour

592 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,829 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,089 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,035 Listeners

The Food Chain by BBC World Service

The Food Chain

349 Listeners

File on 4 Investigates by BBC Radio 4

File on 4 Investigates

41 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

739 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

841 Listeners

People Fixing the World by BBC World Service

People Fixing the World

245 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,215 Listeners

The Missing Cryptoqueen by BBC Sounds

The Missing Cryptoqueen

1,043 Listeners

The Slow Newscast by The Observer

The Slow Newscast

168 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,035 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

68 Listeners

The History Podcast by BBC Radio 4

The History Podcast

53 Listeners

Strangers on a Bench by Tom Rosenthal

Strangers on a Bench

771 Listeners