A great many Indigenous Australians have been prominent in sport and the arts in recent decades and Aboriginal art styles appreciated and embraced by the wider population . Oodgeroo Noonuccal ( 1920 – 1995 ) was a famous Aboriginal poet , writer and rights activist credited with publishing the first Aboriginal book of verse : '' We Are Going '' ( 1964 ) . Sally Morgan 's novel '' My Place '' was considered a breakthrough memoir in terms of bringing indigenous stories to wider notice . 1976 's The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith directed by Fred Schepisi was an award winning historical drama from a book by Thomas Keneally about the tragic story of an Aboriginal Bushranger . In 1973 Arthur Beetson became the first Indigenous Australian to captain his country in any sport when he first led the Australian National Rugby League team , the Kangaroos . Olympic gold medalist Cathy Freeman lit the Olympic flame at the 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Sydney
2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
Racism in Australia