Events in 1956-57 gave a renewed vigour to campaigning for Aboriginal rights. Screening of the ‘Warburton Ranges film’ had a major impact on those who saw it. 1 Gordon Bryant, newly elected Member for Wills, who was at the Melbourne screening was strongly affected by it. Doug Nicholls, his friend Stan Davey and Bill Onus formed a new group the Victorian Aborigines Advancement League. Gordon Bryant was approached to join and was elected President.
Jessie Street, who was living in London at this time, visited Australia on a fact finding tour about the lives of Aboriginal peoples in Australia, so that the Anti-Slavery Society of London could prepare a case for the United Nations. She met a number of people who were involved in the Aboriginal rights movement – Charles Duguid, Shirley Andrews, Pearl Gibbs, Bert Groves – to name a few.