The series of events which became known as the Warburton Ranges controversy ignited public concern and outrage, leading to lobbying of parliamentarians and other activism by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

Different lobby groups focussed on different aspects of Aboriginal welfare or rights and members varied in composition, but they all desired to effect change.

The Aborigines Advancement League sought to disaffiliate from the FCAA from about 1959 onwards, achieving this in 1966, because it thought the federal organisation too focussed on the state of Victoria.

By the end of the year, the petition had over 100,000 signatures, and after continuous lobbying, members of the council were able to meet with Prime Minister Robert Menzies in 1965.

This meeting was considered to have been crucial in the change in government attitude, which led to the hugely successful 1967 Referendum, giving the Australian Parliament the power to legislate for Aboriginal peoples.

[1] This eventually led to the resignation of the General Secretary, Stan Davey, as well as two other high-ranking Aboriginal executives, Oodgeroo Noonuccal and Charles Perkins.

[6] Discontent with the lack of involvement of Indigenous members in the leadership of the organisation was accompanied with questioning of the focus on a common struggle between different races.

This division came to a head in the Annual Conference of 1970, in which motions were tabled proposing a restriction on membership and voting rights to Indigenous members.

[13] The failure of these motions led to their proponents leaving the organisation,[1] resulting in the formation of the National Tribal Council by Kath Walker (later known as Oodgeroo Noonuccal) and Douglas Nicholls, comprising around 40 members.