Hobson, who won gold in the men’s high jump competition on home soil in Perth in 1962, triumphed with 2.11 metres, at the time a Games record.

Six days later, a second indigenous athlete won gold an the same Games, when Jeff Dynevor won the men’s under-54 kilograms boxing final.

Born in Bourke, New South Wales, Hobson was one of 10 children, and started high jumping in school carnivals as a teenager.

He made his first entry into national competition in 1961, placing 12^th and last at the 1961 Australian Championships.

Despite long journeys to Sydney for competition and having to do the majority of his training at home, Hobson made significant progress.

He won the 1962 Australian Championships in March and was one of five jumpers selected in the squad for a home Commonwealth Games.

After securing his place in the final team trials, Hobson was one of 11 starters for the final in front of a crowd of 20,000 people.

In extreme heat, the competition lasted more than three hours, with Hobson crucially taking the lead at 2.06m, before winning at a Games record height of 2.11m.

Reflecting on his success Hobson recalled: "The journey there was the biggest achievement.

"I can’t complain - I ended up with a gold medal.

"It didn’t sink in straight away, I was just emotional.

"I didn’t cry or anything, I just felt really good."

A park in Bourke and an area at the town’s visitor centre have been named in Hobson’s honour.

Last year work was completed on a mural at Bourke Water Tower of Hobson clearing a high jump bar.

It is due to be officially unveiled later this year.

Australia’s first indigenous Olympic gold medallist came 34 years later, when Nova Peris was part of the women's hockey team that won at Atlanta 1996.