Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Oyster Cove, established in 1843 as a mission of the Furneaux Group, stands as a poignant chapter in the history of Tasmania's Aboriginal people. Founded by Captain John Briggs—who had earlier set up the Flinders Island mission in 1838—the settlement was intended as a refuge for the dwindling Aboriginal population, urged on by the Aboriginal Protection Society.
At the time, only 149 full-blooded Tasmanian Aboriginal people remained, with over half living on the islands of Bass Strait. About 100 individuals were relocated to Oyster Cove, bringing together diverse tribal backgrounds that sparked significant tensions. Initially housed in large communal huts, many residents soon walked away, returning to their ancestral homelands where they felt a deeper connection to the rugged hunting grounds of their forebears.
Life on the mission was harsh. Exposure, introduced diseases, and inadequate food led to a mortality rate of 20%, doubling for children under five. Cultural suppression was enforced: traditional practices were forbidden, native languages were abandoned, and Christianity was imposed. Despite these hardships, the community managed to preserve a distinct sense of identity.
The mission's closure in 1873 dispersed the remaining residents to other reserves or into the broader population. The last full-blooded Tasmanian Aboriginal man, William Lanne, died at Oyster Cove in 1869. Today, descendants of mixed-heritage Tasmanian Aboriginal people continue to live on Flinders Island, carrying forward a resilient cultural legacy.
Oyster Cove remains a symbol of both loss and endurance—a place where the echoes of a displaced people still resonate in the landscape and in the stories passed down through generations.