the locals
the local Industry
The Aboriginal population of Tasmania was estimated at being between 5,000 and 10,000 in the early
The rugged coastline of the North
1800s. But the introduction of foreign diseases, war and persecution meant that by 1833 this had
West is awash with giant bull kelp.
dropped to only 300. Those who remained were then relocated to Flinders Island to be educated,
Freshly collected seaweed hangs out
thinking they’d be returned to their homeland once they had been ‘civilised’. Peter Lambert is one
to dry in the clean Tasman air, ready
of a few part-blooded Aborigine descendants living in the area and helping raise awareness of the
to be turned into fertiliser and sold
35,000-year-old heritage of the indigenous people.
on to local farms.
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