On the voyages the Surgeon Generals were generally young, and often did several voyages to earn rewards.
At the end of their voyaging career those that chose to stay in Australia were given grants to set up a medical practice in the colony, which often came with a parcel of land. As the population of Tasmania grew this had major repercussions for Indigenous people of the area, as well as the environment. People were pushed off their land resulting in loss of cultural practices and traditions. The two films – European Impact and Fear and Anger – show the impact of this on the Indigenous people of Tasmania, both then and now.
Recommended online Indigenous education resources:
- Heritage Tasmania
- John Glover, Colonial Artist
- Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
- Encounters Exhibition classroom resources, National Museum of Australia.
The Australian National Maritime Museum would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of lutruwita (Tasmania) and pay respect to the Tasmanian Aboriginal community and their Elders past and present.
European Impact
Aboriginal Tasmanians talk about the arrival of Europeans on tall ships.
The Descendants
Descendants of convicts discuss their ancestors and how discovering their stories provides historical context about their life.
Women & Children
Historians talk about the experience of women and children on convict voyages.
Fear and Anger
A historian talks about the European occupation of Tasmania.
The Historian
Some of Australia’s leading convict historians dispel some of the myths about convict life and voyages.
The Creators
The game developers talk about some of the challenges involved in making the game fun but also historically correct.