The Furneaux Museum is located at Emita on Flinders Island, the largest island in the Furneaux Group in eastern Bass Strait.
The Museum began in 1965. Ever since, Museum volunteers have been collecting, conserving and exhibiting artefacts and information about the Furneaux Islands. There are now over 8,000 objects, photographs and documents in the Museum collection.
It's not widely known that events occurred here which influenced the course of Australia's colonial history. A shipwreck in 1797 brought Matthew Flinders to these then unknown waters, leading him to suspect and later prove the existence of Bass Strait. His reports of the abundance of seals led to the start of Australia's first export industry - seal skins. This in turn resulted in the survival of Tasmania's indigenous population - descendants of the sealers' Aboriginal wives.
Visit us to discover the people, places and events that have shaped the islands. Learn about the shipping and aviation history, pioneering life, the ill-fated 1833-47 Aboriginal settlement at Wybalenna, mutton-birding, soldier settlement, island families. See how isolation brought about a resourcefulness and strong community spirit which still exist today.
Here's what our visitors say:
- I couldn't believe how good it was.
- Well worth coming up to see.
- An awesome little museum. Jam packed and very nicely presented. Take some time, because you'll need it!
- A terrific collection of local relics for those with any interest in the Furneaux Islands off Tasmania's northeast coast.
