Furneaux Museum
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    • Dryazell Cottage and Mrs Gray’s Room
    • Mutton-bird Processing Shed (1920s)
    • Whitemark Police Cells (1916)
    • Nissen Hut (1951)
    • Land Settlement Office (1950)
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    • Lonely Graves of the Furneaux Islands
    • A Bridge Across Time
    • Through the Lens
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    • The History of Music and Dance in the Furneaux Islands
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The Furneaux Museum is on Flinders Island, one of the Furneaux Group of islands in eastern Bass Strait.

Events occurred in the Furneaux Islands which influenced the course of Australia's early colonial history. The repercussions reach right up to the present day.

A 1797 shipwreck brought Matthew Flinders to these then-unknown waters. His reports of the abundance of seals resulted in sealers setting themselves up on Cape Barren Island in 1798. This was the first European settlement outside of Sydney.

The sealing 'rush' which followed led to the survival of Tasmania's indigenous population  - the descendants of sealers and their Aboriginal wives.

The same voyage led Flinders to suspect the existence of Bass Strait, and he later returned with George Bass to prove it. The 'discovery' of Bass Strait had many very significant consequences for the history and economy of early Australia.

Visit the Furneaux Museum and learn about the events and people that have shaped these islands - shipwrecks, pioneering life, the ill-fated 1833-47 Tasmanian Aboriginal settlement at Wybalenna, the tradition of 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:

  • A great surprise!
  • Top little museum - well laid out and very informative.
  • A must-do on Flinders Island.
  • Give yourself at least 2 - 3 hours.
  • A wonderful insight into the life and history of Flinders Island.

THE ESSENTIALS

Opening hours

26 December – 30 April
Tuesday to Sunday 1.00pm – 5.00pm
Closed Mondays & Good Friday

1 May – 24 December
Saturday & Sunday  1.00pm – 4.00pm
By appointment subject to availability of a volunteer. At least 48 hours notice required. Please text Linda 0418 345 989 or email furneauxmuseum@gmail.com

Admission $5.00 (cash only)

THE MUSEUM COLLECTION

Five small historic buildings at the museum site house the collection on permanent display. There are over 8,000 artefacts, photos and documents in the collection. Read more

Temporary exhibitions on particular themes are staged in the main building.

 

NEWS

The Furneaux Geotrail  was completed in 2021.The project was initiated by the Furneaux Museum and carried out in partnership with Tasmania Parks & Wildlife, Mineral Resources Tasmania, Flinders Council, and volunteers.

Ten Geotrail visitor sites, accessible by car, were created on Flinders Island in 2010. The  more remote sites, accessible on foot or virtually, have been added in 2021

There is only one other geotrail in Tasmania.

The Furneaux Geotrail is particularly innovative as it provides information about the landscape by means of a mobile web app. Visitors use their smartphones to access the app via a QR code.

Read more about the Furneaux Geotrail here>

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