Australian South Sea Islanders are the Australian-born direct descendants of people who were brought to Australia between 1863 and 1904 to work as indentured labourers in the primary industries.
Over 50,000 people (mainly men) came from some 80 Pacific Islands, primarily Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. The majority were kidnapped, 'Blackbirded' or deceived into coming.
While some ancestors of Australian South Sea Islanders may have left their homelands by choice, they often experienced the same discrimination and harsh treatment as those who came unwillingly.
Despite the hardship and discrimination faced by the community, Australian South Sea Islanders have contributed significantly to the social, cultural and economic development of Queensland. Australian South Sea Islanders provided labour to help build local economies and key industries. They contributed to the development of farming and grazing, as well as the maritime industry, pearling, mining, the railways, domestic services and childcare. They have also served the nation as members of the defence force.
The Queensland United Australian South Sea Islander Council (QUASSIC) have an extensive series of historical information sheets produced by Emeritus Professor Clive Moore.
The Queensland State Library (SLQ) has a range of content exploring Australian South Sea Islander history including photographs, heritage maps, videos, conversations and art.
The National Museum Australia’s ‘Defining Moments’ timeline includes a focus on Islander labourers from the 1860s through to recognition in 2000. The museum also has a classroom resource for this content.
The Queensland Museum’s Say Our Name: Australian South Sea Islanders brings into focus the community’s tumultuous history and how in its aftermath a new community was born. This exhibition runs until 13 July 2025.
Zia Youse is a proud Australian South Sea Islander. She is a descendant of the South Sea Islanders who were brought to Queensland from 1863 to 1904 to work the State’s cotton and sugar plantations.
Today's Australian South Sea Islanders are a distinct cultural group with a unique history and position in Australian society. Australian South Sea Islanders have little in common with more recent groups of migrants (including from Pacific Island nations), having been settled in Australia since the 19th century. Australian South Sea Islanders are not indigenous, although some have dual or tri-cultural heritage through interrelationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Through their own extensive lobbying over decades, Australian South Sea Islanders have continued to bring their struggles and concerns to the attention of Commonwealth, State and independent bodies.
In response, the Australian South Sea Islander community was recognised by the Commonwealth Government as a unique minority group in 1994. This recognition followed a 1992 report, 'The Call for Recognition: A Report on the Situation of Australian South Sea Islanders', which was undertaken by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
In July 2000, the Queensland Government adopted a formal Recognition Statement.
This statement highlights the Queensland Government’s commitment to ensuring that present and future generations of Australian South Sea Islanders have equality of opportunity to participate in and contribute to the economic, social, political and cultural life of the state.
It also requires Queensland Government departments and other agencies to act on this commitment through their policies, programs and services.
The Queensland Government is funding research into the lived experiences of Australian South Sea Islander people, including levels of disadvantage.
The Australian South Sea Islander Community Foundation is a trust fund which provides scholarships to Australian South Sea Islander students to assist with their undergraduate university studies.
Find links to various resources - including archival documents, photographs, digital newspapers and war records, which may assist with family history research.
Access information on Queensland’s Australian South Sea Islander peoples based on data from the 2021 census including population size, location, associated ancestries, health, housing, education and labour force characteristics.
Last reviewed:02 August 2024
Last modified:24 April 2025
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence
We pay our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestors of this land, their spirits and their legacy. The foundations laid by these ancestors—our First Nations peoples—give strength, inspiration and courage to current and future generations towards creating a better Queensland.
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