The Australian story is the story of migration.

Whether early convicts and free settlers, gold rush migrants from China, post-war European immigrants or more contemporary refugees, people have been crossing the sea to seek a new life in Australia since the eighteenth century.

While Tasmania may not have received as much recent migration as other states, migrants and migration experiences have a key role to play in understanding Tasmanian maritime history.

Attracted by work opportunities and cheap land, migrants from Poland, the UK, Italy, and the Netherlands helped shape the local economy, including maritime trade and shipbuilding.

Discover more about maritime migration at the Maritime Museum and gain a better understanding of the journey to build a life in Tasmania.