While Australia’s history of blackbirding is becoming more well known and understood, there are many local histories that are only now coming to light. It’s estimated more than 62,000 Melanesians were brought to Australia to work as indentured labour on farms between 1863 and 1904.

A garden and gathering place nestled peacefully next to the Caboolture River at North Harbour just north of Brisbane, stands as tribute to the kanakas, or South Sea Islanders, many of whom were brought against their will from islands throughout the Pacific, to become labourer’s at the Moray Field plantation. 

Today their descendants, known as Australian South Sea Islanders, gather at this place to remember their ancestors, and pay tribute to the backbreaking work they did with little recompense, to establish Queensland’s agricultural prosperity. 

Daniel Awiyawi is one of them. Daniel hopes by speaking about this history on Streets of Your Town podcast, that more people will get a better understanding of blackbirding in this region, and how many islanders were deceived into coming on those ships to Australia.