'Far From Home' identifies more than 3600 Aboriginal prisoners who served time on Rottnest Island. Some were associated with historic events such as the Bttle of Pinjarra (1834), the Flying Foam massacre (1868), the Jandamarra uprising in the Kimberley (1892-94) and the Forrest River massacre (1926). Some travelled with the explorers John Forrest and Francis Gregory, and others, while on parole, severed on the frontiers as police assistants, pearl divers and guides for the telegraph surveys.
Accompanying the biographical listing of prisoners is a historical account of the Rottnest establishment and prison life, describing the experiences of men who were separated from their families and sent to a cold and deary island off the coast of Western Australia. For more than 370 it was a one-way journey, and today, denied the recognition they deserve, they lie in unmarked graves far from home.
Contents:
Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Part 1: Introduction
A Brief History of Rottnest Island Aboriginal Establishment
- Chronological Stages
- Aspects of Incarceration
- Contemporary Issues
Notes
Part 2: Explanatory Notes
- Biographical Dictionary
- List of Variant Spellings and Aliases
Bibliography
General Index
Index of Non-Prisoner Aboriginal Names in the Dictionary
