Friendly Mission: the Tasmanian Journals and Papers of George Augustus Robinson, 1829 – 1834, edited by NJB Plomley, was first published in 1966. This monumental and controversial work has long been recognised as a major source document of Australian colonial history. Covering Robinson’s activities from 1829-34, Friendly Mission describes his conciliation attempts with the Tasmanian Aborigines and their subsequent relocation to Flinders Island. Even as the island’s Aboriginal population was being decimated by the policies, diseases and social influences of the European settlers – and Robinson has been considered complicit in their demise – his brilliantly detailed journals were destined to become an important record of the lives and customs of those people.

The 2008 republication of Friendly Mission, by the Queen Victorian Museum and Art Gallery and Quintus Publishing, contains material omitted from the first edition and has an extensive new index, to enable researchers and general readers alike significantly improved access to this enormous, valuable work.

1180 pages, black-and-white illustrations, maps, section sewn and casebound with jacket.

Recommended retail price: $99.00

ISBN 978 0 9775572 2 6

Table of Contents:
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Friendly Mission: Table of Contents

Foreword
Biography – NJB Plomley
Preface

Introduction

Prelude

1. Robinson the emigrant
2. The Tasmanian Aborigines
3. Settlers versus Aborigines

Friendly Mission: Robinson the Conciliator

1. The Bruny Island mission, 1829
2. Mission to Port Davey: expedition to the south-western, western and north-western tribes, January–October 1830
3. Mission to the sealers: expedition to the north-eastern and eastern tribes, October 1830 – October 1831
4. Expedition to the Big River tribe, October–December 1831
5. Expedition to the north-western tribes, February–November 1832
6. Expedition to the tribes in the region of Macquarie Harbour, December 1832 – October 1833
7. Last expedition: mission to the remnant of the western tribes, December 1833 – August 1834

Aftermath

Appendices

1. Robinson’s journeys in Tasmania in relation to exploration of the island by others
2. Aboriginal place names in Tasmania
3. Notes on natural history
4. The causes of the extinction of the Tasmanians
5. The Aboriginal tribes in Tasmania
6. List of the Aborigines
7. The sealers
8. List of officials, settlers, convicts and others, with biographical notes
9. List of colonial and overseas vessels mentioned in the text
10. Bibliography
11. Addendum – Route Maps

Index