Wybalenna Aboriginal Establishment

Wybalenna Aboriginal Establishment

1846 painting of Wybalenna by John Skinner Prout
Location	Flinders Island
Coordinates	40°01′00″S 147°57′44″E / 40.01667°S 147.96222°E / -40.01667; 147.96222
Status	Non-operational
Population	~180 exiled people (~130 deaths)
Opened	1833
Closed	1847
Managed by	British colonial government of Van Diemen's Land
Director	George Augustus Robinson Ens William James Darling Dr James Allen Henry Nickolls Capt Malcolm Laing Smith Dr Peter Fisher Dr Henry Jeanneret Dr Joseph Milligan
Notable prisoners
Truganini, Tongerlongeter, Montpelliatta, William Lanne, Mathinna, Luggenemenener, Mannalargenna, Woretemoeteryenner, Towterer

The Wybalenna Aboriginal Establishment was an internment facility built at Flinders Island by the colonial British government of Van Diemen's Land to accommodate forcibly exiled Aboriginal Tasmanians (Palawa). It was opened in 1833 and ceased operations in 1847. During that period around 180 Palawa were situated at Wybalenna with approximately 130 people dying at the establishment. Around another 25 died while being transported to the facility. The main commandant of Wybalenna was George Augustus Robinson who played a principal role in the system of capturing and sending Palawa to the facility. Famous people incarcerated at Wybalenna included Truganini, Mannalargenna and William Lanne, amongst others. Due to the many deaths of Indigenous people at Wybalenna, the alienation of the inmates from their homeland and the forcible repression of cultural practices, the Wybalenna establishment is regarded as an example of the implementation of genocidal policies against Indigenous Australians.^{[1][2][3][page needed]}