Jackson Worthington

When Jim Everett - Puralia Meenamatta, 78, returned to Tasmania, at the age of 16, he didn't really know what it meant to be Aboriginal. His family had fled the island state when he was four hoping to escape the "shame" of being Aboriginal.

Clyde Mansell's vision of the future is one where everybody understands why it's important for Aboriginal Tasmanians to be recognised. The 71-year-old was born at Lady Barron on Flinders Island and spent his childhood living there and on Cape Barren Island in the Bass Strait. Mansell credits his time on Flinders Island as the main part of establishing his cultural grounding.

The first time Phyllis Pitchford experienced racism she was walking to the store to get sweets with her cousin when two men walked past them. "One of them said 'oh, what we could do in bed with those little black girls'." She was 11 years old at the time.

Dorothy Murray remembers her time on Cape Barren Island fondly. She was born there and lived there with her grandparents until she was 17. Freedom was the word Dorothy used to describe her time of the island. Freedom from discrimination and freedom to enjoy her childhood.

It's been a hard life, but it's been a good life - according to Annette Peardon. Born at Whitemark on Flinders Island in 1949, her early years were spent surrounded by friends and family. She was happy and well looked after. But when she was eight the unthinkable happened. A strange man came and took Peardon away from all that she knew and all that she loved. Her mum was charged with neglect and spent three months in jail. Peardon and her brother were moved from Flinders Island to the suburbs of Launceston.