Bruny Island, a charming quarantine destination in Australia.

Place of exile

When World War I broke out in 1914, the crew of the German battleship SS Oberhausen was declared 'external enemy forces' and captured by a detachment of 11 Australian naval reservists. Captain Johann Meir and his crew, who were loading timber at Huon harbor in Tasmania, could have refueled and left port. Instead, they stayed, as it was safer to return to Germany to fight. Having cut open barrels of liquor on board to drink with their captors, they all arrived in Hobart drunk.

These Germans were eventually taken to a detention camp at the Bruny Island Quarantine Station. Conditions at this camp were quite good, and Captain Meir is said to have remarked, "Where better to stay during wartime?" He was neither the first nor the last to experience the freedom and isolation of Bruny Island.

This small island off the southeast coast of Tasmania has played a significant role in Australian history – its isolation making it the perfect location for quarantine. The word 'quarantine' comes from the Italian 'quaranta giorni', meaning 40 days, the length of time ships were often required to remain anchored offshore before docking to prevent the spread of diseases such as typhoid.

Since 1884, passengers arriving in Tasmania had to be free of any underlying health conditions to be allowed into the community. Instead of being quarantined on board, they underwent quarantine and health checks ashore at the Bruny Island Quarantine Station, which still stands on the island today. Prior to this, the land was occupied by the Nuenonne Aboriginal tribe, the island's traditional nomadic inhabitants who lived there for over 6,000 years.

Bruny Island was, and remains, a beautiful place under the canopy of native forests and surrounded by fish-rich waters. Because the Nuenonne tribe lived by hunting and gathering, they likely knew of Europeans passing by as early as 1777, as ships passing the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa often entered Adventure Bay on Bruny Island as a safe anchorage to replenish essential supplies such as water and wood.

However, it wasn't until 1856 that Europe took over the Quarantine Station, with the arrival of the Cox family. Anthony Cox, convicted of illegal immigration, was brought from England to Hobart in 1833. He was granted conditional pardon in May 1849 and soon after married another convict, Jane Daly. As a former convict with 'good conduct and a diligent attitude,' he received a 19-acre plot of land from the government on what would later become the Bruny Island Quarantine Station. Cox and his family earned a living chopping wood on what many considered barren land, but their home, Shellwood Cottage, was neatly fenced and surrounded by flowers. Compared to the hardships of a life of crime, the freedom and tranquility of Bruny Island were almost like paradise.

Quarantine station

The Cox family's land was eventually sold, and the Bruny Island Quarantine Station was built there in the mid-1800s to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as typhoid and smallpox, which were prevalent at the time.

The Suez Canal, opened in 1869, saw a surge in international trade; thousands of migrants arrived in Australia on passenger ships to begin new lives in the colonies, which were quarantined on Bruny Island. Some chose to stay in Tasmania, but many moved to mainland Australia after being declared disease-free. Upon arrival at the Quarantine Station, wealthy first-class passengers were housed in a separate building from the lower-class passengers, highlighting the importance of social class status.

Prison camp

When Captain Johann Meir and his crew arrived at the Quarantine Station in January 1915, it had already been converted into a German prisoner-of-war camp. The sailors were forced to work alongside other Germans, cutting wood and clearing land.

There were approximately 70 prisoners in total and only 15 guards patrolling nearly 2 kilometers of coastline and a long fence. Preventing escape was virtually impossible – if the prisoners actually wanted to. Perhaps because they had demonstrated little interest in escaping, the prisoners were granted considerable freedom. They often worked outside the Quarantine Station boundaries and built their own homes, including several camps far from the main base.

After the German prisoners were transferred to Holsworthy Prison in Sydney in 1915, the Quarantine Station became quiet – but not for long. World War I ended just as the Spanish flu pandemic began.

Instead of returning home for a victory parade and reuniting with their families, Tasmanian soldiers returning from the war spent seven days in quarantine on Bruny Island with hundreds of other men.

Quarantine area

Although the soldiers were initially disappointed at not being able to go home immediately, many later realized it was the best thing that could happen. They could set foot on land after days at sea and talk to others who had experienced the horrors of war. This was good for them psychologically, as many did not want to be a burden to their families.

Here, there are activities like swimming, fishing, and football, as well as movie tents and boxing rings to help the soldiers vent their anger and frustration. Red Cross comfort packages contain luxuries like cigarettes, books, and fruit to help lift the soldiers' spirits.

After the threat of the flu epidemic passed, the Quarantine Station was largely inactive until the 1950s, when its focus shifted from people to plants.

As Australia's only quarantine station located on an island, it was transformed into a national plant quarantine station, where introduced exotic species such as raspberries, apples, and hops are quarantined and tested for diseases that could have serious health and economic consequences if they were allowed into Australia.

In 1986, plant quarantine was moved to Kingston on Tasmania's main island, and the site remained dormant until the Tasmanian government declared it a National Conservation Area in 2003.

Open to tourism

The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and the self-guided heritage walking tour has been designed so visitors can explore at their own pace. Aside from birdsong and the rustling of the eucalyptus trees, the only sounds you'll hear while strolling around the Quarantine Station are the crunching of footsteps on the cobblestone path.

This sprawling island makes it easy to avoid encountering any other tourists and immerse yourself in the stories inscribed on the explanatory boards. Some of these boards depict buildings such as the decontamination room and the Health Officer's quarters, which still stand today. Others tell of how structures have been demolished over the years.

The soldiers who spent time here after World War I were eager to return to civilized society, but for some Tasmanian volunteers, being quarantined in this remote location was a highly coveted job. They loved the rugged beauty of the place and were passionate about sharing its history with visitors from Australia and around the world.

Huong Thao