Tasmania and its 177 nationalities

@JudyEv (355908)

Rockingham, Australia

June 13, 2025 7:35pm CST

When I go to my computer in the morning, I check my emails, log into myLot, check a couple of Facebook sites and open ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) news. Today, I struck gold, or copper anyway, with two feel-good stories. Tasmania is one of the states of Australia and is an island off the south-east coast. It has a population of just over half a million and the capital is Hobart. I was really surprised to learn that there are residents there from 177 different nationalities. Podcaster, Mark Thomson, started interviewing people from each nationality after covid hit. Later photographer Andrew Wilson began photographing the interviewees. So far, they’ve documented 115 nationalities, and the portraits are being exhibited at the State Library. The two men have been blown away by the stories of some of the people. One man, originally from a town in Greece that I can't mention because it's a 'bad' myLot word, was put on a boat at the age of 15 by his parents to avoid civil unrest. He didn’t know a word of English at the time. Another Hungarian lady, as a child, watched as the Germans took away her father. All the participants have been photographed in national dress and/or with something culturally significant to them. I wonder what the chances are of the men reaching their 177 target? The photo is one I took in Tasmania.

19 people like this

18 responses

@jstory07 (144608)

• Roseburg, Oregon

14 Jun

177 different nationalities is a lot.

4 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jun

I found it quite hard to believe. That's a lot for a smallish island.

5 people like this

@BabeSays (8705)

• Mauritius

17h

@JudyEv I was just gonna say that. Indeed it's small and you are telling me it has 177 nationalities...That huge.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

8h

@BabeSays Half a million is nothing in terms of population.

1 person likes this

@arunima25 (90556)

• Bangalore, India

14 Jun

177 is a big number and hard to believe. That's a land of immigration in true sense. It must me culturally vibrant there with people from so many ethnicities living together.

4 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jun

Yes, I think so. Possibly Australia has just as many if not more.

3 people like this

@FourWalls (75685)

• United States

14 Jun

What an amazing story! What amazing stories, plural! By the way, most Americans know of Tasmania because of the old Looney Tunes character, the Tasmanian Devil…which looked nothing like the real thing.

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3 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jun

There for a minute I didn't think I was going to get a good look at him!! But you're right - he's not very lifelike.

3 people like this

Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (64746)

• Centralia, Washington

14 Jun

Fascinating. Lovely photo. I'd love to see all those folks with their differences.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jun

It would be an amazing exhibition. I wonder if it will ever tour.

3 people like this

@Mshafeeq (1968)

• Bangalore, India

14 Jun

Wow 177 nationalities. Nice pic

3 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jun

The river was very calm that day. It's a very scenic country.

2 people like this

@Beestring (15479)

• Hong Kong

14 Jun

Lovely photo. 177 nationalities is a lot. Hope they can live peacefully in the place without any conflict.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jun

I think the most trouble at the moment is between Israelis and Palestinians.

2 people like this

@GardenGerty (164141)

• United States

11h

That would be an awesome historical book or exhibit.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

8h

I would love to see it and to hear their stories. Maybe they'll make a book of it later.

1 person likes this

@Shavkat (140463)

• Philippines

14 Jun

It looks like a very nice to visit. I am sure it will be a great thing to explore it without any shortcomings.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jun

It is very scenic and has some very 'wild' country.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (476289)

• Italy

14 Jun

I cannot believe that there are so many different nationalities there. A town in Greece considered a bad word... interesting, I wonder which one.

2 people like this

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@LadyDuck (476289)

• Italy

14 Jun

I thought it was that town. By plain curiosity I checked how many different nationalities live here in Italy and I discovered 194!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jun

The town was Le*bos. Just the first five letters were objectionable.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

22h

@LadyDuck Wow! That's a lot too for a relatively small country. I couldn't find a figure for Australia that I was happy to put forward. One site said 241 but as I said I''m not sure that is accurate.

2 people like this

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@wolfgirl569 (117526)

• Marion, Ohio

20h

That's a lot. I hope they can find them all

2 people like this

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@wolfgirl569 (117526)

• Marion, Ohio

20h

@JudyEv It could encourage others to contact them

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

20h

The exhibition should get people talking about it. Some have probably never heard of the project.

2 people like this

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@RasmaSandra (85949)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

12h

That is interesting not to mention all the wildlife that exists there as well

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

8h

It's quite a fascinating island. We put the car and caravan on the ferry and went there for several weeks.

1 person likes this

@Fleura (31790)

• United Kingdom

14 Jun

That's an interesting project, and some tragic stories I'm sure. Great photo! Funny how the sky is more blue in the reflection

2 people like this

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@Fleura (31790)

• United Kingdom

3h

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jun

The photo wouldn't look quite the same if it were tipped over.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

8h

@Fleura You could have just stood on your head. That would have worked!

2 people like this

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@Deepizzaguy (110735)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

10h

The only thing I know about Tasmania is the cartoon character known as The Tasmanian Devil. 177 nationalities is amazing.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

8h

Someone else mentioned the cartoon character too.

2 people like this

@Deepizzaguy (110735)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

7h

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (191216)

• United States

15h

That's a lovely photo. Do you have Tazmanian Devils in Australia? 177 nationalities is a lot.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

8h

We only have them in zoos. At one point, they were beset with a cancerous growth on their faces and there were fears that they would become extinct.

2 people like this

@LindaOHio (191216)

• United States

5h

@JudyEv Oh poor Tazmanian devils! They are so wicked.

1 person likes this

@ptrikha_2 (48014)

• India

19h

Till now, I had known Tasmania because of the creature named "Tasmanian Devil", Coral reefs around its coast and the cricket ground at Hobart (where I do not think India had a good match record! ). Yet this is absolutely surprising and wonderful news! Tell me if there is some kind of a suitable work for IT Professionals and well even I can give a try !!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

8h

Try this link. There are dozens of professions listed so who knows??

Tasmanian Skilled Occupations List (TSOL) 2020 – 2025

The Tasmanian Skilled Occupations List (TSOL) identifies skills that are currently in demand in Tasmania and is derived from the […]

1 person likes this

@Shiva49 (27302)

• Singapore

17h

Tasmania is as remote as one can go in this world. Just having half million population but with 177 nationalities is mind blowing.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

8h

Half a million is nothing in terms of the population of many countries. It can certainly call itself multi-cultural.

1 person likes this

@Ronrybs (20631)

• London, England

14 Jun

Fascinating! I love things like this, covering history and people

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

22h

I was intrigued too! I didn't know there were 177 countries! Well, I did really but you know what I mean!

1 person likes this

@LooeyVille (48)

• United States

22h

That's interesting and diverse.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (355908)

• Rockingham, Australia

8h

I was surprised Tassie didn't have a larger population, and even more surprised at the 177.

1 person likes this