Fantome Island
In 1945, at the age of seven, a young Joe Eggmolesse was diagnosed with Leprosy. He was immediately removed from his family and home and transported under police escort over a thousand kilometres to be confined on an island for the treatment of the disease. For the next ten years, a leprosarium for Aboriginal people became his home. A lush tropical idyll off the north east coast of Australia, Fantome Island was the home to a close knit community of indigenous 'lepers' who made the most of their existence as people living on the fringes of the marginalised. Now as a 73 year old Joe reflects on his indelible Fantome years. His incredible, poignant story offers a profound insight into one of Australia's hidden histories.
- Year: 2011
- Country: Australia
- Genre: Documentary
- Studio: LCR Filmsound, The Post Lounge
- Keyword: leper colony, indigenous australians, queensland, australia, survivor memories
- Director: Sean Gilligan
- Cast: Joe Eggmolesse
