ers ▁also ▁claim ▁a ▁mixed ▁ancest ry , ▁including ▁Ab original s , ▁Tor res ▁Stra it ▁Island ers ▁and ▁imm igr ants ▁from ▁the ▁South ▁Pacific ▁Islands . ▁ ▁Of ▁some ▁ 5 5 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 6 2 , 5 0 0 ▁Island ers ▁rec ru ited , ▁around ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁remained ▁in ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 . ▁The ▁majority ▁were ▁rep atri ated ▁by ▁the ▁Australian ▁Government ▁in ▁the ▁period ▁between ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁under ▁the ▁ ▁Pacific ▁Island ▁Labour ers ▁Act ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁a ▁piece ▁of ▁legisl ation ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁White ▁Australia ▁policy . ▁There ▁was ▁resistance ▁to ▁rep atri ation , ▁and ▁controvers y ▁regarding ▁the ▁manner ▁in ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁done . ▁ ▁Those ▁ex empt ed ▁from ▁rep atri ation , ▁along ▁with ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁others ▁who ▁escaped ▁deport ation , ▁remained ▁in ▁Australia ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁what ▁is ▁today ▁Australia ' s ▁largest ▁non - ind igen ous ▁black ▁eth nic ▁group . ▁Today , ▁the ▁descend ants ▁of ▁those ▁who ▁remained ▁are ▁officially ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁South ▁Sea ▁Island ers . ▁A ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁census ▁of ▁South ▁Sea ▁Island ers ▁reported ▁around ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁descend ants ▁living ▁in ▁Queensland . ▁Fe wer ▁than ▁ 3 , 5 0 0 ▁were ▁reported ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁Australian