[1] In 1830, Robinson, with the guidance of Aboriginal Tasmanians such as Truganini and Woureddy, led what became known as "the friendly mission" around Van Diemen’s Land, which was organised to establish contact with the surviving Indigenous clans during the Black War.

His documentation of his many travels around what is now the state of Victoria are still a uniquely significant source of historical and cultural information about the Indigenous people of this region and their destruction by British colonists.

[2] Robinson is remembered as a complex and controversial individual who played an important role in both preserving a record of Aboriginal society and also profiteering from enacting genocidal policies against these same people.

In 1829, Governor George Arthur ordered the establishment of ration station on Bruny Island as a token gesture of goodwill toward the local Nuenonne people who had remained at peace with the British.

Robinson had expressed a strong interest in preaching Christianity to the Aborigines and Arthur appointed him as manager of this station where he quickly became familiar with the Nuenonne people, language and customs.

[2] Despite this catastrophe, Robinson conveyed to Governor Arthur the idea his travelling to the uncolonised regions of western Van Diemen's Land where he would conciliate the local Aboriginal clans to be at peace with the British invaders.

Called the Black Line, it was a 2,200 man strong chain of armed colonists and soldiers to sweep the settled areas looking to kill or trap any Aboriginal people they found.

[10] Robinson's group arrived at Cape Portland in October 1830 having rescued several Indigenous women from the slavery of the local sealers, and been joined by the respected warrior Mannalargenna and his small remnant clan.

They were informed of the failure of the Black Line to capture or kill many Aboriginal people and it was decided by the government to use the nearby Bass Strait Islands as a place of enforced exile for those Indigenous Tasmanians collected by Robinson.

[9] While in Hobart, Robinson successfully negotiated a contract with the colonial authorities for him to lead further expeditions to capture all the remaining Aboriginal Tasmanians and transfer them to confinement in Bass Strait.

Robinson took Truganini, Woureddy, Kikatapula, Pagerly, Mannalargenna, Woretemoeteryenner, Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner as guides to capture the remaining Aboriginal Tasmanians in the settled districts.

They started off in July 1831 with the initial aim of finding the respected Tyerrernotepanner leader Eumarrah and his small clan, whom they captured in late August near the locality of Pipers Brook.

Several guides including Eumarrah and Kikatapula died early in the expedition, but Robinson still managed to apprehend through deceitful means most of the remaining tribespeople from the Cape Grim region.

By July they had captured almost all of the remaining west coast people including the Tarkiner tribe led by a man named Wyne who had attempted to kill Robinson the previous year.

However, crossing the Arthur River on the return journey, Truganini again saved Robinson's life by swimming out to his raft and towing it to the bank after it was carried away by the swift current.

[7] After sending these Tarkiner off to exile at Wybalenna, Robinson left the expedition, placing his sons in charge to find the remnant Tommigener clan located near the Vale of Belvoir.

In February 1835, these Tommigener were shipped off to Wybalenna from Launceston, leaving Robinson to claim his rewards for removing almost in entirety the remaining Aboriginal population from mainland Tasmania.

He changed their names, made them wear European clothes and attempted to prohibit their practising of Aboriginal culture and language, which was completely opposite to what he had promised the Indigenous people when he deceived them into leaving their homelands.

[9][11] Robinson was keen to remove himself of responsibility at Wybalenna and in 1839 accepted the position of Protector of Aborigines in the newly colonised Port Phillip District in present-day Victoria.

He did, though, take an active role in advocating for better legal rights for the Aborigines especially after the Lettsom raid, where the colonial government used the military and police to force the expulsion of Indigenous people from Melbourne.

See also Mudrooroo's critical portrayal of Robinson in Doctor Wooreddy's Prescription for Enduring the Ending of the World, Master of the Ghost Dreaming and his Vampire Trilogy: The Undying, Underground and The Promised Land.