[7][8] Captain William Bligh, in charge of the British Navy ships Providence and Assistant, visited Torres Strait in 1792 and mapped the main reefs and channels.

[9][10] In the 1860s, beche-de-mer (sea cucumber) and pearling boats began working the reefs of Torres Strait but few Europeans visited Moa before the 1870s.

[13] Letters Patent were issued by the British Government in 1872 creating a new boundary for the colony, which encompassed all islands within a 60 nautical mile radius of the coast of Queensland.

The new legislation enabled the Queensland Government to control and regulate bases for the beche-de-mer and pearling industries, which previously had operated outside its jurisdiction.

Reverend A W Murray and William Wyatt Gill were the first LMS missionaries to visit Moa Island in October 1872.

The village of Adam had better access to the facilities of Badu Island, including its school and the stores and trading stations operated by Papuan Industries Limited (PIL).

[20] PIL was a philanthropic business scheme designed by the LMS missionary Reverend Walker to promote "independent native enterprise" by encouraging them to co-operatively rent or purchase their own pearl luggers or "company boats".

[28][29] Apart from its religious purpose, St Paul's Mission was intended to be a self-supporting settlement through a mixture of agriculture, fishing and the weaving of mats and baskets.

At that time, the government also doubled the size of the mission lands in recognition of the progress in establishing gardens and coconut plantations.

[28] From 1911, Ethel Zahel visited Adam (later Poid) village to assist the councillors and, after 1915, to supervise the mission-trained native teacher.

The strike was a protest against government interference in wages, trade and commerce and also called for the lifting of evening curfews, the removal of the permit system for inter-island travel, and the recognition of Islanders' right to recruit their own boat crews.

After lengthy discussions, unpopular bylaws, including the evening curfews, were cancelled and a new code of local representation was agreed upon.

[43][44] In 1939, the Queensland Government passed the Torres Strait Islanders Act 1939, which incorporated many of the recommendations discussed at the conference.

A key section of the new Act officially recognised Torres Strait Islanders as a separate people from Aboriginal Australians.

[47] In 1943, the community at Poid made the decision to move to a new location named Kubin, situated on the south-west coast of Moa Island.

[48] During World War Two, the Australian Government recruited Torres Strait Islander men to serve in the armed forces.

While the Torres Strait Light Infantry were respected as soldiers, they only received one third the pay given to white Australian servicemen.

[52][53][54] In 1946, a group of 10 Kaurareg men from Kubin community, led by Elekiam Tom, made the decision to move to Horn Island.

[57] After gaining its independence from Australia in 1975, Papua New Guinea asserted its right to the islands and waters of the Torres Straits.

In December 1978, a treaty was signed by the Australian and Papua New Guinea governments that described the boundaries between the two countries and the use of the sea area by both parties.

[58][59] The Torres Strait Treaty, which has operated since February 1985, contains special provision for free movement (without passports or visas) between both countries.

[60] Free movement between communities applies to traditional activities such as fishing, trading and family gatherings which occur in a specifically created Protected Zone and nearby areas.