Thirty Sri Lankans arrive on the remote Pacific island of Nauru, after Australia revived a policy to process asylum seekers offshore.

The group will be the first to have refugee claims processed on the island - meaning there are no guarantees of resettlement in Australia.

Officials say the initiative will deter people travelling from neighbouring Indonesia.

Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said asylum seekers should be warned.

SOUNDBITE: AUSTRALIAN MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION, CHRIS BOWEN, SAYING (English):

"We know that there have been people smugglers out there in the region over recent weeks, peddling lies and untruths, saying that this wouldn't happen, that somehow the Nauru processing centre wouldn't be established, or that they could provide guarantees that people wouldn't be transferred there. This tells the lie to the people smugglers' message of the last few weeks. The message is very clear. If you arrive in Australia by boat, you can be taken from Australia by aeroplane and processed in another country."

When fully operational, the Nauru tented camp will house around 1,500 people.

Australia is also working with Papua New Guinea to reopen another detention centre.