Articles pertaining to bushrangers that operated predominantly in Tasmania.
In late January through early February of 2021, followers of A Guide to Australian Bushranging on social media would have seen a series of posts about Tasmania as writer and historian Aidan Phelan travelled through many historic locations, accompanied by … Continue reading A Guide to Tasmanian Bushranging (2021)
Thomas Jeffries may have referred to himself as “The Captain”, but he earned himself a more notorious nickname: The Monster. In his brief bushranging career, the former flagellator committed acts of robbery, murder, rape and cannibalism. Such was his reputation that after he was captured, Matthew Brady planned to break him out of Launceston Gaol just so he could have the satisfaction of lynching Jeffries himself. The reward for Jeffries and his companions (Hopkins and Perry) would have been adequate inducement for people to turn them in, but bushrangers always proved much harder to catch than what the authorities seemed … Continue reading Spotlight: Reward Notice for Thomas Jeffries
Hobart Town Gazette and Southern Reporter (Tas. : 1816 – 1821), Saturday 12 April 1817, page 2 On Thursday returned to Town a small party of Capt. NAIRN’S Company of the 46th Regt. who were lately sent in quest of the Bush Rangers; the following particulars of their pursuit we lay before our Readers:— After a diligent search in the woods the party at Jericho perceived Michael Howe, accompanied with a Native Black Girl, named Mary Cockerill, with whom Howe cohabited. On the approach of the party Howe darted into a thicket, and effected his escape, after firing at the … Continue reading Spotlight: Capture of Mary Cockerill
James Saunders was born at Big River, (Ouse). At 18 months old, James was left by his father with a woman at Perth. This woman raised him until he was 5 years old and he was given the name Sutherland. He was then fobbed off on a woman at Evandale, who looked after him until he was 11. James was then kicked out and left to his own devices. He tried to make his way back to Perth, but was arrested and tried under the vagrancy act. He was sentenced to 3 months in gaol. When he got out of … Continue reading Spotlight: Portrait of James Sutherland
Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 – 1857), Tuesday 5 April 1842, page 3 THE PORT ARTHUR BUSHRANGERS. The report that Westwood, or as he is generally called “the notorious Jacky Jacky,” has absconded from Port Arthur with six of his Sydney comrades and three of the Port Arthur “old hands,” has occasioned no trifling alarm in the minds of those who may be subjected to their visitation. Bad as are many of the individuals at that settlement, those who have absconded are perhaps the worst of the whole number — men, who are regardless of consequences, and who imagine … Continue reading Spotlight: The Port Arthur Bushrangers
Cash and his party, about ten o’clock on Monday morning last stopped the Launceston coach on Epping Forest. They came up in a direction from the South Esk River, by a by-road which leads to one of Mr. Gibson’s farms… Continue reading Spotlight: Cash & co. rob a coach in Epping Forest.
Matthew Brady was not a killer by nature, but there was one man that pushed him to breaking point: a traitor who played both sides of the law for fools. Continue reading The Treacherous Thomas Kenton
[Warning: The content in this article may be distressing for some readers. Discretion is advised.] Justin Kurzel’s hyper-stylised and ultraviolent interpretation of True History of the Kelly Gang received positive reviews when it debuted in Toronto in September 2019 and … Continue reading The most grisly bushranger stories
Many bushrangers met grisly ends over the course of history, and a considerable portion of them met their end within prison walls. Yet very few can lay claim to such a gruesome end as Francis MacNeish McCallum, alias Captain Melville. … Continue reading The Death of Captain Melville
“Gentleman bushranger” Matthew Brady had been at large for a considerable stretch after his escape from Macquarie Harbour, a fact that only emboldened him and his confederates. Brady was wanted for murder and a reward had been offered for his … Continue reading The Brady Gang take Sorell
