Spotlight: The Trial of Richard Lemon and Company

Although the crimes discussed herein are not strictly bushranging, these are some of the only freely available records of one of Tasmania’s (and indeed, Australia’s) earliest bushrangers – Richard Lemon. In the following years, Lemon would make a name for himself as a robber, murderer and tormentor of Aboriginal people in Van Diemen’s Land before meeting a suitably violent end.

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The Gilbert-Hall Gang: An Overview

Beyond the Kelly Gang, only one other bushranging gang has truly cemented its place in the culture of Australia so firmly and become synonymous with bushranging. The early 1860s belonged to a rotating roster of brigands that operated mostly on the Lachlan Plains and came to be known under the name of their most distinguished member, Ben Hall. They were said to have committed hundreds of crimes ranging from robbery to murder. The following is not a detailed account of their story as the sheer scale of their depredations makes for heavy reading, but rather it is a summary of the career of the most legendary bushranging gang of the 1860s. Continue reading The Gilbert-Hall Gang: An Overview

Like the Bushrangers of Old: The Kelly Gang in Jerilderie

Despite their infamy, the Kelly Gang were hardly prolific in any sense as far as bushrangers are concerned, but perhaps it’s a matter of quality over quantity. The second raid they undertook was one of the most audacious in history … Continue reading Like the Bushrangers of Old: The Kelly Gang in Jerilderie

Harry Power: An Overview

When we picture bushrangers we think of wild young men on horseback dodging police and sticking up coaches but Harry Power certainly did not fit that image. Power (alias Henry Power, Johnstone) is forever remembered as the tutor of Ned Kelly but there was a time when he could capture the imagination on his own terms. Continue reading Harry Power: An Overview

Spotlight: The Prison Bell

Owen Suffolk, the poet bushranger, spent many years in and out of prison, which enabled him to find a lot of inspiration. His depiction of prison life is mournful and tinged with melancholy. To Suffolk, the prison is the place where souls and minds are broken and every day is a reminder of the grim reality of that condition. To this end his poem ‘The Prison Bell’ captures the essence of the convict life and all its suffering. The Prison Bell By Owen Suffolk Hark to the bell of sorrow! – ’tis awak’ning up again Each broken spirit from its … Continue reading Spotlight: The Prison Bell