William Brookman was not a prolific bushranger, nor was he particularly noted in most history books. He was a member of the gang of Jerry Duce, real name Williams, former lieutenant of Robert Cottrell aka Bluecap. Duce had formed his … Continue reading Spotlight: Prison Record of William Brookman
Without doubt the world of bushrangers is dominated by men. However there are three notable female bushrangers who more than hold their own with their male counterparts. Here are the three lady bushrangers of note who stand toe to toe with the best of them. Continue reading Bushranging: A Man’s World?
The story of John Francis Peggotty is one of the most bizarre in bushranging only made more bizarre by the fact that it seems to be nothing more than an elaborate urban myth perpetuated by an enthusiastic tourism board… Continue reading John Francis Peggotty: The Birdman of Coorong
Jack Bradshaw is one of the most peculiar bushrangers. Renowned for his longevity, questionable reliability as a narrator and his books on the bushrangers, he was a small time bushranger at the right place in the right time to rub … Continue reading Jack Bradshaw: An Overview
Many people have a very clear image in their head of Ned Kelly: tall, muscular, bushy beard and pompadour hairstyle. This image is Ned Kelly a day before his execution, almost six months after he was nearly shot to pieces … Continue reading Looking for Ned: Life versus Legend
He called himself “The Last of the Bushrangers” and wrote a tell-all book about the big name bushrangers… Continue reading Spotlight: Portrait of Jack Bradshaw
Humans in the 21st century are obsessed with photography. For the vast majority of us we carry a camera in our pocket wherever we go thanks to smart phone technology. It’s incomprehensible to many of us that there was a … Continue reading Picture Perfect: Bushrangers and Photography
The following is an account of one of the many bizarre moments in the career of Fred Ward aka Captain Thunderbolt. Ward’s reputation as a successful, gallant and daring highwayman doesn’t hold up tremendously well when scrutinised and in fact … Continue reading Spotlight: Captain Thunderbolt bails up two boys in Singleton
There are many myths about the death of Dan Morgan, some of which aren’t entirely without reason. Here we examine the end of one of Australia’s bloodiest legends. Continue reading Morgan’s End (video)
In the 1860s printing technology did not allow for photographs to be published in newspapers so photographs were copied by artists and turned into etchings – a kind of engraving that could be used as a stamp. The quality of … Continue reading Spotlight: Ben Hall, The Bushranger (etching)