In this episode, host Jennifer Twemlow continues her conversation with historian Cathy Dunn, this time turning to the second phase of Norfolk Island’s convict history — the notorious Penal Settlement (1825–1855). Often described as “hell on earth,” this period saw the island transformed into one of the harshest and most feared places of punishment in the British Empire. Cathy shares the stories of brutality, survival, and resistance that defined life on the island.

LINKS

Want to learn more about Norfolk Island? Then click on the link:

https://www.australianhistoryresearch.info/

Get your copy of Convict Australia, Extraordinary true stories of shipwrecks, riots, daring escapes and more.

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In this episode, host Jennifer Twemlow speaks with historian Cathy Dunn about the early convict history of Norfolk Island, known as the Colonial Settlement (1788-1814). Cathy shares compelling stories of the island’s early days—of survival, punishment, and resilience in one of the most isolated places in the British Empire. Listeners will hear about the devastating wreck of the Sirius, the harsh realities faced by male and female convicts, surprising opportunities for them, and the unique role Norfolk Island played in Australia’s convict era.

LINKS

Want to learn more about Norfolk Island? Then click on the link:

https://www.australianhistoryresearch.info/

Get your copy of Convict Australia, Extraordinary true stories of shipwrecks, riots, daring escapes and more.

https://www.amazon.com.au/Convict-Australia-Extraordinary-stories-shipwrecks/dp/0648946819

Get your copy of Convict Sydney, the real-life stories of 32 prisoners: https://www.amazon.com.au/Convict-Sydney-real-life-stories-prisoners/dp/0648946800

Support Convict Australia and receive goodies such as the Convict Australia Newsletter:

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In January 1859, five convicts escaped from a Fremantle work party and vanished into the bush, launching one of the most dramatic manhunts in Western Australian history. Stealing boats and navigating treacherous coastal waters, they fled north in a desperate bid for freedom. But as the weeks wore on and survival became a struggle, tensions within the group turned deadly. What followed was a brutal journey marked by pursuit, hardship, and murder — and by the time authorities caught up, only four men remained to tell the tale.

SOURCES

1859 'Domestic Sayings and Doings.', The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News (WA : 1848 - 1864), 28 January, p. 2. , viewed 19 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2931302

1859 'THE INDEPENDENT JOURNAL,', The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News (WA : 1848 - 1864), 4 February, p. 2. , viewed 25 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2931313

1859 'Local and Domestic Intelligence.', The Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth, WA : 1855 - 1901), 23 February, p. 2. , viewed 02 Apr 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66008214

1859 'Recapture of the Escaped Convicts.', The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News (WA : 1848 - 1864), 4 March, p. 2. , viewed 08 Apr 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2931371

1859 'Quarter Sessions.', The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News (WA : 1848 - 1864), 8 July, p. 2. , viewed 26 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2931657

1859 'Thursday, July 7.', The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News (WA : 1848 - 1864), 8 July, p. 3. , viewed 02 Apr 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2931659

Convicts in Western Australia 1850 – 1887, Dictionary of Western Australians, Volumes IX, viewed 13 March 2025 https://www.friendsofbattyelibrary.org.au/convictsinwesternaustralia

 LINKS

Get your copy of Convict Australia, Extraordinary true stories of shipwrecks, riots, daring escapes and more.

https://www.amazon.com.au/Convict-Australia-Extraordinary-stories-shipwrecks/dp/0648946819

Get your copy of Convict Sydney, the real-life stories of 32 prisoners: https://www.amazon.com.au/Convict-Sydney-real-life-stories-prisoners/dp/0648946800

Support Convict Australia and receive goodies such as the Convict Australia Newsletter:

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In February 1821, two convicts, Peter Penney and William White, embark on a daring escape from the Australian colony. Stowing away on the ship Dromedary, they endure a perilous journey across the ocean, hiding in the ship’s hold while struggling with hunger, thirst, and the constant threat of discovery.

SOURCES

Macquarie, Lachlan. Memoranda & Related Papers. 22December 1808-14 July 1823. Original held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney. ML Ref: A772 75-77 ff. [Microfilm Reel CY301 Frames #81-83]. Viewed 1 Nov 2024, https://www.mq.edu.au/macquarie-archive/lema/1821/1821feb.html#feb8

1821, The Morning Post, Tues, Jul 10, 1821 Page 3, viewed14/11/2024, hftps://www.newspapers.com/image/396900044/?match=1&terms=dromedary%20convict

1821 The Bristol Mirror, Bristol, Avon, England, Saturday,14 July 1821, viewed 14 NOV 2024 hftps://www.newspapers.com/image/970365575/?match=1&terms=dromedary%20convict

1821 The Exeter Flying Post or, Trewman's Plymouth andCornish Adverfiser. Thu, Nov 01, 1821 ·Page 4 , Viewed 14/11/2024, hftps://www.newspapers.com/image/393165112/?match=1&terms=william%20white%20peter%20penny

1822 'BRITISH EXTRACTS DOWN TO OCTOBER.', Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser (Tas. : 1821 - 1825), 2 March, p. 2. , viewed 11 Feb 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1089651

1824 'MAGISTRATE FOR THE ENSUING WEEK, JAMES BOWMAN, ESQUIRE.', The Sydney Gazette andNew South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 7 October, p. 2. , viewed 13 February 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2183276

1824 'THE ISABELLA.', The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), 14 October, p. 4. , viewed 13 February 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37074005

1824 ‘Colonial Secretary's Papers, 1788-1825’, Ship: Per"Tottenham" 4/1815], pp.441-3 | Reel No: 6068 | Start Date:29/09/1824, viewed 13 February 2025, https://search.records.nsw.gov.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay?context=L&vid=61SRA&lang=en_US&docid=INDEX2478835

 LINKS

Get your copy of Convict Australia, Extraordinary true stories of shipwrecks, riots, daring escapes and more.

https://www.amazon.com.au/Convict-Australia-Extraordinary-stories-shipwrecks/dp/0648946819

Get your copy of Convict Sydney, the real-life stories of 32 prisoners: https://www.amazon.com.au/Convict-Sydney-real-life-stories-prisoners/dp/0648946800

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In May 1814, Sydney’s bustling Port Jackson faced terror as the convict ship The Three Bees went up in flames. Loaded with gunpowder and cannons, the burning vessel drifted perilously toward the town, spreading panic and chaos. Discover the explosive story that nearly devastated early Sydney in this unmissable episode!

SOURCES

1813-1814 Lloyd's list. Westmead, Gt. Brit.: Gregg International. 14 October, p407., viewed 31 Oct 2024, https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015005785830&seq=407&q1=three+bees

1814 'SYDNEY.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 21 May, p. 2. , viewed 29 Oct 2024, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article628916

Macquarie, Lachlan. Memoranda & Related Papers. 22 December 1808-14 July 1823. Original held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney. ML Ref: A772 75-77 ff. [Microfilm Reel CY301 Frames #81-83]. Viewed 1 Nov 2024, https://www.mq.edu.au/macquarie-archive/lema/1814/1814may.html#18

Watson, Frederick & Chapman,

‘Three Bees’,  State of New South Wales (Department of

LINKS

Get your copy of Convict Australia, Extraordinary true stories of shipwrecks, riots, daring escapes and more. 

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⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ConvictAustralia⁠⁠⁠

Join the conversation on our Facebook & Instagram pages:

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In this episode, we dive into one of the darkest chapters of convict transportation to Australia: the voyage of the Neptune, the notorious ship of the Second Fleet. This 1790 journey was marked by unprecedented cruelty,

Edwell, P. (2016) 'Neptune', Dictionary of Sydney. Available at: ttps://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/neptune

Flynn, M. (1993) The Second Fleet: Britain's Grim Convict Armada of 1790. Sydney: Library of Australian History.

Hill, D. (2008) 1788: The Brutal Truth of the First Fleet. Sydney: Random House Australia.

State Library of New South Wales (2017) Elizabeth

State Library of New South Wales (2017) Letter

Get your copy of Convict Australia, Extraordinary true stories of shipwrecks, riots, daring escapes and more. 

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In the thrilling second episode of Season 4 of the Convict Australia Podcast, we journey back to 1825 to a stormy night in Tasmania as Matthew Brady and his infamous gang of bushrangers lay siege to the small town of Sorell.

As the rain poured and the night deepened, Brady knocked on the door of Robert Bethune’s estate, launching a daring raid that spiralled into a full-scale takeover. Hear the gripping tale of how these outlaws, driven by desperation and cunning, outwitted local authorities and took control of the town.

Feel the tension as they ambush unsuspecting soldiers and confront Lieutenant William Gunn, leading to a brutal injury and a race against time. Will Brady's luck hold out, or will justice finally catch up to him? Dive into this gripping tale of audacity, survival, and the relentless pursuit of freedom in the wild heart of Tasmania.

SOURCES

1825 'THE BUSHRANGERS.', The Hobart Town Gazette (Tas. : 1825 - 1833), 26 November, p. 2. , viewed 05 Jun 2024, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8791594

1825 'THE BUSH-RANGERS.', Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser (Hobart, Tas. : 1825 - 1827), 2 December, p. 3. , viewed 02 Jul 2024, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2446676

1825 'STATE OF THE WEATHER.', The Hobart Town Gazette (Tas. : 1825 - 1833), 3 December, p. 2. , viewed 05 Jun 2024, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8790870

1825 'VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.', The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), 29 December, p. 4. , viewed 30 Jun 2024, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37072554

1826 'VAN DIEMEN'S LAND NEWS.', The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), 25 March, p. 2. , viewed 19 Jul 2024, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37072668

1826 'SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.', The Hobart Town Gazette (Tas. : 1825 - 1833), 15 April, p. 2. , viewed 19 Jul 2024, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8791180

1826 'The late Bushrangers.&c.', Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser (Hobart, Tas. : 1825 - 1827), 5 May, p. 3. , viewed 03 Jul 2024, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2447678

L. L. Robson, 1966, Brady, Matthew (c. 1799–1826),

LINKS

Get your copy of Convict Australia, Extraordinary true stories of shipwrecks, riots, daring escapes and more. 

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⁠https://www.patreon.com/ConvictAustralia⁠

Join the conversation on our Facebook & Instagram pages:

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On 21 March 1823, four convict men left Sydney in a 29ft open boat heading for the Five Islands to collect cedar. On the way, they encountered a fierce storm that pushed them out to sea and hundreds of miles north. This is the story of their remarkable fight for survival.

LINKS

Get your copy of Convict Australia, Extraordinary true stories of shipwrecks, riots, daring escapes and more. 

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Join the conversation on our Facebook & Instagram pages:

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SOURCES

Pamphlet T & Uniacke, J. 1823 Narrative of Thomas

1823 MAGISTRATE FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. EDWARD WOLLSTONECRAFT, ESQUIRE., The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 18 December, p. 2. , viewed 04 Nov 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2182462

1824 CURIOUS CASE OF SHIPWRECK., The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), 21 October, p. 2. , viewed 04 Nov 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37072074

1826 REVIEW., The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 29 March, p. 4. , viewed 22 Oct 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2185549

Ralph Entwhistle, a convict with a life sentence, stripped off for a quick dip in the Macquarie River in 1829.  This innocent act got him into a lot of trouble!  Join me as I tell the story of how one little swim on a beautiful spring day led to a high-stakes battle in Bathurst, NSW.

LINKS

Grab a copy of Convict Sydney, the real-life stories of 32 prisoners:

www.jennifer-twemlow.com

Support Convict Australia and receive goodies such as the Convict Australia Newsletter:

https://www.patreon.com/ConvictAustralia

Join the conversation on our Facebook & Instagram pages:

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Start your search for your convict ancestors:

https://prf.hn/click/camref:1100ldych

https://www.tkqlhce.com/click-100396961-13671424

SOURCES

1830 'Classified Advertising', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 12 October, p. 4. , viewed 24 May 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2196245

1830 'THE BUSHRANGERS AT BATHURST.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 21 October, p. 3. , viewed 03 Oct 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2196308

BATHURST. (1830, October 21). The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), p. 2. Retrieved October 8, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2196311

1830 'Supreme Court.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 11 November, p. 3. , viewed 01 Oct 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2196480

1830 'The Courier.', The Hobart Town Courier (Tas. : 1827 - 1839), 27 November, p. 2. , viewed 07 Oct 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4206106

1830 'The Bathurst Insurgents.', The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), 3 December, p. 4. , viewed 08 Oct 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36866853

1930 'The RIBBON BOYS', The World's News (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 1955), 13 August, p. 9. , viewed 08 Oct 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136306522

1998, “Bushrangers at Abercrombie caves” Abercrombie Caves, by Barry Cubitt, viewed 3 October 2022, http://www.abercrombiecaves.com/bushrangers/

2019, “The Bathurst Rebellion: Inside Australia’s strangest convict uprising”, M. Adams, NewsComAu, viewed 30 May 2022, https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/true-stories/the-bathurst-rebellion-inside-australias-biggest-convict-uprising/news-story/eaa006a6530a1b66ae128af86ddf7753

THANK YOU

Special thanks to Sue Reed.

Music by Ahjay Stelino

In 1834, ten convicts seized the Frederick and made their daring escape from the penal settlement on Sarah Island in Tasmania to the Port of Valdivia in Chile. The journey took about 7 weeks.  They travelled 6 thousand nautical miles with a skeletal mostly inexperienced crew using a leaky boat.  This is their incredible story.

LINKS

Grab a copy of Convict Sydney, the real-life stories of 32 prisoners:

www.jennifer-twemlow.com

Support Convict Australia and receive goodies such as the Convict Australia Newsletter:

https://www.patreon.com/ConvictAustralia

Join the conversation on our Facebook & Instagram pages:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/173850624015866

https://www.instagram.com/convict_australia/?hl=en

Start your search for your convict ancestors:

https://prf.hn/click/camref:1100ldych

https://www.tkqlhce.com/click-100396961-13671424

SOURCES

1834 'ANOTHER GOVERNMENT VESSEL TAKEN BY HER GOVERNMENT CREW! ANOTHER SPECIMEN OF COLONEL ARTHUR'S PRISON DISCIPLINE.', The Colonist and Van Diemen's Land Commercial and Agricultural Advertiser (Hobart Town, Tas. : 1832 - 1834), 11 February, p. 2. , viewed 11 Sep 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article201158097

1834 'THE CONVICT SYSTEM. DARING ACT OF PIRACY.', The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 - 1842), 6 March, p. 2. , viewed 10 Sep 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12848817

1837 'SUPREME COURT.—CRIMINAL SITTINGS.', Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), 2 May, p. 5. , viewed 16 Sep 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8650013

2018, ‘The Ship That Never Was.’, by A. Courtenay, Harper Collins Publishers Australia Pty Limited

THANK YOU

Special thanks to Sue Reed.

Music by Ahjay Stelino