The History Listen

Retracing the sailors' walk

12.22.2023 - By ABC listenPlay

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March 1797. Five British sailors and 12 Indian seamen are shipwrecked off the Gippsland coast in Victoria The closest settlement is the penal colony of Port Jackson, over 700 km north - the men have no choice but to walk to Sydney. Two centuries later, historian Mark McKenna and naturalist John Blay retrace the sailors' steps, to re-imagine the journey and the cultural encounters with the original inhabitants on this country. 

This is one of Australia's greatest survival stories and cross cultural encounters.

Two centuries later, historian Mark McKenna and naturalist John Blay retrace the sailors' steps.

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