Tasmania's Bushrangers

Van Dieman’s Land from Geographicus Rare Antique Maps

A rare and unusual example of John Dower’s 1837 map of Tasmania or Van Dieman’s Land. Depicts the island in considerable detail with good notes on geographical features, especially along the coast. Maps of Tasmania are exceptionally rare and this one is no exception. Prepared by John Dower and published by Orr and Smith in 1837.

White man's history of Tasmania relating to bushrangers

1642: The first reported sighting of Tasmania by a European the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman.

1804: Settlement established by Capt. David Collins in Sullivans Cove on the western side of the Derwent River. It became known as Hobart Town or Hobarton, later shortened to Hobart, after the British Colonial Secretary of the time, Lord Hobart.
Early settlers were mainly convicts sent to develop agriculture and military guards sent to watch over the convicts.
1812: Michael Howe (later a bushranger) among first convicts to arrive directly from England in HMS Indefatigable.
1814: Governor Lachlan Macquarie offers amnesty to bushrangers.
1815: Michael Howe's bushranging gang kills two settlers in New Norfolk.
1815: Lieutenant-Governor Thomas Davey declares martial law against all bushrangers, escaped convicts and military deserters; Governor Lachlan Macquarie later revokes order.
1818: Soldiers and convict kill bushranger Michael Howe on banks of Shannon River.
1821: Establishment of Macquarie Harbour penal settlement at Sarah Island.
1821: Establishment of Maria Island penal settlement.
1823 - 1824: Musquito, Black Jack and other members of the Oyster Bay tribe made raids on the east coast.
1824: Matthew Brady escapes from Sarah Island with 13 others, and begins a crime spree at homesteads and villages throughout Tasmania.
1826: Matthew Brady hanged on 4 May, at the old Hobart gaol. Four other bushrangers were hanged with him, including Thomas Jeffries the cannibal.
1832 - 1833: Britton's gang of four escaped convicts, himself, Beaven, Jefkins and Brown terrorised Tasmania's countryside.
1840: Start of economic depression which continues until 1845.
1840: Bushranger Martin Cash captured in Hobart, his death sentence was commuted and he was later pardoned.
1842: William Westood (Jackey Jackey) escapes from Port Arthur 3 times in one year.

REFERENCES:
the companion to TASMANIAN HISTORY Centre for Tasmanian Historical Studies.
Trove 16th August 1873.

White Settlement Timeline for Australia

1770 - Australia's east coast discovered by english Captain James Cook.
1786 - Captain Arthur Phillip made Governor of New South Wales.
1788 - First Fleet of 11 ships arrives in Australia and makes a settlement at Port Jackson.
1790 - Second Fleet arrives.
1792 - Captain Arthur Phillip returns to England for medical reasons
1793 - Captain Arthur Phillip's time as Governor of NSW ends.
1795 - John Caesar - convict - escapes for the last time and is now known as Australia's first bush ranger.
1802 to 1803 - Matthew Flinders circumnavigates Australia.
1803 - A penal colony is established in Van Dieman's Land (later to be called Tasmania)
1808 - The Rum Rebellion forces Governor William Bligh from his position.
1810 - Lachlan Macquarie made Govenor of NSW.
1813 - Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson expedition crossed the Blue Mountains.
1824 - A penal settlement is made in Moreton Bay (later named Brisbane)
1829 - Perth is settled as a colony (later named Western Australia)
1830's - schemes to encourage migration to Australia by British Government.
1835 - Port Phillip settled (later called Melbourne)
1836 - South Australia is settled.
1842 - South Australia made a colony.
1851 - Victoria made a colony.
1851 - Edward Hargraves discovers gold in Bathurst, NSW and the 'Gold Rush' begins.
1851 - Gold was discovered in Bendigo, Victoria.
1852 - The last convicts to the east and south coast of Australia arrived.
1859 - Queensland made a colony.
1865 - Cape River goldfield in North Queensland discovered by Richard Daintree.
1869 - Convicts no longer sent to Australia.
1893 - Gold discovered in Western Australia.

See Timeline for Van Dieman's Land later called Tasmania.