Bushranging in Tasmania

Articles you will find on this site about the history of bushranging in Australia:

Tasmania's Bushrangers - a timeline

Martin Cash Bushranger - his early life

Martin Cash - his later life

Bushranging in Tasmania

Hard Labour

Bushranger's Ballad: Van Dieman's land

Bushranging in Tasmania

Studio photograph of old William Thompson
a Tasmanian convict
wearing convict uniform and leg irons

Bushranging began in Tasmania in the early years of settlement, when near starvation meant convicts were sent into the bush to hunt. Some remained there, living by stealing from or trading with settlers. Their numbers grew as more convicts escaped, and until the 1850s there were many bushrangers. Attempts made to suppress them included a proclamation in May 1814 promising a pardon if they came in by December. Thus they could continue their depredations without fear of punishment for six months, after which many came in; some later returned to the bush.
Read more of Robert Minchin's article at the companion to Tasmanian History.

What did bushrangers eat?

Pioneer settler's home in the Australian bush

What a bushranger ate, when they were in the bush, would depend upon many factors:

• what part of the country they were in
• their own bush survival skills
• if they were actively on the run from the authorities
• if they knew free settlers who would support them

Many bushrangers hunted wild rabbits and native animals such as duck, pigeons and kangaroos and if they were near an ocean or river they would try and catch fish or eels.
When bushrangers were being hunted by police and trackers it would have been difficult to stop and cook food over a fire.
Some bushrangers stole provisions owned by the settlers or travellers or store owners if they were near a town, helping themselves to salted meats, potatoes, onions and flour. Some were supported by free settlers who had been convicts and were sympathetic to the bushrangers hatred of authority.  
Bushrangers may have known about native plants that they could eat such as stinging nettle, prickly pear and tea tree but this is not documented.

Bushranger's Ballad: Van Dieman's land

This ballad is about poachers deported to Van Diemen's Land now called Tasmania.  The author of this sad ditty is not known.

Come all you gallant poachers,
That ramble void of care,
That walk out on a moonlight night
With your dog, your gun and snare.
The harmless hare and pheasant
You have at your command,
Not thinkin' of your last career
Upon Van Dieman's land.

Twas poor Jock Brown frae Glesca,
Will Guthrie and Munro,
We were four daring poachers,
The country well did know;
By the keepers of the land, my boys,
One night we were trepanned,
And for fourteen years transported
Unto Van Dieman's land.

Read the rest of the Ballad

Image source

Hard Labour

A postcard from1926.

A convict ploughing team breaking up new ground at the farm - Port Arthur - Tasmania.

Source:  State Library of Victoria
 

From 1833 to 1853, Port Arthur was the destination for the hardest of convicted British criminals as it had the strictest security measures of the disciplinary system. These criminals included those who re-offended after their arrival in Australia and those ungovernable convicts from other sites.

The Vinegar Hill convict rebellion of 1804.

This is the only known drawing of the Battle of Vinegar Hill. It is intended to be read clockwise from the center. Up the top at the center Father Dixon is asking the rebels to surrender. On the far right a rebel is saying, "Death or Liberty Major". Major George Johnston replies, "You scoundrel. I'll liberate you!" The next captions are Trooper Azlenark and William Johnston. To the left is Quartermaster Laycock slicing Phillip Cunningham with a sword. The 1804 Australian Rebellion and Battle of Vinegar Hill by Cameron Riley. November 2003.