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 ...
May 01, 2025•34 min•Season 4Ep. 6
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 #81-8...
Feb 22, 2025•17 min•Season 4Ep. 5
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=...
Nov 05, 2024•10 min•Season 4Ep. 4
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, neglect, and tragedy, with the highest death toll in the history of convict transportation. We explore the harsh conditions aboard the Neptune , where over 500 convicts were packed into overcrowded, disease-ridden holds, with little food, water, or medical care. SOURCES Collins,...
Oct 08, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 3
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 an...
Jul 21, 2024•13 min•Season 4Ep. 2
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. https://www.amazon.com.au/Convict-Australia-Extraordinary-stories-shipwrecks/dp/0648946819 Get your copy of Con...
Jun 23, 2024•41 min•Season 4Ep. 1
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/Con...
Oct 13, 2022•16 min•Season 3Ep. 10
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 Austr...
Sep 22, 2022•29 min•Season 3Ep. 9
When word reached England that the colony of NSW was in dire need of food King George III immediately dispatched HMS Guardian to come to their rescue. The Guardian was packed with everything the First Fleeters desperately needed, but along the way, the 140ft ship ran into trouble. Join me as I describe its harrowing journey. 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 Austr...
Sep 01, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In 1828, 14,000 pounds was stolen from the Bank of Australia – that’s about 20 million dollars by today’s standards AND most of the money has never been found! Join me as I retell this incredible story of a group of convicts who tunnelled their way into the bank and pulled off such a huge heist. 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.p...
Aug 11, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Historian Solomon Stanton shares his research on his ancestor John Matthew Richardson. John was a convict who was sentenced to 7 years transportation and had an incredible life as a gardener and botanical collector for the colony. Solomon describes some of the highlights of John’s life which include his time working in the Sydney Botanic Gardens, his stint on Melville Island, various expeditions both in and out of Australia, and the discovery of new plants. Two plants were named after John - the...
Jul 21, 2022•33 min•Season 3Ep. 6
The Neva was a three-masted barque carrying hundreds of female convicts and their children from Ireland to Port Jackson. In 1835 it stuck the Harbinger Reefs near King Island in the treacherous waters of the Bass Strait. Join me as I recount this tragic 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...
Jun 30, 2022•13 min•Season 3Ep. 5
What happened when the convicts on Norfolk Island were stripped of their cooking pots? A bloodthirsty riot! Join me as I retell this gruesome true story about Alexander Maconochie’s ‘Mark System’, William Westwood better known as ‘Jackey Jackey the gentleman bushranger’ and his fight to be treated humanely. 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: h...
Jun 09, 2022•15 min•Season 3Ep. 4
This is the true story of convict First Fleeter, Mary Bryant. In March 1791 Mary, her husband, their two infant children and 6 other convicts made a daring escape from the fledgling colony of NSW. In a tiny boat, they managed to make it all the way to Timor. 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 c...
May 19, 2022•33 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Join me as I talk to Matthew Bateman-Graham, a tour guide at Fremantle Prison – a UNESCO World Heritage site for convicts in Western Australia. Matthew talks about how Fremantle Prison came to be, the types of convicts that were sent over, their skills and routine. Plus, he discusses some of the extraordinary escapees such as Moondyne Joe and much more. LINKS Fremantle Prison https://fremantleprison.com.au/ Grab a copy of Convict Sydney, the real-life stories of 32 prisoners : www.jennifer-tweml...
Apr 28, 2022•40 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Join me as I talk to Tammy Reardon about the Isle of the Dead – the final resting place for convicts who died at Port Arthur. Tammy has been conducting tours at the Isle of the Dead and Port Arthur Historic Site for over 15 years. She shares with us stories about the Island, convicts and free settlers associated with the site such as Henry Savery, the Staveley family and the last gravedigger, Mark Jeffery. LINKS The Isle of the Dead Cemetery Tour: https://portarthur.org.au/tour/isle-of-the-dead/...
Apr 07, 2022•46 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In 1787 the First Fleet began the epic journey to Australia with about 1500 hungry mouths to feed but only two years supply of food. This episode talks about the First Fleeters struggle to survive with depleting food stores, poor soil to grow crops and limited availability to wild foods. 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.c...
Dec 13, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 10
In 1832, en route to Norfolk Island, Knatchbull and his convict mates plot their cunning escape. 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 s...
Nov 29, 2021•11 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Reverend Samuel Marsden arrived in NSW in 1794 as the new chaplain but was quickly appointed as a magistrate. Marsden detested sin and sought to rid the colony of it. He became known as the 'Flogging Parson' for handing out severe punishments, but he also did a lot of good in the colony. For example, he actively tried to improve conditions for female convicts at the Parramatta Female Factory and he helped with the establishment and administration of the Female Orphan School. Join me as I talk to...
Nov 15, 2021•54 min•Season 2Ep. 8
George III left Woolwich, England in December 1834 transporting 220 male convicts. The voyage was an eventful one - a fire broke loose, scurvy was rife and one day out from reaching Tasmania, the ship was wrecked when it ran into an unchartered rock. 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 conversat...
Nov 01, 2021•15 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Join me as I chat with Janice Ruse Huntington about her ancestor, James Ruse. James was a Cornish convict who was transported to Australia with the First Fleet. He claimed to be the first European from the First Fleet to set foot on Australian soil. He also became the first ex-convict to receive a land grant from Governor Phillip and quickly turned his Experiment Farm into a success, proving that with little assistance a settler could become self-sufficient. LINKS For a copy of the book My Mothe...
Oct 18, 2021•26 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Join me as I chat to Santilla Chingaipe about her documentary Our African Roots which will premier on SBS, Sunday, October 17 at 8:30 pm. The documentary reveals how Australian’s of African descent have helped shape Australia’s history for more than 200 years - from the First Fleet to the Eureka Rebellion, and from the Anzacs to Don Bradman’s Invincible’s. I chat to her about three convicts of African descent - John Caesar, Australia's first bushranger, John Randall and William 'Billy' Blue. LIN...
Oct 04, 2021•32 min•Season 2Ep. 5
This is the story of six Fenian prisoners who had been transported to Australia as convicts arriving in 1868. While they toiled away, their mates in America devised a cunning plan to rescue them. In 1876 they executed one of the most daring prison breaks in Australian history. 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/ConvictA...
Sep 20, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 4
The last ship to transport convicts to Australia was the Hougoumont which arrived in 1868. Onboard were 279 male convicts - 62 of whom were political prisoners from Ireland known as Fenians. This is the story of one of those men - John Boyle O'Reilly, a poet, journalist, author and activist. Join me as I retell the story of his epic escape from New Holland to New York. Trigger warning! This story contains content about suicide. LINKS Grab a copy of Convict Sydney, the real-life stories of 32 pri...
Sep 06, 2021•16 min•Season 2Ep. 3
On 4 January 1815 the convict ship, Francis & Eliza, was captured by the Americans on their way to Australia. 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/?h...
Aug 23, 2021•13 min•Season 2Ep. 2
This is the extraordinary story of Constable Joseph Luker who was murdered on 26 August 1803, and of Joseph Samuels who was sentenced to be hanged but escaped the noose three times. Listen to how the lives of Luker and Samuels collided one fateful night and why both men will be remembered in Australian history. 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 Newslette...
Aug 08, 2021•13 min•Season 2Ep. 1
In 1831, eleven convicts captured the Caledonia and kidnapped its Captain, and sailed to the South Pacific. 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 S...
May 31, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 10
This is the story of Thomas Drewery, a man who was accused of theft, found guilty and sentenced to 7 years transportation for a crime he did not commit. This is about his fight to clear his name. 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....
May 17, 2021•22 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Life onboard the early convict transportation ships could be brutal. The mortality rate was often high. Dr Heather Clarke describes the conditions of these early voyages and the turning point that brought about better conditions for convicts. She also discusses a much-loved form of exercise on the ships - dancing and music. LINKS www.colonialdance.com.au https://www.facebook.com/earlycolonialdance Grab a copy of Convict Sydney, the real-life stories of 32 prisoners : www.jennifer-twemlow.com Sup...
May 03, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Vicious, savage dogs and shark-infested waters could not stop convicts from making their escape from Port Arthur. Martin Cash and George 'Billy' Hunt are just two convicts who attempted the pass at Eaglehawk Neck in Tasmania. 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 &...
Apr 19, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 7
