Convict Australia

Jennifer Twemlow
  • 5.0 (3)
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A podcast about the convicts that were transported to Australia. Each episode offers a glimpse into life as a convict and a broader insight into the convict system. Presented by Jennifer Twemlow, author of 'Convict Sydney: the real-life stories of 32 prisoners'.

  1. JAN 14

    S4E9 The Mutiny of the Cyprus

    In 1829, convicts aboard the brig Cyprus seized their chance at freedom, launching one of the most audacious escapes in Australian history. Led by experienced mariner William Swallow, the mutineers sailed a stolen ship across the Pacific, abandoning soldiers, women, and children on a remote shore. Chased by hunger, betrayal, and the long reach of British law, the fugitives crossed oceans under stolen names - dodging cannon fire off the coast of Japan before their flight ended not in freedom, but in courtrooms, confessions, and the shadow of the gallows. SOURCES 1829 'PIRATICAL SEIZURE OF The Government Brig Cyprus,', Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. :1828 - 1857), 4 September, p. 3. , viewed 08 Jan 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8644472 1829 'THE MAKING OF THE CORACLE,', The Hobart Town Courier (Tas. : 1827 - 1839), 12 September, p. 3. , viewed 05 Feb 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4213841 1830 'ENGLISH INTELIGENCE.', Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), 24 September, p. 4. , viewed 19 Jan 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8645373 1830 ‘UNION HALL. INTERESTING STORY’, Essex, Herts and Kent Mercury, 18 May, p.3., viewed 12 May 2024. 1830 ‘THE MUTINY AND SEIZURE OF THE BRIG CYPRUS, CONFESSIONS OF THE RINGLEADER’, The Times, 18 October, p3., viewed 28 October 2025. 1830 ‘ADMIRALTY SESSIONS, Thursday, Nov 4. Piracy on Board the Brig Cyrus’, The Times, 5 November, p4., viewed 26 November 2025. Hirst, W. (2008) The Man who Stole the Cyprus, a truestory of escape. NSW: Rosenberg Publishing Pty Ltd. 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-ebook/dp/B08C22QQMJ 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 Find Convict Australia on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@convict.australia

    59 min

  2. 08/16/2025

    S4E8 Norfolk Island with Cathy Dunn - Part 2

    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. 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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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 Find Convict Australia on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@convict.australia

    39 min

  3. 07/13/2025

    S4E7 Norfolk Island with Cathy Dunn - Part 1

    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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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 Find Convict Australia on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@convict.australia

    21 min

  4. 05/01/2025

    S4E6 The Fremantle Five - Escape, Survival & Murder

    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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠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 Find Convict Australia on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@convict.australia

    34 min

  5. 02/22/2025

    S4E5 The Two Stowaways

    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 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 Find Convict Australia on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@convict.australia

    17 min

  6. 11/05/2024

    S4E4 Sydney in the Firing Line - the Story of The Three Bees

    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, Peter & Australia. Parliament. Library Committee. 1914, Historical records of Australia Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Sydney viewed 5 November 2024 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-483306922 ‘Three Bees’,  State of New South Wales (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water).  Viewed 5 Nov 2024, https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/maritimeheritageapp/ViewSiteDetail.aspx?siteid=361 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-ebook/dp/B08C22QQMJ 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 Find Convict Australia on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@convict.australia

    10 min

  7. 10/08/2024

    S4E3 Neptune - the Wilful Murder

    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, D. (1975) An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, with Remarks on the Dispositions, Customs, Manners, etc., of the Native Inhabitants of that Country. Vol. 1, edited by B.H. Fletcher. Terrey Hills, NSW: A.H. and A.W. Reed, in association with the Royal Australian Historical Society. (Originally published 1798–1802 by T. Cadell & W. Davis, London), p. 366. Edwell, P. (2016) 'Neptune', Dictionary of Sydney. Available at: ttps://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/neptune (Accessed: 31 August 2024). 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 Macarthur: Letter to her mother, 1789-1790. Available at: https://archival-classic.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2017/D37898/c05322.html (Accessed: 26 September 2024). State Library of New South Wales (2017) Letter from William Hill to Jonathan Wathen, Sydney Cove, Port Jackson, 26 July 1790 (copy made in 1791). Available at: https://archival-classic.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2017/D00007/a136.html (Accessed: 26 September 2024). 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-ebook/dp/B08C22QQMJ 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 Find Convict Australia on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@convict.australia

    36 min

  8. 07/21/2024

    S4E2 The Capture of Sorell

    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 'POLICE OFFICE, HOBART TOWN, February 23d, 1825.', Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser (Tas. : 1821 - 1825), 4 March, p. 1. (Supplement to the Hobart Town Gazette), viewed 05 Jun 2024, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1090576 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), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, viewed on 12 June 2024, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/brady-matthew-1822/text2089 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-ebook/dp/B08C22QQMJ 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 Find Convict Australia on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@convict.australia

    13 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

A podcast about the convicts that were transported to Australia. Each episode offers a glimpse into life as a convict and a broader insight into the convict system. Presented by Jennifer Twemlow, author of 'Convict Sydney: the real-life stories of 32 prisoners'.

Information

  • Creator
    Jennifer Twemlow
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jennifer Twemlow
  • Show Website
    Convict Australia

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