Australian Histories Podcast

In this final episode on Alexander Pearce we hear about his second escape attempt from Macquarie Harbour, with fellow convict Thomas Cox.  They planned a less difficult route for their escape but again, their scheme didn't proceed as they had planned. 

This time the authorities took the situation more seriously and we learn how it all ended for Cox & Pearce.

(40 mins)

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We continue the story of Alexander Pearce as he and his fellow convicts continue their escape from Port Macquarie.  They have found themselves in the wild west country, exhausted mentally & physically, and starving with no provisions remaining.  Talk turns to cannibalism, and the horror soon begins....

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Alexander Pearce was one of our more notorious convicts, and one of very few convict escapees from Macquarie Harbour, who survived attempting to reach the settled districts.   As the last man standing from the eight that absconded together, his survival was only possible because he resorted to cannibalism.

In Part 1 we look at his background, and what lead him to be shipped to Sarah Island, a place of harsh secondary punishment, attempting an unlikely escape.  We consider the terrain and conditions they had to face and consider his fellow escapees.

John Macarthur was a divisive character in the first decades of the New South Wales penal colony and he was instrumental in the overthrow of Governor Bligh (see the Bligh series Eps 52-55), along with the discomfort and early recall of a number of other Governors.

But he and his family did manage to build a farming dynasty in NSW and he was often later promoted as the 'founder' of the Australian Wool industry.  This episode takes a look at the Macarthur family, the development of his sheep flocks and the early development of wool production in the new colony, and consider the impact of the Macarthurs in that important industry.

(64 mins)

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The 'Great Ocean Road' is it one of Victoria’s, indeed Australia’s, most well known international tourist attractions, and a favoured coastal town drive for locals, dotted as it is with beautiful surf & swimming beaches, but you may be surprised to know, the road itself constitutes Australia’s longest War Memorial. This episode we talk about how the construction came about.

The Great Ocean Road’s heritage listing states, it was “Constructed by workers including around 3000 returned servicemen, as a utilitarian memorial….     The Great Ocean Road is a significant reminder of the participation of Australian servicemen in the First World War, the Australian community's appreciation of their service, and the support provided for the continuing welfare of servicemen upon returning to Australia.” It's also a beloved destination for surfers, fishers, and those who just enjoy native Australian landscapes and beautiful coastal vistas.

(44 mins)

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This episode is the final in the Bligh-Rum Rebellion series, and we take a closer look at how the day developed, how the arrest of Bligh unfolded at Government House, and what followed on from the revolt by the New South Wales ‘Rum’ Corp. 

The British Government was slow to act, but inquiries were made, and the protagonists were expected to stand trial for mutiny, so we take a look at how that all proceeded too.

(75 mins)

We reflect on the reforms Bligh had introduced and note the rising aggravation amongst the 'trading group', who were beginning to lose some of their previous dodgy income streams and privileged arrangements.  Many were challenging Bligh's authority, particularity through the courts and with appeals directly to England, and as tensions escalate, we begin to see the path to rebellion opening up.  Macarthur and his friend George Johnston, commander of the New South Wales 'Rum' Corp, are stirred to action.

(61 mins)

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This episode looks at William Bligh's background and his reputation as a Naval Captain.  He had some very difficult tasks ahead of him as Governor of the troubled NSW colony, and we need to consider if he had the requisite personality and abilities to introduce the reforms required. 

The English were already aware there was a lot of resistance to the changes required, mainly from the members, ex-members and cronies of the NSW Corp, and Bligh was likely chosen for his tenacity.  So we look at how he was initially received by the influential people in the colony, by the struggling settlers and farmers, and how he began his Governorship in NSW.

William Bligh, the very same Captain probably best known for the mutiny on the Bounty, was to be recruited in his later life, as the Governor of the Colony of New South Wales. But it seems his days of attracting mutinous behaviour were not over.  Bligh would find himself again at the mercy of military men who felt they could do a better job.

So we’ll talk in this series, about the New South Wales Corp – otherwise known as the Rum Corp, the Governors managing them, and the episode that we sometimes call the Rum Rebellion.

This episode - Part 1 - we'll begin by considering the state of NSW during these years, and the lead up to Bligh’s arrival to take up the Governor's post.

(55 mins)

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Australian Rules Football and the earliest clubs formed to compete, are said to be the oldest established football clubs in the world.  Started in the late 1850s, initially based loosely on the Rugby School game, within 20 years it had evolved to become the basis of Australia’s very own, different & distinctive code; Aussie Rules Footy. 

(62 mins)

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