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

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