Adapted from NSW Country Area Program - Web Quest - BUSHRANGERS
Bushrangers were robbers in 19th-century Australia who usually
operated in sparsely settled areas, using the bush, or forest, as their base.
The early bushrangers were generally British convicts who had escaped from
assigned service in the penal colonies of New South Wales (from 1788) and Van Diemen's
Land (now Tasmania; from 1804).
After the discovery of gold in the 1850s, bushrangers increased their activities; many began ambushing gold shipments. The bushrangers of this period were often native Australians rather than convicts from the British Isles. A few claimed to be modern Robin Hoods, some adopting romanticized names such as "Captain Moonlight" or "Captain Thunderbolt." One bushranger, Ned Kelly, was an especially famous folk hero. By the 1880s the last of the bushrangers had vanished. Most of them died by violence at an early age; those who were not shot by the police were usually hanged.
Many bushrangers have been romanticised in song, legend and film often with the truth conveniently overlooked. What drove men or women to abandon social rights and privileges, to take up arms against authority, and live a dangerous life constantly on the run?
You have been transported back to the 1800's and suddenly find yourself a bushranger. Given a choice, which Australian Bushranger would you like to have been? You need to explain your choice.
Points to consider:
 | early life |
| exploits |
| last days |
| why do you think they became a bushranger? |
| other points of interest (eg. location of activities, behaviour generally, comments they may have made, songs or legends about them, etc.) |
| sources |
You must research 3 bushrangers and then rank them in order of preference with reasons for you choice.
| You can present your findings in a slide show (eg. Kid Pix, Power Point) |
| an oral presentation with appropriate props (eg. dress up as a bushranger, posters, diagrams, etc) |
Print the summary sheet. You will need three copies (one for each bushranger).
The links below have information about specific Bushrangers that might get you started:
| Ned Kelly (Kelly Gang) - Kelly Gang, |
| "Mad" Dan Morgan - Dan Morgan (Mad Dan), |
| Ben Hall - Ben Hall, |
| Captain Thunderbolt (Fred Ward) - Fred Ward (Thunderbolt), Captain Thunderbolt - biography etc, |
| Captain Starlight (Frank Pearson) - Frank Pearson (Captain Starlight) |
| Captain Midnite (Thomas Smith) - Thomas Smith (Captain Midnite), |
| Captain Moonlight (Andrew Scott) - Andrew Scott (Captain Moonlight), |
| Frank Gardiner - |
| You must complete a Summary Sheet for each of your 3 Bushrangers. |
| You might like to add extra information to your presentation: Family
Information, Job when before became a Bushranger, What stole, Who else in
gang, What sentence he got, Where did most Bushranging, Other typical
behaviours, Quotes of important things he said, Songs or Legends about this
Bushranger etc |
| Don't forget to keep a record of all the places you get information for your BIBLIOGRAPHY! (Title, Author, Date Published OR Web Address) |
Record all the relevant information for the 3 bushrangers on the summary sheet.
You must then decide which bushranger you would like be by ordering them in order of preference. You must then explain why you made this choice. Give at least 3 reasons.
Your presentation must include:
| an introduction - who you are |
| the summary sheet |
| slide show or oral presentation. |
| Do you need posters, diagrams or props if you are doings an oral presentation? |
| remember to cite your sources!! |