Robin Hood-style bushrangers
In the early days of Australia, bushrangers were primarily seen as one of the great dangers of living in the countryside or outback.
Just how dangerous these blokes really were though depends on who you talk to. And numerous sources from public records indicate that bushrangers enjoyed great public support, much to the chagrin of local magistrates and police officers.
These days, bushrangers are remembered more for their Robin Hood-style portrayals in popular ballads and poems. And when it comes to taking from the rich and giving to the poor, the following 5 famous bushrangers are by far the most prolific!
5. The Gentleman Bushranger
Martin Cash was known as the Gentleman Bushranger because he was considered one of Australia's most considerate criminals.
Sent to Australia from Ireland for shooting a rival suitor in the bum, Cash went from the penthouse to the pig house very quickly. Upon being locked up in Australia, he escaped and joined forces with another troop of experienced bushrangers. Call Cash & Co, this gang stole from wealthy citizens without violence, which earned Cash the moniker of the Gentleman Bushranger.
4. Jack Donohoe and The Strippers
While this might sound like a rock band or a team of exotic dancers, Bold Jack Donohoe never put on a show for anyone. Sentenced to life working a farm in Parramatta, Donohoe eventually fled the coop and formed a gang with two other convicts - known as The Strippers.
This name wasn't chosen because they liked robbing folks in their birthday suits, instead, it was in reference to the way in which they stripped everything from wealthy colonists without resorting to violence. Towards the end of his "career", he formed another gang called The Wild Colonial Boys, who were cornered by police in one of the bushranging era's great showdowns.
Unfortunately for him, Bold Jack Donohoe was fatally shot, but before being felled by a trooper's bullet, it was reported that his final words were "Come on"!
3. Brave Benjamin Hall
A well-respected stockman and New South Wales colonist, Brave Benjamin Hall became a bushranger after a run of bad lack. Upon swapping his stock whip and billy for a gun belt and pistol, Hall joined a gang of bushrangers who were active in and around Forbes.
With a knack for breaking horses and a natural instinct for leading, Hall rose through the ranks to become one of the head honchos. It's said that under his watch, the gang pulled off over one hundred armed robberies – all of them without ever having to resort to any type of violence.
His most famous exploit as a senior gang member though has to be the epic party he threw in Canowindra. It involved the entire township and included food, drink and music all paid for at his gang's expense... and it lasted a whole three days.
2. Moondyne Joe
Joseph Bolitho Johns, otherwise known as Moondyne Joe, was another benevolent bushranger and West Australia's first. After being sent to the Sunburnt Country for stealing meat, bread and cheese, Joseph served multiple years in different prisons up and down the coastline.
He was then freed and managed to live a relatively normal life... until being arrested and charged with stealing a horse. The horse was eventually recovered and brought to Joseph's location, but whether he actually did it or not isn’t clear. What is clear is that before a verdict could be bought against him, Joseph busted out, escaped from prison on the horse he was accused of stealing AND used the local magistrate's brand-new saddle to do so!
A scallywag if there ever was one, Joseph changed his name to Moondyne Joe and was sent back to gaol. Only to bust out once again and go on a crime spree that included stealing bottles of wine and forging keys, which just goes to show that you can't keep a good bushranger down.
1. Ned Kelly and The Kelly Gang
Ned Kelly is undoubtedly the most famous Australian bushranger, and he's the one who most closely resembles our modern image of a 'Robin Hood-style' bandit.
A self-styled outlaw, Ned was determined to fight for what he believed in - namely protecting Irish settlers from police persecution and the tyranny of squatter landlords.
In an age where being Australian wasn't as accepting as it is today, Ned Kelly proudly wore his homemade suit of armour and offered protection to anyone who could afford it... which included some less than savoury characters, like bank robbers, wildlife poachers and cattle rustlers.
To this day, it's hard to tell whether or not Ned Kelly and his gang should be celebrated or vilified for their actions. However, his last stand at the Glenrowan siege is one of the most talked about moments in Australian history.
What is certain though, is that Ned Kelly and his gang are still remembered as iconic figures of a bygone era - when bushrangers used to be Robin Hood-style heroes. And for this reason, they will always have a place amongst our greatest folk tales!
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