The Gentleman Bushranger
his name was spoken in hushed tones from the lips of ladies gossiping…
In 1843, Martin Cash was some 35 years old. He had already escaped Port Arthur twice, and so he was very keen to avoid capture again.
Across Van Diemen’s Land, his name was spoken in hushed tones from the lips of ladies gossiping in the street, and squatters who were afraid of gunshots in the night and stolen cattle. People told stories about the time he swam across Eagle Hawk Neck to freedom from Port Arthur. Cash and his gang roamed from Epping to Bridgewater and from Colebrook to Ouse. A criminal to be hanged to some, a local hero to others.
Holed up in the dense bush of Mt Dromedary, Cash looked toward a thin line of smoke near the horizon. It came from Stanton, the home of the wealthy Mr Shone. Kavanagh, Jones, and Cash’s dear Eliza, sat with him in the hut. They had been in their hideout for a few days now, and supplies were getting low.
It was easy to muffle their cries…
Image source: Wikipedia
On dusk, the men saddled the horses and headed through the brush and down the mountain. In the distance, they saw four men working in the field neighboring Stanton. It was easy to muffle their cries, and their hands were tied before the Cash, Kavanagh and Jones marched them toward the homestead…..
Image source: National Museum of Australia
And we end that on a cliffhanger! The full story is provided in each one of our rooms - you’ll be able to hear what happened to the residents of Stanton and the bushranger Martin Cash within the four walls that saw all the action over 150 years ago.