On This Day March 2, 1802

Matthew Flinders names Kangaroo island in South Australia for the fresh food it provides his crew.

Matthew Flinders was the sea explorer who, together with Bass, was the first to prove that Van Diemen's Land, or Tasmania, was an island and not connected to the mainland. Flinders was also the first to circumnavigate the continent, and between December 1801 and June 1803, he charted most of the coastline of Australia.

On 2 March 1802, Flinders and his crew landed on Kangaroo Island. By the time Flinders and his crew passed the eastern point of the Great Australian Bight, they had gone without fresh food for four months, living only on preserved meat. When they landed on the island, they found as plenty of easy game by way of kangaroos, allowing them to feast on fresh food. Flinders recorded in his ship's log: 'the whole ship's company was employed this afternoon in the skinning and cleaning of kangaroos'. He estimated that the crew stewed 'half a hundredweight' of kangaroo forequarters, tails and even heads, and that the entire crew also feasted on kangaroo steaks for many days after that.

Flinders was so grateful for the abundant supply of fresh food that he named the southern island "Kangaroo Island".

On This Day February 28, 1799

John Irving becomes the first convict to be freed in the New South Wales colony.

John Irving, sometimes written as Irwin or Irvine, was born around 1760, exact date unknown. He came to the penal colony of New South Wales with the First Fleet, after being sentenced in 1784 to seven years for stealing a silver cup. Originally interred on the 'Scarborough', he was later transferred to the 'Lady Penrhyn' for transportation.

Irving proved an able surgeon's assistant, both on the voyage to New South Wales, and once the settlement was established. His hard work and "unremitting good conduct and meritorious behaviour" earned him an early reprieve from his sentence. Governor Phillip signed his Warrant of Emancipation on 28 February 1790, making Irving the first convict to be freed. He accompanied surgeon Dennis Considen to Norfolk Island, where he remained as surgeon's assistant for over a year before returning to Port Jackson in May 1791. He was then awarded 30 acres of land at Parramatta.

On This Day February 27, 1788

The first convict is hanged in the colony of New South Wales.


The First Fleet of convicts to New South Wales assembled in Portsmouth, England, and set sail on 13 May 1787. They arrived in Botany Bay on 18 January 1788. After determining that Botany Bay was unsuitable for settlement, Captain Arthur Phillip led the Fleet northwards to Port Jackson, arriving on 26 January 1788.


Conditions in the new colony were tough. The English tools could not stand up to the hard work of tilling the Australian soil, and they broke easily. The convicts were disinclined to work hard, many of them not being used to manual labour, and the heat and humidity of the Australian climate only added to their discomfort and lack of motivation to work. In addition, rations had to be meted out very carefully until farms could start producing crops. Many convicts were hungry enough to steal food, and punishment for theft was severe, ranging from lashing with a cat o' nine tails, or even death by hanging. Governor Phillip could not afford for any rations to be lost to theft, so he felt compelled to enforce harsh disciplinary measures.


The first convict to be hanged in New South Wales was seventeen year old Thomas Barrett. Less than a month after the colony was established, Barrett was found stealing "butter, pease and pork". In a ceremony which all convicts were forced to witness, Barrett was hanged, on 27 February 1788.

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