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Fremantle in Western Australia: Rottnest Island, the Proposed New Convict Establishment... 1857. Creator: Unknown
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Fremantle in Western Australia: Rottnest Island, the Proposed New Convict Establishment... 1857. Creator: Unknown
Fremantle in Western Australia: Rottnest Island, the Proposed New Convict Establishment, in the distance, 1857. By reference to the report of the important measure introduced to the House of Commons...by Sir George Grey, it will be seen that Western Australia is the locality for the Government experiment of the deportation of convicts sentenced to penal servitude..."Western Australia...possesses a fine climate, and is unconnected with other parts of Australia (at present) except by sea, and is as much an island as if surrounded by it. Convicts can only escape by sea, and the natives would very soon bring them back if they attempted the bush; indeed, the convicts well know it...Rottnest Island, about fourteen miles from Fremantle, is well adapted for the refractory convicts; and there is ample room for a large number, and employment for years to come in erecting forts and other necessary public works". From "Illustrated London News", 1857
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This photograph, taken in 1857, showcases Rottnest Island in Fremantle, Western Australia, proposed as a new convict establishment. The image, published in the Illustrated London News, highlights the isolation of Western Australia from the rest of Australia, making it an ideal location for the British government's experiment in deporting convicts sentenced to penal servitude. At the time, Western Australia was considered a desirable location due to its fine climate and lack of connection to other parts of the continent, except by sea. The convicts, aware of the isolation, knew their only means of escape was by sea, and the local Aboriginal people would quickly apprehend them if they attempted to flee into the bush. Rottnest Island, approximately 14 miles from Fremantle, was deemed an excellent site for housing refractory convicts. The island offered ample space for a large number of convicts and years of employment in constructing forts and other public works. The construction of these structures would not only serve as punishment but also contribute to the development of the new colony. The proposed convict establishment on Rottnest Island was part of a larger plan to address overcrowding in existing penal colonies and to provide an opportunity for convicts to rehabilitate and reintegrate into society. The isolation and harsh conditions of the new establishment were intended to instill discipline and promote self-sufficiency among the convicts. This photograph offers a glimpse into the history of Western Australia's penal colony era, a period marked by isolation, innovation, and the pursuit of rehabilitation for convicts. The image serves as a reminder of the complex and often controversial history of Australia's penal colonies and the role they played in shaping the country's social fabric.
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