S4E6 The Fremantle Five - Escape, Survival & Murder

In January 1859, five convicts escaped from a Fremantle work party and vanished into the bush, launching one of the most dramatic manhunts in Western Australian history. Stealing boats and navigating treacherous coastal waters, they fled north in a desperate bid for freedom. But as the weeks wore on and survival became a struggle, tensions within the group turned deadly. What followed was a brutal journey marked by pursuit, hardship, and murder — and by the time authorities caught up, only four men remained to tell the tale. SOURCES 1859 'Domestic Sayings and Doings.', The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News (WA : 1848 - 1864) , 28 January, p. 2. , viewed 19 Mar 2025, 1859 'THE INDEPENDENT JOURNAL,', The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News (WA : 1848 - 1864) , 4 February, p. 2. , viewed 25 Mar 2025, 1859 'Local and Domestic Intelligence.', The Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth, WA : 1855 - 1901) , 23 February, p. 2. , viewed 02 Apr 2025, 1859 'Recapture of the Escaped Convicts.', The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News (WA : 1848 - 1864) , 4 March, p. 2. , viewed 08 Apr 2025, 1859 'Quarter Sessions.', The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News (WA : 1848 - 1864) , 8 July, p. 2. , viewed 26 Mar 2025, 1859 'Thursday, July 7.', The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News (WA : 1848 - 1864) , 8 July, p. 3. , viewed 02 Apr 2025, Convicts in Western Australia 1850 – 1887, Dictionary of Western Australians, Volumes IX, viewed 13 March 2025 LINKS Get your copy of Convict Australia, Extraordinary true stories of shipwrecks, riots, daring escapes and more. Get your copy of Convict Sydney, the real-life stories of 32 prisoners: Support Convict Australia and receive goodies such as the Convict Australia Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the conversation on our Facebook & Instagram pages: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find Convict Australia on TikTok:

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S4E6 The Fremantle Five - Escape, Survival & Murder is an episode from Convict Australia by Jennifer Twemlow.

This episode is 00:34:02 long.

This episode was published on May 1, 2025.

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