Convict Landscapes

The footprint of the convict system is surprisingly large. Far from being isolated to New South Wales or Van Diemen’s Land, places where men, women and children underwent incarceration and forced labour are scattered around the coastal regions of Australia. This has resulted in a lot of places where traces of the convict past can still be found. We also have traces of the convict past in the objects that have ended up on collections scattered around the country. Like the landscapes left to us, these objects tell us stories about convict daily life and administration.

Using the tabs below, you can view our map of Australian convict places, or our ever-expanding digital museum of convict-related objects.