It was a David and Goliath story. The movement to end
transportation of convicts to Tasmania was up against the
might of the British Empire, supremely indifferent to the
wishes of a group of colonists at the far end of the world.

Governor Denison used whatever means he could find to
keep the extent of anti-transportation sentiment from his
British masters, and to keep a lid on events locally he
resorted to fake news and character assassination of the
movement’s charismatic leader, John West. Denison was
also the instigator of mob violence designed to intimidate
the anti-transportationists.
Despite the massive power imbalance, the battle to end transportation was finally won. And in the
process, it set the scene for something even bigger – the coming together of the Australian colonies
in a joint effort to stand tall in the world.
As author Alison Alexander explains, “Convict transportation as well as geography made Tasmania
like no other colony, and its colonists’ battle against the British Empire is like no other story.”
Drawing on array of official reports, letters, diaries, and newspapers, beautifully illustrated with
contemporary drawings, paintings, and maps, and written in her typically fresh, engaging style,
Alexander presents a riveting history of a transformative moment in Tasmania’s past and traces its
legacy in popular social and environmental movements today.