Why did some bushrangers become folk heroes and why were they feared by the forces of authority? We take a look at and a listen to some of the yarns, ballads and memories of the many bushrangers of the Lachlan region during the 1860s. Come all you wild colonial boys – and girls!

LISTEN HERE

Featuring authentic audio from the Oral History and Folklore Collection at the National Library of Australia, including Pat Nicholson, Maurice (Morris) Styles, Edgar Penzig, Rod Butler, Sally Sloane and Gladys Scrivener.

MORE BUSHRANGER BALLAD PUZZLES

William Strutt, 'Bushrangers, Victoria, Australia, 1852' (detail), 1887, oil on canvas, The University of Melbourne Art Collection, gift of the Russell and Mab Grimwade Bequest, 1973

Sandra Nixon continues to excavate the extensive archives of the Sydney Bush Music Club. Her latest discoveries are some intriguing versions of bushranger ballads of Ben Hall and Fred Lowry – here and here.

*

UPON THE FIFTH OF MAY – THE DEATH OF BEN HALL

Today is the day bushranger Ben Hall was shot dead in 1865. Rob has put together a multi-media commemoration of the event at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHtJrQr0Gr8. Have a squiz. There’s a full commentary beneath the video, just hit ‘more’.

This also is the first in a new series we’re doing called ‘Today in Folklore’. We’ll be noting significant dates in Australian folk tradition, including commemorations like this one, celebrations, customs, (think ‘Cracker Night’, etc.), tragedies, disasters and other events that appear in traditional songs, poems, stories, events and the like. If you know of any, please send them to us at g.seal@curtin.edu.au