Australia, interesting facts - the highest mountains, the largest river and the most dangerous animals in Australia. History of Australia

Once a huge prison, Australia now ranks first in the world happiness rankings.

The history of modern Australia began in 1606, when the reckless Dutch captain Janszon landed on an unknown land and named it "New Zealand" - in honor of the Dutch province.

Here this name did not take root, but later moved to the islands to the east of Australia. The Dutch did not take root either: the local population met them with hostility, several sailors died. Having given the order to raise the anchors, the captain wrote in the logbook: "Nothing good can be done there."

This conclusion was confirmed by his compatriot Captain Karstenz: "These shores are unsuitable for life, they are inhabited by poor and wretched creatures."

The largest prison in the world

Well, the Dutch have always been good sailors, but absolutely no warriors. The British are a different matter. James Cook was sent to extend the power of the crown to unknown lands - he did. With fire and sword, the English colonists reclaimed food and water for themselves on the Australian coast. The Dutch probably saw in this only confirmation of the words of Captain Janszon.

In those years it was already clear that Great Britain had bitten off more land for itself than it could really develop. The only use that was found for Australia is a beautiful prison, well isolated from the civilized (thousands of miles of water).

Already 18 years after Cook's first visit, those who would later be delicately called "stowaways on Her Majesty's ships" landed on the shore - convicts. Several tens of thousands of angry people, often seriously ill, who died in hard labor, drove out the aborigines and infected them with diseases unknown in Australia - became the foundation of the future Australian society.

FOR REFERENCE : Now, in the 10s of the XXI century, Australia ranks first in the Better Life Index of happiness from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. GDP per capita goes off scale at $ 45,000 - a place in the top ten of the world, only the United States is ahead of the big countries. Eighty-four percent of Australians report that they are "much more likely" to experience positive emotions than negative ones.

How the hell did they do it?

At one time, Australia (like New Zealand) began to climb on gold and wool. Even convicts began to breed sheep, and later it became literally a national occupation ("Australia rides a sheep") and until the end of World War II provided the main flow of funds into the country. Suffice it to say that in the 1880s a unique "dog fence" was built here, more than 5 thousand kilometers long (more than enough to block the European part of Russia from north to south), protecting the pastures from dingo dogs.

Like New Zealand, Australia experienced a golden boom in the 1870s. But if easily accessible deposits were quickly depleted, then in general Australian reserves have not depleted until now. This is a real world pantry: almost the entire periodic table is mined here.

Australia secured its actual independence from the British crown thanks to ... the technology of freezing meat. After the opportunity arose to export not only wool, but also other parts of sheep, a country with a well-developed agriculture by that time could simply ignore London. And the British had the wisdom not to start a military operation far away: the air already smelled of the First World War.

And they had little chance of winning. After all, it was the original contingent of the first settlers that played a role in Australia's success. Courage, endurance, perseverance, ability to physical labor were originally Australian trump cards over pampered Europe.

There was no happiness, but the war helped

And then world wars thundered, which pretty much enriched Australia, remote from conflicts, with both increased demand for raw materials and human capital: thousands of qualified specialists left here from mobilization, battles, devastation.

It must be said that not everyone was accepted: until the 1970s, the concept of "White Australia" dominated, and, for example, Asians were virtually barred from entering. Only when the level of education in Asia increased to more or less decent, the ban was lifted - and now immigrants from China, Indochina, and India play an important role in the country.

The rich subsoil, the wonderful climate of the southern coast, multiplied by the harsh Protestant ethics (its traces can still be traced in the country, although most of its inhabitants are no longer religious), helped to make a flourishing land out of the inhospitable continent. There are a lot of problems in Australia, as elsewhere, - now, for example, it is the opposition to Muslim expansion (more precisely, the way of life that migrants bring with them), but it is difficult to doubt that Australians will cope with this scourge. This is not Europe, everything is more serious and simple here.

This, at first glance, strange, but often mentioned prefix to the name of the country sounds like a "prison continent". However, in fact, are there many countries in the world whose eleven prisons have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List? Or is there another state that has issued a collection of gold coins dedicated to the domestic penitentiary system, which was done by the Central Bank of the Australian Union - that is the official name of the country, in 2012? And we will take this series as a guide.

Prison numismatics

The history of prisons in Australia and Oceania began in the eighteenth century, when the first batch of convicts was landed on the shores of the continent in the Botany Bay area, who were forced to spend the rest of their lives away from their native Great Britain - paving roads in the thickets, building new berths in ports. Along with them came an army of officials, which was housed in a farm building that has survived to this day under the name "Old Government House" and minted on one of the coins.

So, the first prison camps appeared on the southern coast of Australia, which later became known as the state of South Wales, and the convict coal mines on the island of Tasmania, also immortalized on the coin. Three more coins are dedicated to the government institution "Hyde Park Baraki", the convict prison and the Kesnaid Women's Prison. The series ended with the $ 5 Fremantle Prison, one of the very first prisons built to hold especially dangerous criminals. Its history began in 1850, when 75 convicts aboard the Skindian ship, which arrived on the shores of the fifth continent, began construction, which lasted nine years. After some time, again by the forces of prisoners, a unique one-kilometer-long hydrotechnical structure was built under the prison - a system of tunnels with drainage tanks. And at the beginning of the twentieth century, when during the outbreak of the "gold rush" the number of serious crimes increased sharply, a block was added to the main citadel, which housed death row cells and carried out sentences. Serial killer Eric Edgar Cook was the last to be hanged here in 1964.

Unfortunately, the lack of attention of the prison authorities to the conditions of detention of prisoners led to tragic consequences. In January 1988, when Australia was hit by a fifty-degree heat, due to the lack of air conditioning, several of the inhabitants of the cells died from heatstroke, while the rest rose up in a riot, in the suppression of which several more prisoners died. Among other things, due to the outbreak of fire, a significant part of the premises received significant damage.

In the aftermath of the incident, authorities decided to move the inmates to a renovated and expanded prison in Perth, and to turn Fremantle into a museum. Now visitors can get acquainted with the history of the prison and its inhabitants, but also get married in an Anglican church. The former hospital houses the Children's Literature Club, the College of Arts and an art gallery of paintings created by inmates during art therapy sessions.

Pioneers in shackles

Strange as it may seem, they were the first to exile not the most inveterate criminals here. It's just that the prisons of Foggy Albion were so overcrowded that it was decided to send all the prisoners there indiscriminately - no matter whether he was a murderer or a petty swindler. But the fate for both was the same - shackles, an iron collar with spikes, punishment in the form of flogging with a whip or being naked naked and chained to a pole under the scorching rays of the sun. However, those who could pay the guards not only did not spend the night in miserable hovels, but according to the "idea" of the authorities, those who were not fit for physical labor could spend all their time in solid houses rebuilt at their expense.

Convict women also enjoyed relative privileges and were sent to a nearby weaving factory. However, some of them, selling their bodies, successfully married their regular clients, often the same convicts.

How are we sitting?

The main prison of Australia today is quite rightly called the Parramatt prison in New South Wales, where prisoners who have committed the most serious crimes are serving their sentences. We will return to this list later, but for now it is worth noting that the inhabitants of this prison can afford at public expense something that is beyond the means of other ordinary taxpayers. For example, you can have an artificial jaw inserted, have cosmetic surgery, or even change your gender. The order here was so liberal that the administration even allowed to receive from the wild parcels with condoms for men and latex wipes for women, and even mobile phones. However, as it turned out in 2005, many prisoners, mostly from among the "godfathers", tried to use mobile phones to lead their gangs, even from behind bars. The police radio interception service has identified 17 cases of such conversations in just one month. After that, the guards staged a rampant search, seizing cell phones. The alerted inhabitants of the cells tried to hide the pipes in various places. Men - by disguising them in pieces of bread, and women - by hiding them in ... intimate places. Fighting the penetration of this infection into the cells turned out to be difficult, so the director of the prison ordered the installation of "jammers". It is also curious that after the introduction of this ban in another prison, Rimutaka, the warders organized a business. Some sold pipes to convicts, while others confiscated them after a while and then sold them again.

It also turned out that during the Christmas period numerous Santa Clauses brought various gifts to prisoners. During the operation carried out by the prison authorities, in just two weeks, dozens of cold weapons were seized from Santa Clauses - knives, machetes, sharpeners and even (just in case) ladies' false acrylic nails.

Last year, it was proposed at the government level to close this oldest penitentiary institution, founded in 1852, and turn it into a hotel complex. But so far this year it has been decided to reconstruct another prison of the nineteenth century - "Pentbridge" for residential and commercial complexes.

By Russian standards, food for prisoners can be equated to a sanatorium, and the menu claims to be international. Breakfast is typically English: scrambled eggs, oatmeal, bacon, sausages, rolls, coffee, tea or juices. But for lunch, prison chefs can offer dishes from Malay, Japanese or Chinese cuisine. Most of the diet is occupied by vegetables grown in subsidiary prison farms. Agricultural production is especially developed in the prison of the city of Banbury, from where vegetables are delivered to other stockades. For example, in 2008, a 135-kilogram pumpkin was grown here, which not only won a prize at a food show, but was also used as the main ingredient for a soup served for dinner to the inhabitants of this correctional institution.

No right to pardon

We will not dwell on the Australian judicial system in detail for the reason that it can be described as “legal chaos”. Surprisingly, this civilized country still does not have a single criminal code. The only document that is valid on the territory of all states determines the degree of responsibility for the commission of state crimes. But at the level of counties and districts, the main legal documents according to which the classification of crimes, be it murder or petty theft, is made, are special acts. Yes, in addition, the legal proceedings themselves are extremely confusing: in the country there are county and district courts, magistrates' (intermediate) courts, small sessions, family courts - on the part of divorces. In the state of Victoria, there is even a special tribunal in which controversial issues arising during construction are dealt with. Several states also have "industrial" tribunals that arbitrate when resolving conflicts between entrepreneurs. True, sentences for grave crimes come into force only after they have been approved by the Supreme Court.

But the laws in the country are quite harsh. Russians today are waiting with interest what amendments the deputies will make to the laws toughening liability for car recklessness, including for driving while intoxicated. This problem has already been solved in Australia. In October 2012, ex-kickboxing champion Gyurkan Ozkon in Melbourne rushed in his racing Mazda at a red traffic light at a speed of 180 kilometers per hour. So, the district court did not accept as mitigating circumstances either that the trip ended without serious consequences, or that the Turk was an honorary guest in the Australian Martial Arts Association. The traffic offender was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for dangerous driving. Moreover, parole can only come after two years.

And there is a category of convicts for whom early release does not shine at all. These are, firstly, members of Mark Hayden's gang from the town of Snowtown, who are serving their sentences in the special block of the Prarramatt prison. The ringleader and three more of his accomplices were convicted for luring victims into a rented building of a former bank since the mid-90s of the last century. After that, representatives of the so-called sexual minorities were killed after torture, and their bodies were dismembered, and the remains were preserved in barrels. So, according to the leader, they "cleansed the world of filth." Hayden will spend the rest of his life behind bars; his friends received sentences ranging from 26 to 48 years in prison. That's just with a note on the verdict "Without the right to pardon."

Barra John Watts and his girlfriend Wally Fay Back are now in the same prison. These two idlers, who were engaged in fraud and theft, smoking "weed", decided to use seven-year-old Xiang King for their sexual amusements. When they traveled around Australia, in the small town of Noosa, they kidnapped a girl, and then, having abused her, Watts killed the baby.

Vincent Farrow also became a kind of convict of this prison. At the age of twenty, he organized a gang that was engaged in robbery and murder, but thanks to the efforts of lawyers, it was not possible to prove the guilt of the young man as the leader of a criminal group. But the judge nevertheless meted out a substantial term of 55 years in prison for ... participation in a total sin, which, through the efforts of the prosecution, was qualified as gang rape. As noted by Attorney General Bob Dabus, this is the harshest conviction in Australia for such an act.

But the most famous prisoner remains the great-grandson of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Nicholas Bartan, who, having settled in Australia, did not find anything better than to start producing ecstasy drugs, supplying them not only to clubs and discos, but also to prisons. As a result of the operation carried out by the police, his clandestine laboratory was liquidated. The production of steel was 55 kilograms of raw materials for the production of the potion, stamping equipment and production manager Ross Woodrit, a New Zealander. Both were sent to jail, and their former customers were not discouraged for long. After the supply channel of the potion was closed, for example, in the same prison "Parramatt", where the accomplices were, the prisoners began to breed poisonous spiders "black widow", from the extract of which, diluted with water, they made a drug.

And in the Golburn Prison prison it got to the point that the prison administration, rejoicing at the desire of their wards to work in greenhouses, was unpleasantly surprised to learn that the "agronomists" were growing hemp there, which is then processed into marijuana.

However, the prisoners did not grieve for long for the lack of "foolishness." One of them came up with an ingenious plan. The fact is that one of the troubles of Australia is the rapidly expanding range of frogs devouring beneficial insects, and on which a total hunt has been announced. So, the clever convict suggested that the authorities start sewing leather shorts in the prison workshop. "Good" was received, the work began to boil, but the final product was in no hurry to appear. It turned out that from the skin of a poisonous amphibian, craftsmen were digesting a drug that is in no way inferior in its qualities to the drug LSD.

Caution Al-Qaeda!

The psychosis that gripped Europe and the United States in connection with the activities of terrorist organizations did not bypass Australia. The authorities even designated the Barvon prison near Melbourne to contain such terrorists. For example, Jack Roche, submitted to Great Britain, spent nine years in it. An Englishman who converted to Islam was accused of trying to organize a terrorist attack at the Israeli embassy. During his arrest, he himself admitted that he had undergone training in one of the al-Qaeda camps in Pakistan and even met with bin Laden.

Nevertheless, after serving his sentence, it was decided to release him early on the condition that Jack would regularly appear at the police station for registration, and his telephone conversations and communications via the Internet would be monitored by Australian counterintelligence. Another “Australian Islamist”, taxi driver Joseph Thomson, was much less fortunate. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison for participating in the preparation of an explosion at a nuclear power plant. He failed to serve his term in full, since in April 2006 he was beaten to death by inmates.

By the way, the most extravagant convict committed from this prison. Robert Cole, in order to gain freedom, made a hole in the wall, but due to his fullness he could not squeeze through it. And then he went on a diet. After several months of fasting, he lost 14 kilograms, and then made the planned escape.

Sergey Uranov
Based on materials from the newspaper
"Behind Bars" (No. 5 2013)

Each continent, each country and state is amazing, wonderful and unique in its own way. On any continent, every nation has its own characteristics, traditions and which will be very interesting for any tourist. Thanks to these features, a vivid and complete picture of a particular area is formed.

This article presents useful and very interesting facts about Australia.

Continent country

Australia is a very large country. It ranks sixth in the world in terms of its territory. It is so huge that it covers an entire continent. Its territory covers more than seven million square kilometers.

Interesting facts about Australia regarding the geographical location of the country - these are undoubtedly three oceans. The mainland is washed at once by the Indian, Pacific and South.

A huge part of the country is occupied by deserts and semi-desert territories. The most famous of them are Bolshaya Peschanaya and Victoria. From a bird's eye view, Australia looks like a bleak and red desert.

The country is indeed considered the driest continent, with only 500 mm of rainfall a year.

But despite all this, the mainland is in the top ten countries in the world in terms of quality and standard of living.

The most famous Australian animal is the kangaroo. It is the symbol of the country. Australia is full of them. When it gets dark, they, attracted by the headlights, go out onto the highways and jump under the wheels of cars. Therefore, Australians even have a special “kangaroo” sign to warn drivers of danger on the road. Mostly Australian kangaroos are small in size - up to 60 centimeters. But there are also larger individuals - up to 3 meters.

The most dangerous animals in Australia are crocodiles. The northern part of the country is simply teeming with them. And hardly a week goes by as accidents involving these animals occur. Alligators simply devour the people they come across. The continent is full of crocodiles. The most famous is the Australian saltwater. It is found in salty sea water and is the largest species on earth. An adult crocodile can weigh a ton (!) And reach 3-4 meters in length.

Scary stories about predatory poisonous from which hundreds of people die are well known. However, these are just stories. Since 1979, no human has died from a spider bite in Australia. So you can rest assured.

The same goes for sharks. They are not uncommon off the coast of the Australian continent. Yes, they are dangerous, but if you behave carefully and do not provoke them, then everything will be fine. Sharks are non-conflicting creatures, they never attack first.

What other animals is Australia diverse? You will learn interesting facts about its inhabitants if you visit local zoos. For example, have you ever heard of an animal called a wombat? And this is the continent. A small guinea pig that looks very much like a wild boar. Do you know about the Tasmanian devil? This is an Australian breed of dog that resembles a French Bulldog.

River of life

The largest river in Australia is the Murray. It flows in the eastern part of the continent and reaches a length of 2,570 kilometers. The river originates in the Australian Alps and flows into the Indian Ocean. On its way to the sea, it flows through a variety of environments: cities, agricultural land, etc.

The largest river in Australia is the "liveliest" of all bodies of water. Frogs, fish, ducks, crayfish, snakes, and many other animals live here. The river is so diverse that every animal representative can find a place for himself here. Proud swans swim in clear crystal waters, and frogs croak and snakes and lizards crawl in wetlands.

A wide variety of fish species are found in the Murray River: trout, cod, golden perch, Australian smelt, minnows and many others.

There are only mountains above the mountains

Interesting facts about Australia - this is undoubtedly its lowest and highest geographic points. So, on the one hand, the continent is below sea level when compared with other land areas of the Earth. The lowest point is Lake Eyre (15 meters below sea level). By the way, it is the driest in the world. It is covered with a thick four-meter layer of salt, and there is absolutely no water in it.

On the other hand, there are the Alps, on the territory of which the highest mountain in Australia is located - Kosciuszko (2228 meters). This is the highest point of the Green Continent.

Why is the highest mountain in Australia named after the Polish general and hero of Belarus Tadeusz Kosciusho? The fact is that its discovery was made by the Polish geologist Strzelecki in 1840. By the way, initially it was not called that, but was named Townsend. “Kosciuszko” was the neighboring mountain, which was then considered the highest. But later, when it was scientifically proven that Townsend was 20 meters higher, the Australians changed the names of the mountains so that the highest point was named after the hero of Poland. They did this as a sign of respect for the discoverer.

City life

Most of Australia are Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Hobat. And none of the above is the capital. The fact is that the capital of Australia, Canberra, is a very small city. It is home to a little more than 350 thousand people.

The largest Australian city is Sydney. It is home to about five million people. Next comes Melbourne with a population of about four million. By the way, Melbourne was the capital of Australia earlier. Today this city is only the cultural capital of the continent. Brisbane, a major industrial center of the mainland, is home to about two million inhabitants. In Perth and Adelaide - one and a half million.

Gastronomic facts

What will Australia offer travelers? Interesting facts about the culinary characteristics of the country also cannot be ignored. First of all, we should talk about the traditional Australian dish - wedgemite. The name sounds mysterious, doesn't it? But in fact, everything is much simpler. This is ordinary yeast spread on unleavened bread. The pungent smell of brown mass and its salty taste will not please every traveler. The same cannot be said about the Australians themselves, who simply adore their traditional “pate”.

Another unusual edible feature of the country is the basket-shaped pies. Inside - meat filling. And it looks beautiful and tastes good.

Sydney landmarks

One of the most amazing and beautiful buildings in the world is the Sydney Opera House. Its opening took place in 1973 by order of Queen Victoria. This unusual building is considered to be the most beautiful building of the twentieth century.

Sydney TV Tower - the tallest structure in the entire South Its height is amazing - 309 meters in height! Thousands of visitors annually climb the Tower to admire the panorama of the city from the observation deck, the heights opening up in front of them and the world's largest bridge - Harbor Bridge.

Sydney is also home to the world's largest aquarium. Its huge number of underwater tunnels will not leave anyone indifferent. There is something to see here - more than six thousand species of various representatives of the sea depths are at your service!

What else to see in Australia?

The main attraction of the continent is the Great Barrier Reef. This is a real miracle of nature. The largest coral reef system in the world. 900 islands stretch over a vast territory - more than 3000 kilometers. By the way, it is here, on one of the islands, that the most remote mailbox is located.

Another natural wonder of Australia is pink. Scientists still cannot explain the reason for its scarlet color.

Locals

Interesting facts about Australia will be told by the inhabitants of the continent themselves. By the way, mostly Europeans live here - more than 90 percent of the total population. They are mainly Irish and British.

The residents themselves call themselves a funny nickname "Ozzie". They also refer to the American dollar. Strange, do they really associate themselves with money? But we cannot understand this.

By the way, there are still aborigines in Australia. They occupy five percent of the total population. These black Australians live in remote reservations and settlements.

Australians are a very cheerful people. They love to joke and laugh. And in general, they strive to live and breathe deeply. This is probably why they are so friendly and welcoming. In addition, they are very fond of traveling. Not only on your continent, but all over the world in general.

A wide variety of international events are held annually in Australia to attract overseas visitors.

Unusual facts

1. Only Australia has a Flying Doctor Medical Service. They provide only emergency care to patients living in areas remote from the city. This service is a kind of symbol of the country. After all, she speaks of a high level of medicine and life in general.

2. Australia is a country of sheep. In 2000, more than 100 million of these animals were counted in the country. It turns out that the number of the "sheep population" is five times greater than the human population.

3. This is the largest pasture in the world. Still would! There are so many sheep in Australia! And they also need to graze somewhere. The largest pasture is called Anna Creek and covers an area of ​​35,000 square kilometers.

4. Nondescript capital. Canberra is a small and unremarkable city. Unlike Sydney or Melbourne. Then why is she? This is a kind of compromise. The city is located exactly in the middle between Melbourne and Sydney. As they say, so that there are no disagreements.

5. There is more snow in the mountains of Australia than in the Swiss Alps. The fact is that a huge amount of snow falls on the territory of the Australian Alps, much more than in Switzerland. Therefore, winter holidays are very popular here.

6. Continent of prisoners. Australia was discovered by Great Britain and became its colony. England used the remote island to exile criminals. Therefore, those who survived a long sea voyage in dirty ship holds, in fact, became the first inhabitants of this country. So a quarter of Australia's population are descendants of British prisoners.

7. The largest part of Antarctica belongs to Australia. In 1933, the Antarctic Territory of Australia was officially ceded to it by England. This is a huge area - about six million square kilometers.

Australia: fun facts for kids

1. This Green Continent was discovered by James Cook in 1770.

2. The most common animal in Australia is the kangaroo. It is home to the largest number of snakes in the world.

3. Australia is the smallest continent. At the same time, it is the largest island in the world.

4. English is spoken in Australia. And mostly Europeans live here. Although there are also indigenous people - aborigines.

5. The main architectural value of the continent is the Sydney Opera House. It is built right in the harbor and is surrounded by water on three sides. The roof of the building resembles a ship with sails or the wings of a swan.

Sue Paull has photographed inmates of Australia's most famous prisons for 15 years, teaching them the art. Her stunning photographs show the world of murderers and rapists hidden behind bars.

Before becoming a prison art teacher and photographer, Poll worked in a school system whose rules she disliked. When she came to classes with especially dangerous prisoners, she felt rather at ease.

Under her leadership, hundreds of inmates painted paintings, made pottery and sculptures, which were later exhibited at the Long Bay Prison and in many overseas galleries.

While working in the penitentiary system, Poll began photographing prisoners, first only in the art studio, and then outside it. Her stunning black and white photographs provide a glimpse into the hidden world of Australian prisons between 1993 and the late 2000s.

While using documentary style in many of his photographs, Poll nevertheless draws attention to beautiful images, such as tattoos of prisoners and their physical strength, which is essential for survival behind bars.

Prisoner Terry stands in front of one of his paintings, The Long Bay Hilton Foyer.

Inmate at the Long Bay Correctional Complex in 1993 during the daily exercise that many inmates do to keep fit in a rather dangerous prison environment.

Officer Jane in full gear at Goulburn Correctional Center, where a female officer rescued male officers during a prisoner uprising in 2002, sustaining stab wounds and severe head injuries.

Prisoner Tom Foster displays his powerful physique and tattoos while working in a garden statue workshop at Silverwater General Security Prison, where he was transferred from Long Bay Prison.

Jailer on duty in 1996 on the upper tier of Parramatta Correctional Center, which opened in 1798 and closed in 2011, an old rat-infested, crumbling sandstone prison.

Amanda and Michael in 1993 at Long Bay Prison, one of 34 correctional centers in New South Wales, where transgender relationships are part of prison life.

Convicted assassin Jeffrey Websdale, described by Sue Poll as a "superb specialist", alongside one of his jobs at Long Bay Prison in 2004. In 1989, while a trainee at a combine harvester, he shot and wounded two people in a combine camp, earning a maximum 25-year stay.

Inmate Wayne Brown, wearing prison green sweatpants, poses for prison art teacher and photographer Sue Poll inside the Long Bay Correctional Complex in 1997. Poll was interested in his tattoos, which include the word "Mum" on his right arm.

Barbed wire and steel bars entangled the gates in the old part of the Long Bay Correctional Complex in 1997, where high-risk prisoners, including murderers and rapists, were then housed. Later, the prison began to accept less dangerous criminals.

Prisoner Andrew in the statue workshop at Silverwater Prison in 1997, during one of the final stages before his release.

A shirtless prisoner sunbaths at Long Bay Prison in 1994.

An armed jailer at Tower 8 of Long Bay Correctional Complex in 1997. Only the guards in the tower can carry weapons and, if necessary, shoot fugitives or rioters.

An inmate at Long Bay Prison plays sports in the courtyard in 1993.

A female jailer at the gate of Long Bay Correctional Complex in 2007, through which all guards must pass to enter the working area of ​​the prison.

Prisoners make a variety of sharpenings from any pieces of metal they find and even from toothbrushes.

Inmate Steve displays his tattoos at the Long Bay Correctional Center in Sydney in 1994.

Isolated courtyards at Parkley Correctional Center in 1996 for violent and violent prisoners.

Inmate at the Long Bay Prison training ground in 1994.

Sue Poll worked with the prisoners as an art teacher. She found creative talent in hundreds of high-profile criminals.

Sue Poll photographed some of the prisoners' tattoos.

A wedding between a woman and an inmate at Long Bay Correctional Complex in 1996, before authorities banned weddings in maximum security prisons. The few that take place behind bars must now be cleared by the Commissioner.

Some of the tattoos are quite difficult to decipher.

Prisoner Tom Foster at Long Bay Correctional Complex in 1997 depicted a flower in his painting.

The interior of the 9th Wing of Long Bat Prison in 1997 shows cell doors during the renovation period when inmates were relocated to other prisons.

Cigarette-in-mouth payroll clerk poses for Sue Poll at Long Bay Prison in 1993.

A rifle-armed female guard at Goulburn Correctional Center in 2004, two years after a riot in which 30 prisoners armed with homemade weapons attacked staff, wounding seven guards and nearly killing one.

Aboriginal prisoner Doug Pierce with one of his paintings. His works are now in collections in Canada, USA, France and Great Britain.

Inmate clothes hanging from a railing at Bathurst Correctional Center in 2000.

Young inmate Simon at Long Bay Prison in 1993.

Aboriginal Jason stands in the shade of barbed wire from his large-scale painting outside an art studio in Long Bay Prison in 1999.

It appeared thanks to the discovery of new lands by Captain James Cook - the navigator who proclaimed New Holland (now Australia) British possessions. Soon, in 1786, it was decided to make the east coast of Australia a place of exile. The following year, the First Fleet sailed off the coast of England to establish Australia's first colony, New South Wales. Other ships followed him, and soon many convict settlements were formed in Australia.

Eastern Australia was declared British territory in 1770, and the first colony was founded on January 26, 1788. As Australia's population grew, six self-governing colonies were established in Australia.

On January 1, 1901, the six colonies formed a federation. Since then, Australia has maintained a stable democratic system of government. Australia's neighbors are Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea from the north, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu from the northeast, New Zealand from the southeast. The shortest distance between the main island of Papua New Guinea and mainland Australia is 150 kilometers; however, it is only 5 kilometers from the Australian island of Boygu to Papua New Guinea.

The name "Australia" comes from lat. australis meaning southern. Legends about the "unknown southern land" (terra australis incognita) date back to the time of the Romans, were a common place in medieval geography, but were not based on real knowledge. The Dutch have used this term for all of the newly discovered southern lands since 1638.

The name "Australia" became popular after the publication of Captain Mafew Flinders' Travel in Terra Australis. The Governor of New South Wales McQuirey used this title in correspondence with England. In 1817 he recommended this name as the official one. In 1824 the British Admiralty finally approved this name for the continent.

How immigration to Australia began

In Great Britain, the 18th century was marked by significant social changes that led to an increase in the crime rate. The main reason for this was dire need. To stop this, the authorities passed strict laws with harsh penalties. At the beginning of the 19th century, approximately 200 crimes were punished by death. “Even the smallest theft is sentenced to death,” wrote one traveler. For example, one 11-year-old boy was hanged for stealing a handkerchief! Another man was found guilty of assault, stealing a silk wallet, a gold watch and approximately £ 6. He was sentenced to death by hanging. The execution was replaced by lifelong exile. In that terrible era, a similar fate befell about 160 thousand people. Women, as a rule, together with their children, were sentenced to 7-14 years of hard labor.

However, as early as the beginning of the 18th century, the authorities issued a law that in many cases made it possible to replace the death penalty with deportation to the English colonies in North America. Soon there, mainly in Virginia and Maryland, ships began to send up to a thousand prisoners a year. But, having declared themselves an independent state in 1776, these colonies no longer wanted to accept British criminals. Then they began to be sent to the terrible floating prisons on the River Thames, but they were also overcrowded.

The way out appeared thanks to the discovery of new lands by Captain James Cook. In 1786, it was decided to make the east coast of Australia a place of exile. The following year, the First Fleet sailed off the coast of England to establish the first colony called New South Wales. Other ships followed him, and soon many penal settlements were formed in Australia, including on Norfolk Island, located 1,500 kilometers northeast of Sydney.

“Many of the 'criminals' deported to Australia were under-teens,” writes Bill Beatty in his book Early Australia-With Shame Remembered. As the book says, in one case, a court sentenced a seven-year-old boy to "life in exile in Australia."

First wave of immigration to Australia: the founding of hard labor colonies.

In the beginning, transferring to the Australian colonies was a real nightmare for prisoners placed in damp and dirty ship holds. Hundreds died on the way, others soon after arriving. Scurvy claimed many lives. But over time, doctors appeared on ships, especially those that transported female prisoners, thanks to which the death rate dropped significantly. Subsequently, with the improvement of ships, the travel time was reduced from seven to four months, and the number of deaths became even fewer.

Shipwrecks were another threat to life. The British ship Amphitrite, five days after leaving England, while still within sight of the coast of France, was caught in a violent storm. Thrown mercilessly by the waves for two days, the ship ran aground a kilometer offshore on August 31, 1883 at five o'clock in the afternoon.

However, the crew did not make any rescue attempts and did not launch lifeboats. Why? For one simple reason: so that the prisoners - 120 women and children - do not run away! After three hours filled with horror, the ship began to sink, and people began to be washed into the sea. Most of the team and all 120 women and children were killed. In the following days, 82 corpses were thrown ashore, and among them was the corpse of a mother who hugged her child so tightly that even death could not separate them.

But I must say that the situation of some of the prisoners was not so bad. Indeed, for someone in Australia, in fact, better prospects opened up than at home. Yes, that part of Australia's history was extremely contradictory: it combined cruelty and mercy, death and hope. It originated in the UK.

Settling Australia: When Death Is Desired.

The Governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane, has decreed that the hardest criminals should be sent from New South Wales and Tasmania to Norfolk Island. “There, these scoundrels will lose all hope of returning home,” he said. Sir Ralph Darling, the next governor, vowed to create conditions in Norfolk "worse than death." This was the case, especially during the reign of John Price, a governor of noble birth. Price "guessed the thoughts of criminals with deadly accuracy, and this, coupled with strict observance of the law, gave him some kind of mystical power over the convicts." For singing, not walking fast enough, or pushing a cart with stones not diligently, a convict could receive 50 lashes or 10 days in a cell where there were up to 13 prisoners and where he could only stand.

Only priests, as spiritual persons and therefore inviolable, could openly condemn such inhuman treatment. "No words can describe how cruel the convicts were treated," wrote one priest. "What is scary to even think about was done with complete impunity."

A History of Australia: A Glimpse of Hope.

With the arrival of Captain Alexander Makonoka in Norfolk in 1840, the situation improved somewhat. He introduced a new grading system that took into account how much the convict had improved, provided rewards for good behavior and gave him the opportunity to earn freedom by accumulating a certain number of grades. "I am sure," wrote Makonoki, that the right methods can correct any criminal. The intellectual abilities of a person are quickly restored if you direct his thoughts in the right direction, treat him humanely and not deprive him of hope. "

The Maconoki reform was so effective that it was later widely adopted in England, Ireland and the United States. But at the same time, with his innovations, Makonoki dealt a strong blow to the pride of some influential people, whose methods he rejected. It cost him space. After his departure, the abuse in Norfolk resumed, but not for long. In 1854, thanks to the priests, the island ceased to be a place of convict settlements, and the exiles were transported to Tasmania, to Port Arthur.

Port Arthur, especially in the early years, also terrified people. Still, the treatment of convicts here was not as cruel as in Norfolk. Corporal punishment was abolished here almost completely back in 1840.

As Ian Brand wrote in his book Port Arthur-1830-1877, George Arthur, the strict governor of Tasmania, wanted to cement his colony's reputation as a "place of iron discipline." At the same time, Arthur wanted every convict to learn that "good behavior is rewarded, and bad behavior is punished." To do this, he divided the convicts into seven categories, starting with those who were promised early release for exemplary behavior, and ending with those who were sentenced to the most difficult labor in shackles.

When exile to Australia proved to be a blessing

"For convicts, except for those who were exiled to Port Arthur, Norfolk ... and other similar places, when conditions were unbearable," Beatty wrote, "the prospects for the future in the colony were much better than at home. ... Here the convicts had an opportunity to live a better life. " Indeed, convicts who have received early release or served time have realized that they and their families will have a better life in Australia. Therefore, after the liberation, only a few returned to England.

Governor Lachlan Macquarie, an ardent defender of the freed convicts, said: "A person who has been released should never be reminded of a criminal past, let alone reproach them; you need to make him feel like a full-fledged member of society, who has already atoned for his guilt and become decent by his exemplary behavior. man. " Macquarie backed up his words with deeds: he allocated land plots to the freed exiles, and also gave them some prisoners to help in the field and with the housework.

Over time, many hardworking and enterprising former convicts became wealthy and respected, and in some cases even famous people. For example, Samuel Lightfoot founded the first hospitals in Sydney and Hobart. William Redfern became a respected physician, and Francis Greenaway was indebted to Francis Greenway for many architectural structures in and around Sydney.

Finally, in 1868, 80 years later, Australia ceased to be a place of exile. The modern society of this country does not in any way remind of those terrible years. The partially preserved convict settlements are only of historical interest. Less terrifying evidence of that era has also survived: bridges, buildings and churches built by convicts. Some of them are in excellent condition and are still in use today.