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The Rise and Fall of Count McHugo: A Tale from Van Diemen’s Land
“None dreamt that it were better to have had the very devil amongst us for two or three months than McHugo for as many days, or even hours”. The brief reign of Count Jonathan Burke McHugo, from regal arrival to dramatic downfall, a tale of intrigue, rebellion and royal delusions. Read more
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Maritime Rescue at Low Head, Tasmania: The Courage of Beattie Traill
June 24, 1863, unleashed a tempest off Low Head, Tasmania. Waves surged like mountains, and the lighthouse keeper, signaling in the storm, witnessed a boat’s desperate struggle. Abandoned by passing vessels, the crew clung to life. Amidst the chaos, Beattie Traill, daughter of the assistant keeper, defied the raging sea. Read more
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Ice, Isolation, and Empty Stomachs: A Tale from Macquarie Island
In the sub-Antarctic wilderness of Macquarie Island, the crew of the 1870s sealing vessel Sarah Pile battled frost, starvation and isolation after being stranded ashore. Forced to survive on raw penguin eggs and without fire, their ordeal and survival later unfolded in a Hobart courtroom. Read more


