James Goodwin ( 1800 – after 1835) was a convict escapee and explorer in

Van Diemen's Land Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania used by the British during the European exploration of Australia in the 19th century. A British settlement was established in Van Diemen's Land in 1803 before it became a sep ...

(now

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

). In March 1828, he escaped from the notorious Sarah Island prison with fellow convict Thomas Connolly, and the two were the first white men to pass through the Lake St Clair region. Assuming Goodwin was then taken on to Hobart, he is the first white man to have traversed Tasmania from west to east.

Early life

Goodwin was born in or near Northampton and was convicted of thieving at the Northampton Assizes on 3 March 1821. He was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude and, after several months on

prison hulk A prison ship, often more accurately described as a prison hulk, is a current or former seagoing vessel that has been modified to become a place of substantive detention for convicts, prisoners of war or civilian internees. While many nation ...

''Bellarophon'' in

Woolwich Woolwich () is a district in southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area; a role that was maintained thr ...

, he sailed on the ''Lord Hungerford'' for Hobart. While a prisoner, he worked for Thomas Scott, assistant to Surveyor General, George Frankland and gained valuable knowledge about the Tasmanian interior.

Escape

In March 1828, Goodwin and another convict, Irishman, Thomas Connolly were part of a logging party on the

Gordon River The Gordon River is a major perennial river located in the central highlands, south-west, and western regions of Tasmania, Australia. Course and features The Gordon River rises below Mount Hobhouse in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers Nationa ...

. The men took advantage of a job that didn't require them to return to Sarah Island at night and which provided them with rations in bulk which they could store for later. Over a two-week period, they fashioned a boat out of a pine log which they used to escape up river and which they only abandoned when faced with some unpassable falls. They were assisted by Goodwin's bushcraft and a compass which he had stolen from Scott. The exact route the men took is unknown but they would have probably followed either the

Franklin River The Franklin River is a major perennial river located in the Central Highlands and western regions of Tasmania, Australia. The river is located in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park at the mid northern area of the Tasmanian Wilder ...

or Denison River, both of which flow into the Gordon, before heading east into the Vale of Rasselas. From there they would have passed Wyld's Craig before emerging at the Ouse River. As well as their prison rations, they survived on grass roots, berries, mushrooms and food scavenged from Aborigines. Four weeks after their escape, the men split up near the settlement of Ouse. Goodwin was recaptured, but Connolly was never heard of again.

Pardon and surveying duties

Due to his feat of endurance and his unique experience of the

South West Wilderness The South West Wilderness of Tasmania, Australia is a remote and inaccessible region of South West Tasmania containing unspoilt scenery, rugged peaks, wild rivers, unique flora and fauna, and a long and rugged coastline. Parts of the wilderness ...

, Goodwin was pardoned and seconded to several surveying expeditions including John Charles Darke's unsuccessful 1832 exploration of the area to the South of Wyld's Craig.

Return to prison

Goodwin's freedom was short-lived—he was caught stealing in 1835 and was sent by personal order of Lieutenant Governor

George Arthur Sir George Arthur, 1st Baronet (21 June 1784 – 19 September 1854) was Lieutenant Governor of British Honduras from 1814 to 1822 and of Van Diemen's Land (present-day Tasmania) from 1823 to 1836. The campaign against Aboriginal Tasmani ...

to Norfolk Island. Convict Peak and Goodwins Creek near the confluence of the Gordon and Franklin Rivers in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park are named after James Goodwin.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Goodwin, James Australian explorers South West Tasmania People from Northampton Convicts transported to Australia Convict escapees in Australia 1800 births 1835 deaths

Early life

Escape

Pardon and surveying duties

Return to prison

See also

References