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Story: History of immigration

‘A government jail gang, Sydney’

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‘A government jail gang, Sydney’

Very few Europeans came to New Zealand in the 50 years after its rediscovery by Lieutenant James Cook. Of those who did, many sailed across the Tasman Sea from Port Jackson (Sydney), a large convict settlement. This is a lithograph of a Sydney prison gang, whose villainous faces are somewhat exaggerated.

Using this item

National Library of Australia, Rex Nan Kivell Collection

Reference: nla.pic-an6065451

by Augustus Earle

Permission of the National Library of Australia must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Jock Phillips, History of immigration – Early years, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/1501/a-government-jail-gang-sydney (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jock Phillips, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 August 2015.