Convict Cripps

A quick bit of history … The Tasman Peninsula was chosen as the place to put convicts because it was a natural penitentiary, being almost surrounded by water that had its fair share of killer sharks. To prevent anyone trying to get out on foot, savage dogs (mostly mastiffs) were chained in a line at intervals across the narrow land bridge. Some were even stationed on platforms built out from the shore in case an escapee was to chance his luck in the surf around the Neck.

One successful escapee however was a convict named Cripps. Cripps was employed as a dog-handler for a while before being taken back to Port Arthur to join a timber-cutting gang. His other job was to prepare the dog food and, being an entrepreneur, he stole flour from the recipe (they didn’t have Pal) to sell on the black market. He was caught and, facing the lash, took off. He made his way to Eaglehawk Neck and, because the dogs knew him, he was welcome. He stole two of the dogs (who were also more than happy to have some freedom) and took them into the bush.

Cripps built a large, comfortable, bark hut and lived contentedly for 18 months or so, hunting game with the dogs, and occasionally nipping back to Port Arthur to abscond with some flour, sugar, soap, salt and cabbages. He was discovered by chance when an officer (coincidentally the one who had previously owned the two dogs) stumbled on his hut. Apart from Cripps, he also found more than 1800 kangaroo and wallaby skins, neatly tied in bundles.