In 1820 Irish thief, Alexander Pearce, was sent to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) to serve a seven year sentence for stealing shoes and if the story ended here, it wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy, but rather than just one of many similar stories. Where is becomes interesting is in 1822 when Pearce and seven other convicts escaped from their penal colony in western Tasmania and made their way eastwards across some of the most rugged and inhospitable terrain in Tasmania in a break for freedom. Starvation pressed the party into a series of grim decisions including cannibalism with Pearce being the sole survivor of the group.
In 2008, 6 hikers recreated this walk, covering 170km in 23 days on an amazing journey. This trip from Coal Head in Macquarie Harbour to Ouse, closely retraced the 1822 footsteps of Alexander Pearce across what is now the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. In today’s episode we catch up with one of those hikers, Paul Le Fevre, to find out about this unique journey and why he and his friends chose to undertake this trip. This really is a choose your own adventure.
To get the best out of this trip go to our show notes for episode 190 to see images, map, and elevation chart to show you just how difficult and how amazing this trip was.
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289-Kgari Great Walk-On trail recordings part 1
AH 288-Kgari Great Walk - expectations and hesitations
AH 287-It's all about the journey or is it?
AH 286-Hexatrek
AH 285 - Adventure Expo 2024 Industry Interviews pt2
AH 284-Adventure Expo 2024 Industry Interviews pt1
AH-283-Malerweg Hiking trail
AH 282-Valentines Day Hiking Ideas
AH 281-Kiama Coast Walk
AH 280-Assumptions
AH 279 -The Long Way South
AH 278-Staycations and hiking
AH 277-Shakedown Hikes
AH 276-Turn Left
AH 275-Christmas Stocking Stuffers for Hikers 2023
AH 274-Australian Hiker 7th Birthday
AH 273-Cute and fluffy thieves!
AH 272 - Day Trip Melbourne: 52 Nature Adventures
AH 271-Kokoda Challenge
AH 270-Triple Crown
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