Painting of the convict uprising at Castle Hill, 1804

The Castle Hill Rebellion of 1804 was Australia’s first uprising. The rebellion was an attempt by a group of Irish convicts to overthrow British rule in New South Wales and return to Ireland where they could continue to fight for an Irish republic. Ending in disaster, the rebellion resulted in the death of at least 39 convicts in both ‘Australia’s Battle of Vinegar Hill’ itself and the resulting punishments.The inscription below this painting reads: Major Johnston with Quartermaster Laycock and twenty five privates of ye New South Wales Corps defeats two hundred and sixty six armed rebels, 5th March 1804.