The Political Landscape of Colonial Australia in the 1840s
By the mid-1840s, the Australian colonies were embroiled in fierce debates over self-government, land rights, and the future of convict transportation. The political elite—composed of wealthy pastoralists, merchants, and native-born Australians—clashed with British colonial administrators over governance, economic policy, and social reform. At the heart of these conflicts were figures like Ben Boyd, William Wentworth, and Governor Sir George Gipps, whose ideological battles shaped the trajectory of colonial autonomy.
The Rise of the Squatter Aristocracy
The pastoralists, or “squatters,” dominated New South Wales’ economy through their vast landholdings and wool exports. Ben Boyd, a prominent entrepreneur and newly elected Legislative Council member, encapsulated their worldview in an 1844 speech:
> “I care not whether he be banker, merchant, shipowner, or tradesman, we only have our existence through our pastoral resources—our wool, our tallow, and our hides. We are all squatters to a man; and I glory in the name.”
Boyd and his allies saw themselves as the true economic backbone of the colony, yet they resented British interference in land policies. Governor Gipps’ regulations of 1844, which sought to limit squatting expansion, provoked outrage among pastoralists who viewed them as an attack on their prosperity.
William Wentworth: Champion of Liberty or Political Opportunist?
William Wentworth, a native-born Australian and fiery orator, emerged as a leading advocate for self-government. A complex figure, Wentworth combined a vision for Australia’s future with personal vendettas against political rivals. His 1844 campaign for responsible government—modeled after Canada’s system—aimed to reduce Downing Street’s control.
Yet Wentworth’s motives were not purely idealistic. His feud with Governor Gipps stemmed partly from a thwarted land deal in New Zealand. In the Legislative Council, he accused Gipps of despotic rule, declaring:
> “Nothing can more clearly evince the evil tendencies of that entire separation of the Legislative and Executive powers… than the perfect indifference, if not contempt, with which the most important decisions… have been treated by the head of the government.”
Wentworth’s rhetoric galvanized opposition but also exposed his contradictions—he demanded democratic reforms while defending the squatters’ monopoly on land and labor.
The Convict Question and Moral Outrage
While New South Wales debated self-government, Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) grappled with the moral and economic consequences of convict transportation. The probation system, introduced in 1840, concentrated convicts in work gangs, leading to widespread reports of abuse, corruption, and sexual violence. Lieutenant-Governor Sir Eardley-Wilmot faced accusations of mismanagement and moral laxity, with critics alleging that Government House had become a den of scandal.
Public outrage peaked in 1846 when Van Diemen’s Land settlers petitioned London, comparing their colony to “Sodom and Gomorrah.” The British government, under Colonial Secretary William Gladstone, recalled Wilmot, citing his failure to reform the system. His dismissal marked a turning point in the anti-transportation movement.
The Clash Over Renewing Transportation
In New South Wales, Wentworth and the squatters pushed for renewed convict labor to address labor shortages. Their 1846 report argued that assigned servitude in the bush was more reformative than probation gangs:
> “If anything could restore a fallen being, it must be the constant opportunities for reflection which such a life presented… the gradual estrangement from former tastes and pursuits, and the constant contemplation of the power and beneficence of the Great Author of the Universe.”
Opponents, including workers and liberals, rejected this as a return to slavery. Mass protests erupted in Sydney, with speakers like Irish laborer Mr. Geoghegan rallying crowds:
> “Will you tamely submit to behold your fair native land again being made the depot of degradation? To hear in your streets the clank of the chain, and… the hissing of the scourge?”
The working-class resistance, combined with growing moral opposition, ultimately thwarted the squatters’ plans.
Legacy: From Penal Colonies to Self-Determination
The struggles of 1844–1846 laid the groundwork for Australia’s eventual self-government. Key outcomes included:
– Decline of Convict Transportation: Public pressure forced Britain to reconsider penal policies, leading to the eventual end of transportation to eastern Australia.
– Squatter Dominance Challenged: The anti-convict movement weakened the pastoralists’ grip on labor, paving the way for free immigration.
– Path to Democracy: Wentworth’s campaigns, though flawed, kept the demand for representative government alive, influencing later reforms.
By the 1850s, the gold rushes and shifting British policies accelerated Australia’s transition toward democracy. Yet the debates of this earlier era—over land, labor, and liberty—remained central to its national identity.
Conclusion
The 1840s were a crucible for colonial Australia, where economic ambition clashed with moral reform, and self-interest competed with visions of a free society. Figures like Wentworth and Boyd embodied the contradictions of their time—champions of liberty who also sought to preserve privilege. Their battles, fought in legislative chambers and public meetings, shaped a nation’s journey from penal outpost to self-governing democracy.