The Lights of Cobb and Co
Stagecoaches first emerged as a means of transport in Australia during the early 1800s, drawing inspiration from similar transportation systems in Britain and the United States.
The need for reliable land transport arose with the establishment of penal colonies and the gradual expansion of settlements. Initially, most travel was conducted on horseback or by bullock dray, but these methods were slow and impractical for long-distance travel.
By 1820, rudimentary coach services began to operate between major settlements such as Sydney, Parramatta, and Windsor.
Early stagecoaches were often simple horse-drawn carriages without their later counterparts' robust engineering and comfort. The harsh Australian terrain and climate posed significant challenges, leading to frequent breakdowns and delays.
The roads were generally hewn through bushlands and excavated by convicts chained together in ‘iron gangs’ to punish those who committed further crimes after being sent to the colony. Iron gangs were often put to work building roads in remote areas, like the Great North Road from Sydney to the Hunter Valley and the road from Sydney to Bathurst through the Blue Mountains. That included cutting through rock in such places as the Blue Mountains.
The convicts were fitted with heavy leg irons by blacksmiths using hot rivets, and these were connected by a single chain so that an overseer could control the gang. Some of the iron gang members were children.
Better-behaved convicts still worked in gangs alongside the iron gangs but were not shackled and were known as ‘road gangs.’ Those who escaped were known as ‘bolters’ and became some of the first bushrangers.
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