Last convict ship Hougoumont arrives, ending transportation to Australia

Background. Penal transportation to Western Australia occurred between 1850 and 1868, involving 43 voyages that delivered 9,721 convicts. The Hougoumont was chartered in 1867 for what became the final convict transport voyage to Australia. This journey concluded the era of transportation, with the ship carrying a specific group of political prisoners from England.

Voyage Details. The Hougoumont departed Britain in 1867 for a largely uneventful 89-day voyage. During the journey, one convict died. The ship carried 62 Fenian prisoners who had been convicted in England. The vessel docked at Fremantle, Western Australia, on 10 January 1868, ending the transportation era.

Historical Significance. The arrival of the Hougoumont is recognized as the end of penal transportation from Britain to Australia. It was the last convict ship to Western Australia, carrying 62 Fenian prisoners. This event closed the chapter of convict transportation that had operated in Western Australia for nearly two decades.