Australian Heist

by James Phelps

Australia's Number 1 True Crime Writer on Australia's Greatest Gold Robbery. On 15 June 1862, a gang of bushrangers held up a gold escort at Eugowra, just east of Forbes, NSW. They escaped with a pile of cash and 77 kilograms of gold, worth about $10 million today. It remains the largest gold robbery in Australian history.

In this riveting re-creation of the events, James Phelps finally tells the full story of how Frank Gardiner, Ben Hall, John O'Meally, Johnny Gilbert, Henry Manns, Alexander Fordyce, John Bow and Dan Charters planned and executed the robbery - and what happened to all that gold. Australian Heist is a thrilling, fast-paced and thoroughly modern take on one of the most extraordinary episodes in the nation's history, by Australia's number-one true-crime writer.

Genres: True Crime, History, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Crime, Australia

368 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2018

About the author

James Phelps is an award-winning senior reporter for the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph in Sydney.

He began as on overnight police rounds reporter before moving into sport, where he became one of Australia's best news-breaking rugby league reporters.

James became News Corp Australia's Chief National Motorsports Writer and travelled the world, chasing F1 stories as well as becoming Australia's number one V8 Supercar reporter. James is also a senior feature writer for the Sunday Telegraph.

Following the bestselling Dick Johnson: The Autobiography of a True-Blue Aussie Sporting Legend, James returned to his roots to delve into the criminal underworld with a series of crime books: Australia's Hardest Prison: Inside the Walls of Long Bay Jail; Australia's Most Murderous Prison; and Australia's Toughest Prisons: Inmates. James is a twice V8 Supercar media award winner and a former News Awards 'Young Journalist of the Year' and 'Sport Reporter of the Year'.

Reviews

[TheBookWarren · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars — A cracker of a story, that’s so typically Australian, once you have read the final page you’ll start bleeding vegemite! This tale of robbery, cunning brazenness and guile has so much wondrous ferocity and is filled with such audacious and epic origination it really does make you question the fact it is story of non-fiction. Once established it is, it then orders that you question how on earth it is possible you’d not heard anything
about it until now?

Frank Gardiner & his band of jolly-swagmen take aim at one of most lucrative heists in Australian History - But it is the truly remarkable story of what occurs both before & afterward way back in 1862 , that make it a drama of epic proportions and a human tale that is ultimately most enjoyable. Not without moments of mediocrity here and there, a malaise or three, yes.. but they quickly fade to oblivion once the story pulls you into its clutches.

[Michelle Hickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I knew about Australian bushrangers but I found this account fascinating. Phelps has written about Australia's biggest gold robbery and made the characters leap off the page. I was actually amazed at how organised Gardiner was and how he was the mastermind. I found the bumblings of Sir Pottinger to be fascinating, he was inept at preventing the crime, but dogged in his pursuit of the outlaws.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short while ago, one of my neighbours had thrown books on the street and like a good little book reader, rescued the books. This is one of them.

Even as an Australian, there is a lot of our history that I don't know..sure I know of Ned Kelly and bush rangers..but not these guys.

During the Gold rush era (1800s) in Australia, came bush rangers Ben Hall, Frank Gardiner and the Lachlan bushrangers, somewhere either during the teen years of Ned Kelly or just before he made a name for himself.

There is some pictures in here, which looking at I've realised I've seen them before but never knew the history too it.

Australian heist is a mix of factual and fictional, with James Phelps using as much research as possible to piece together a legible story to tell future generations.

[Shae · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read.

On occasion I have a soft spot for tales about Aussie rascals and scallywags, this did not disappoint.

[Susan Starr]

I was born and grew up in Eugowra so I am familiar with the story, not just from local knowledge, the reenactment in 1962 but from my father's yarns which he gleaned from old men in the pub, who were alive at the time. It's been well researched, but I'm finding it a bit irritating because of the modern and American language used in the dialogue and narrative; I particularly hate the f word. I'm not sure the largely Celtic-born bushrangers wld have used this and it doesn't add anytbing to the authenticity. I think it would have been better as a straight narrative on the history, rather than a dramatization.

[Andrew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audio and it was a pleasure. Story of Australia’s biggest gold heist by bush rangers in mid 1800s. The characters are bold real and well written. Engaging the whole way. Just wanted to keep reading to find out how it all went down.

[Litu Pung · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vividly written.

[Katie Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from James Phelps. any thing bushranger always gets me interested it just fascinates me as my great great great ( i think ive added enough greats) grandfather was Johnny Vane, He was a short time member of Ben Hall's gang who was paroled after six years of a 15-year sentence. after turnning himself in as mentioned in this book. He later returned to prison for bushranging again but was released and lived to old age. That man's life was very interesting, being a bush ranger, working as a stone mason in Sydney and then in a circus for a short time as the only surviving bushranger from Gardiner-Hall gang as well as findingtime to have so many children, no wonder our family is huge. I've read many stories and heard a lot from my grandmother. I've always wondered how much of it all is truth.

[Ned Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Frank Gardiner and his band of bushrangers. They paid the price for becoming the most wanted people in the British Empire.
An easy to read book and not difficult to put down.
Without the court records the book would have been very thin.

[Gary Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read. The court transcripts do well to show illuminate the times back then- how people spoke etc. could have gone into more descriptions of places, but to set the times. Overall really good. Did think it finished in a hurry (sources were less?).

[Michael McLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read! Was a little dry through the middle in the court proceedings but great read all around, not for the light hearted as it does get quite detailed and gruesome in some parts.

[Anna Loder · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only true crime I could ever do! I found it easy to read, well told. Such a different way of life!

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

A mediocre writer comes with interviews with the participants of those events. Nice try.

[Brendon Fehre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off slow but ended up a cracking pace. I felt more sensational than truth, more fiction than fact but still a good read.