What is a Glossary?

A glossary is an alphabetical list of key words and their meanings that relate to a topic. The meanings of words written in bold are found in the glossary.

On this page you will find a glossary of words you may come across when researching Australia in the 1800s. Click on the key words to find out more about them and hear how they are spoken.

Bushranger – an escaped convict or robber living in the bush.

Colonial – the period of Australian history before 1901.

Colony – a settlement in a new place.

Convict – a person who has broken the law and is given time in prison.

Gold Rush – a ‘rush’ of people to a place where gold has been found.

Immigration – the movement of non-native people into a country to settle there.

Penal – used as a place for punishment, eg. a penal settlement.

(Collins, 2020)