Key personnel: Dr Richard Tuffin, Prof Martin Gibbs

This project aims to prove the critical role that the probation system (1839-53) played in the development of an Australian colony. Derided at the time and since as a monumental failure, the system had a lasting impact upon the landscape of Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania), the lifecourses of those sentenced under it, and the application of criminal justice systems in the British world. The project expects to establish probation’s footprint through the application of historical and archaeological methodologies. Anticipated outcomes include a framework for reevaluating the impact of the convict period on Australia’s development, with benefits set to include enhancing recognition and protection for probation’s threatened landscapes.