author
Woomera
1817–1900
A transported convict who turned lived experience into a vivid account of colonial Australia, this writer is remembered for a rare firsthand narrative of punishment, survival, and life around Port Macquarie.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Writing under the name Woomera, William Delaforce (1817–1900) is known for The Life and Experiences of an Ex-Convict in Port Macquarie. Museum and library records identify Woomera as Delaforce's pseudonym and connect the book directly to his life story.
Delaforce was sentenced in 1834 to seven years' transportation for housebreaking and was sent to New South Wales aboard the Hooghley. Sources describing his life say he later lived in the Port Macquarie district, and his memoir stands out as a firsthand look at the convict system and everyday survival in early colonial Australia.
He died in Port Macquarie on June 7, 1900, aged 83. A portrait does appear on a People Australia entry, but the available image file I could confirm was not in a supported format for the library profile image, so no verified portrait URL is included here.