‘On 5 March, 1804, a group of 233 convict rebels revolted against their incarceration in the British colony of New South Wales (corresponding to modern Sydney, Australia). They were met by the local garrison, consisting of only 28-30 regulars and a few loyalist militia, at a place some 40km north-west of Sydney soon dubbed Vinegar Hill. Some of the rebel convicts had been involved in the 1798 Irish Rebellion and had, in 1799, been transported to Australia as punishment.

The battle in Australia was therefore named after the battle of Vinegar Hill (or Cath Chnoc Fhíodh na gCaor in Irish), the battle fought in June 1798 in County Wexford where British forces defeated the Irish rebels. Although the Irish battle was not decisive (as is sometimes claimed) in the defeat of the 1798 rebellion, the battle in Australia was indeed decisive and quickly ended the Australian rebellion. This was the first and most serious convict uprising in Australia and the first battle between Europeans on her shores.’