Australian Bushrangers: Mapping, Source Analysis & Comparison Lesson

Australian Bushrangers History Lesson

This no-prep Australian colonial history resource helps Year 9 students investigate why bushrangers emerged, how they operated across different colonies, and why some became legends while others were remembered mainly as criminals.

Students begin with an accessible historical reading and source analysis activity focused on Ned Kelly’s armour. They then use eight detailed bushranger profile cards to complete a comparison table, map where each figure operated, and make evidence-based judgements about crime, folklore, authority and historical memory.

What is included?

• Historical reading on why bushrangers became famous
• Source analysis questions using Ned Kelly’s armour
• Australian bushranger mapping activity
• Comparison table covering years active, location, actions, key events and outcomes
• Eight bushranger profile cards: Jack Donohoe, Martin Cash, Frank Gardiner, Ben Hall, Captain Thunderbolt, Dan Morgan, Ned Kelly and Moondyne Joe
• Printable bushranger cut-outs
• Complete answer key and comparison table answers
• Student digital version
• Introductory PowerPoint slide deck

Australian Curriculum alignment

This resource supports Year 9 Australian Curriculum History through the study of colonial society, convict legacies, settlement, law and order, historical perspectives, source analysis and contested interpretations of the past.

Outcome code tags: AC9HH9K02, AC9HH9K05, AC9HH9K06, AC9HH9S03, AC9HH9S04, AC9HH9S06, AC9HH9S07, AC9HH9S08

Perfect for

• Year 9 Australian History
• Colonial Australia and Making a Nation
• Bushrangers and Ned Kelly lessons
• Source analysis and historical perspectives
• Mapping and comparison activities
• Relief lessons, sub plans and absent students
• Distance learning and flipped classrooms

This flexible resource combines comprehension, mapping, source analysis and historical judgement in one lesson sequence, making it ideal for mixed-ability secondary history classes.