Gardiner–Hall gang


The Gardiner–Hall Gang was an informal group of bushrangers who roamed the central west of New South Wales, Australia in the 1860s. Named after leaders Frank Gardiner and Ben Hall, the gang was responsible for the largest gold robbery in Australia’s history at Eugowra Rocks. The gang had its origins in 1861; its demise came with the execution of John Dunn in 1866.

Known members and fate

John Peisley was born at Bathurst in 1835. While a teenager, he became a notorious horse thief in the area. He was convicted and sentenced to serve time on Cockatoo Island near Sydney, where he met Frank Gardiner. In December 1860, Peisley gained his ticket of leave, on the condition that he remain in the Hunter River Valley area. He absconded to the Abercrombie Ranges, where his parents once lived, and became a lone highway robber, "sticking up" travellers in the area south and west of Bathurst.
Gardiner was granted a ticket of leave in December 1859 on the condition of staying in the Carcoar district, and he soon joined up with Peisley. Johnny Gilbert joined them soon afterwards, and the gang started stealing cattle and horses. Gardiner's ticket of leave was revoked when a warrant for his arrest for cattle stealing was issued.
Gardiner had a partnership with William Fogg in a butcher shop at Spring Creek. Gardiner supplied Fogg with stolen cattle, and Fogg would slaughter the cattle and sell the meat.

1861

In 1862, John Gilbert was first named as an accomplice of Gardiner when they and two others held up a storekeeper. Just over a month later, John Gilbert was involved in another robbery, this time with Gardiner and Ben Hall. From then on John Gilbert was identified as being involved in several hold-ups between Lambing Flat and Lachlan.