A British individual who relocated a vast distance to establish a fresh life in Australia was instructed to depart and never return due to a series of egregious offenses. Frank Gardiner, a notorious bushranger, was banished from the nation in the 1870s, post the end of convict arrivals in Australia. He was a well-known criminal who, alongside other outlaws, plagued the country.

Gardiner gained infamy for leading the largest gold robbery in Australian history at Eugowra, New South Wales. The Gardiner-Hall gang, comprising prominent bushrangers, executed the heist, stealing a significant amount of cash and approximately 77kg of gold, valued at around £5 million today.

These outlaws engaged in various criminal activities such as bank robberies, coach service hold-ups, and estate raids, often confronting colonial police in fierce shootouts. The gang members, including Gardiner, Ben Hall, Fred Lowry, Michael Burke, John O’Meally, Henry Manns, Johnny Gilbert, and John Dunn, met harsh fates, with some being shot by police, while others took their own lives or were executed.

Originally born as Francis Christie in Scotland, Gardiner migrated to Australia as a child in 1834. He began his criminal career by stealing horses in 1850 and was eventually arrested and imprisoned multiple times. Despite brief attempts at honest living, Gardiner continued his criminal activities, leading to his eventual arrest and sentencing to hard labor.

After serving time in prison, Gardiner was granted an early release under certain conditions, including exile from Australian colonies and New Zealand. He accepted the terms and relocated to the United States in 1874, where he established a bar and became a well-known figure among Australian immigrants in San Francisco.

The circumstances surrounding Gardiner’s death remain unclear, with reports suggesting various dates and locations, including a speculated burial in a pauper’s grave in San Francisco. The lack of concrete information is attributed in part to record losses during the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.