Two young Englishmen, Harry Taylor, a minor felon, and Patrick Galbraith, a navy marine lieutenant serving on the final convict transport ship bound for Australia in 1867, become friends on the voyage. Harry and Patrick both end up in Trial Bay Prison on the north coast of New South Wales. In return for good behaviour, an early release allows them to explore the hinterland. Opportunity knocks when the pair have a violent run-in with bushrangers and land a windfall beyond their wildest dreams. But their newfound wealth also haunts their adventurous lives, through a series of pivotal encounters with cattle thieves, murderers, colourful figures of the