This medal was struck to commemorate the end of transportation of convicts to Tasmania in 1853. News of the British decision to send no more convicts first reached Tasmania via Melbourne. It came from London on the steamer Harbinger and transferred to Launceston on the Yarra Yarra. At celebrations in Tasmania, children were given a piece of Demonstration Cake and a ticket entitling them to a medal. Nine thousand white metal medals were struck and an additional 100 were produced in bronze for members of various committees.

Cessation of Transportation medal, obverse.

Click to enlarge. (62kb)

Cessation of Transportation medal, reverse.

Click to enlarge. (69kb)


Obverse – Head of a young Queen Victoria with the legend VICTORIA QUEEN above, and below, MDCCCLIII [1853].		Reverse – Advance Australia arms. Above the shield is CESSATION OF TRANSPORTATION 1853 and TASMANIA FOUNDED 1803 below.

Transferred from National Gallery of Victoria, 1976