Following in the footsteps of Tasmania's 'Cannibal Convict' Alexander Pearce | ABC Australia

Almost two centuries on from the death of notorious convict cannibal Alexander Pearce, six plucky and experienced walkers retraced his steps through some of the harshest Tasmanian country in the south-west of the state.

Convict Pearce was the sole survivor of a daring escape in the 19th century by eight convicts from a remote penal establishment called Sarah Island. It became an astonishing effort of survival as the team of eight were picked off by their fellow escapees and killed for consumption.

In 2008, Simon Morris and five friends walked, crawled, climbed and macheted 170 kilometres through dense scrub to recreate a path similar to what Pearce would have taken, but with the aid of modern technology and food drops.

The group recently reunited to reflect on the walk and have now shared footage with ABC.

📽 Video produced by Lucille Cutting and edited by Tom Edwards.

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