Mary Ann Bugg
One of only a couple notable female bushrangers, Mary Ann Bugg (1834-1905) was an Aboriginal woman of the Worimi people.
Born to a Worimi mother and a convict father from Essex, England, Mary Ann was sent to Sydney to be educated.
Bugg worked with her lover, Frederick Ward ("Captain Thunderbolt"), whom she helped escape Cockatoo Island. Bushrangers were those who lived in the bush and made a living by robbery, similar to British highwaymen or American Wild West outlaws. Bushranging lasted for over a century, having significant influence and popularity today. Native-born bushrangers were among some of the first Australian nationalists and folk heroes.
Bugg was often described as a 'young man' as she wore trousers and rode astride. She was in charge of intelligence gathering, keeping camp, and helping organize robberies. She was apprehended by the police three times, though at least two were overturned.
