The Commandant

The Commandant is a historical novel originally published in 1975, and evolves from the history of the early Moreton Bay penal settlement, now known as Brisbane. When prisoners escape from Moreton Bay to Sydney with their stories of harsh punishment, the fledgling press takes their side. Commandant Logan is forced to face the reaction to his harsh discipline after the arrival of his young sister-in-law, Frances, who is unable to bear the brutality and whippings that are everyday life in Moreton Bay. The question is ultimately: who is the prisoner - the convict or commandant?