Frank Gardiner | |
|---|---|
 Gardiner, 1864 | |
| Born | Francis Christie 1830 Rosshire, Scotland |
| Died | c. 1882 San Francisco, United States |
| Other names | Andrew Taylor; Frank Clarke; Frank Jones; Frank Gardiner; 'The Darkie' |
| Occupation | Bushranger |
| Children | John Gardiner |
Frank Gardiner (1830 – c. 1882) was an Australian bushranger who became notorious for his lead role in the largest gold heist in Australian history, at Eugowra, New South Wales in June 1862. Gardiner and his gang, which included bushrangers Ben Hall, John O'Meally and John Gilbert, made off with a pile of cash and 77 kilograms of gold, worth about $10 million in modern Australian currency.[1]
After the Eugowra robbery, Gardiner escaped to Queensland, where he ran a general store until he was tracked down by police in 1864. Following his arrest, he was tried at the Supreme Court of New South Wales and sentenced to 32 years imprisonment. In response to a petition for his release, he was pardoned after 10 years and exiled. He moved to the United States, where he died in or around 1882.
- ^ Phelps, James (2019). Australian heist: the true story behind Australia's largest gold robbery. Sydney, N.S.W.: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-1-4607-5804-5. OCLC 1114327576.