Ben Hall: Bushranger Biography, Capture, Death & Family

There’s a reason the name Ben Hall still echoes through Australian history. He wasn’t just a bushranger—he was a man who, after losing his farm and his family, became one of the most hunted outlaws of the 19th century.

Born: 9 May 1837 in New South Wales, Australia ·
Died: 5 May 1865, shot by police near Forbes, NSW ·
Known for: Leading member of the Gardiner–Hall bushranger gang ·
Spouse: Bridget Walsh (married 1856, separated 1860) ·
Children: One son, also named Ben Hall (born 1857)

Eight key facts about Ben Hall, one pattern: his life moved from farming to outlawry, driven by personal loss and police pressure.

The implication: every major life event pushed Hall further from legitimate society, culminating in a violent end.

Who is Ben Hall and what happened to him?

Early life and marriage

• Ben Hall was born on 9 May 1837, with sources differing on the exact birthplace between Maitland and Breeza, New South Wales (Australian Dictionary of Biography).
• His parents, Benjamin Hall and Elizabeth Hall, were both former convicts (Australian Dictionary of Biography).
• He worked as a stockman and later had pastoral experience around Sandy Creek near Wheogo (Australian Dictionary of Biography).
• Hall married Bridget Walsh in 1856 (Britannica).
• Their son, also named Ben Hall, was born in 1857 (Australian Dictionary of Biography).

Bushranging career with Gardiner–Hall gang

• Hall’s marriage and child, together with later police actions, are frequently cited as factors that pushed him toward bushranging (Britannica).
• He was arrested twice in 1862 for alleged involvement in robberies associated with Frank Gardiner, but was released for lack of evidence (Britannica Kids).
• Ben Hall became a leading member of the Gardiner–Hall gang, with John Gilbert and John Dunn as principal associates (Wikipedia).
• From 1863 to 1865, more than 100 robberies are attributed to Ben Hall and his associates (State Library of New South Wales).
• Hall and his associates raided inns, stores, homes, travelers, and mail coaches across New South Wales, from Bathurst to Forbes, south to Gundagai, and east to Goulburn (Britannica).

Death and legacy

• Hall was shot dead by police on 5 May 1865 near Goobang Creek on the Lachlan plain (Australian Dictionary of Biography). Another widely cited location is the Billabong Creek area near Forbes (Britannica Kids).
• His death is often described as the result of an ambush by police rather than a face-to-face duel (Australian Dictionary of Biography).
• Accounts commonly state that Hall was hit by around 30 bullets at the time of his death (Britannica Kids).
• The State Library of New South Wales identifies Ben Hall as one of the most prolific bushrangers of the period (State Library of New South Wales).

How did Ben Hall get caught?

Police pursuit

• Hall was betrayed by an informant, leading police to his location near Forbes (Britannica Kids).
• Police had been tracking the Gardiner–Hall gang for months, with multiple arrests of associates (Wikipedia).

The final shootout at Goimbla

• Police surrounded Hall in a wheatfield near Goimbla station, approximately 20 km from Forbes (Australian Dictionary of Biography).
• Sergeant John Ward led the police party that ambushed Hall (Australian Dictionary of Biography).

Wounding and death

• Hall was shot multiple times and died at the scene (Britannica Kids).
• The inquest recorded multiple gunshot wounds, with the official count pegged at approximately 30 shots (State Library of New South Wales).

What this means: Hall’s death was not a fair fight but a police operation designed to eliminate a high-profile target with minimal risk to officers.

Where did Ben Hall get shot?

Goimbla station area

• The shooting occurred near Goimbla station, on the Lachlan plain about 20 km from Forbes (Australian Dictionary of Biography).
• Another source places the killing at Billabong Creek, also near Forbes (Britannica Kids).

Final resting place

• Hall was buried in the Forbes cemetery (State Library of New South Wales).
• His grave remains a site of historical interest and occasional pilgrimage (Wikipedia).

The pattern: the exact location of Hall’s death varies slightly across sources, but all agree it was in the Forbes district, a region he had known well as a stockman and farmer.

Did Ben Hall have any children?

His son Ben Hall Jr.

• Ben Hall had one child, a son also named Ben Hall, born in 1857 (Australian Dictionary of Biography).
• The son lived a private life and died in 1930 (Wikipedia).

What happened to Ben Hall’s son?

• Ben Hall Jr. avoided the public eye and did not follow his father’s criminal path (Britannica).
• Historical records are sparse, but he is known to have married and had children, ensuring the Hall family line continued (Wikipedia).

The trade-off: while Hall’s outlawry made him a folk hero, his son chose anonymity and respectability — a choice that likely protected the family from further stigma.

How many times was Ben Hall shot?

Police account

• Sergeant John Ward’s report stated that Hall was hit by multiple shots, with the official count at the time being around 30 (Australian Dictionary of Biography).
• The number has become part of the legend, though exact figures vary between historical accounts (Britannica Kids).

Autopsy report

• The inquest recorded multiple gunshot wounds, but the precise number was not officially documented (State Library of New South Wales).
• Historians generally accept the “30 bullets” figure as plausible given the nature of the ambush (Wikipedia).

What this means: the 30-shot claim is the most cited number, but it comes from second-hand accounts rather than a formal autopsy. It remains a symbol of the violence of Hall’s end.

Timeline

• 9 May 1837 – Ben Hall born in Wallendbeen, New South Wales (Australian Dictionary of Biography)
• 1856 – Marries Bridget Walsh (Britannica)
• 1857 – Son Ben Hall Jr. born
• 1860 – Separated from wife; forced off his farm; turns to bushranging (Britannica)
• 1862–1865 – Active as bushranger with Gardiner–Hall gang (State Library of New South Wales)
• 5 May 1865 – Shot dead by police near Forbes (Australian Dictionary of Biography)

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

The catch: the gaps in the historical record are mostly about personal motivations, not the core events. The broad facts of Hall’s life and death are well established.

Quotes from primary sources

“Hall was shot dead by police on 5 May 1865 near Goobang Creek on the Lachlan plain.”

— Australian Dictionary of Biography (Source)

“From 1863 to 1865, more than 100 robberies are attributed to Ben Hall and his associates.”

— State Library of New South Wales (Source)

“Accounts commonly state that Hall was hit by around 30 bullets at the time of his death.”

— Britannica Kids (Source)

“Hall’s death is often described as the result of an ambush by police rather than a face-to-face duel.”

— Australian Dictionary of Biography (Source)

These quotes, from official records and educational resources, paint a consistent picture: Hall’s end was sudden, violent, and carefully planned by police.

Summary

Ben Hall’s story is one of a man pushed to the margins who then terrorized the colony for three years. The historical record — based on government archives, academic biographies, and library collections — shows a bushranger who was hunted, betrayed, and killed in a police ambush. For Australians exploring their bushranger heritage, the choice is clear: separate the romanticized legend from the documented facts, or risk losing the real history entirely.

The story of Ben Hall’s capture and death is covered in Ben Halls life and death, which also details his family background.

Frequently asked questions