Born in Dublin around 1802 as the daughter of a doctor, Isabella Mary Kelly arrived in Australia as a Catholic orphan and became the first settler in the Upper Manning Valley (on the New South Wales North Coast) in 1838. As a single, independent woman – who never had a male partner – she lived on her property, Mount George, and had eight convicts assigned to work for her. Most did not like a female boss and caused trouble for her.
As other settlers arrived, she soon came into conflict with men who believed she should be doing ‘womanly’ things – not running a property – and who tried to take advantage of her.
A series of court appearances followed, sometimes in her
