At the age of seven, children in eighteenth century Britain were tried in court like adults. Some, as young as nine, were transported to the colonies. Their names may not be familiar, but one of these child convicts would become the first person hanged in Australia, another would be celebrated on our twenty-dollar note and a third would count a future prime minister as a descendant. Their story is one of survival. Their story is one of nation-building. Their story is the story of Australia.