In 1894 he edited the Australian Field, a weekly agricultural paper.
[3] Hennessey retired from journalism when he was about seventy years old, however he continued his literary work until shortly before his death, which occurred after a brief illness.
As well as short stories in magazines in Australia and England, Hennessey published several novels.
One, The Outlaw, was awarded second prize of £400 in a £1,000 novel competition.
[3] Hennessey kept a diary on his voyage from England to Australia on the ship Lammermuir and it is now held in the State Library of Queensland.