I have contacted 2 professors here in OZ who have written on convict tattoos and they both say that "Branding" was not a form of punishment or control of convicts during our transportation period which commenced in Sydney in 1788 until 1849 and in Western Australia into the 1860's.
It had been a practice in England in Earlier times and in Ireland into the early 19th century.
The authorities did note all tattoos as well as scarrs and the like for
identification of runaways and convicts who may have died.
These notations were made on arrival.
Those I have referred to all seem to fall into the category of normal convict tattooing, it is just their meaning which is in doubt.

Peter
Melbourne