Early European exploration

In the 17th century, European explorers discovered parts of what they called ‘Terra Australis Incognita’—the unknown land of the south. In 1606, a Dutchman, Willem Janszoon, charted the western side of Cape York Peninsula at the northern tip of Australia. Around this time, a Spanish ship captained by Luís Vaez de Torres sailed through the strait to the north of Australia.

Later in the 1600s, Dutch sailors explored the coast of Western Australia, and called this land ‘New Holland’.

In 1642, Abel Tasman discovered the coast of a new land that he named ‘Van Diemen’s Land’ (now Tasmania). He also charted thousands of miles of Australian coast. His incomplete map of New Holland shows that he believed the land was joined to Papua New Guinea in the north.

William Dampier was the first English person to set foot on Australian soil. In 1684, he landed on the north-west coast. Given how dry and dusty the land was, he did not consider it useful for trade or settlement.

Captain James Cook Until Englishman James Cook reached the east coast of Australia in 1770, it had not been explored by Europeans. Cook had been sent by the British Government on a voyage of discovery to the South Pacific. He charted the east coast and landed his ship, the Endeavour, at Botany Bay, just south of modern Sydney. James Cook called this land ‘New South Wales’, and claimed it for King George III.

Convict transportation Australia is unique, in that most of its first European settlers were convicts. After the United States of America achieved independence, Great Britain could no longer send its convicts there and British prisons became very crowded. In 1786, Great Britain decided to transport some of the convicts to the new colony of New South Wales.

The first colony The first Governor of the colony of New South Wales was Captain Arthur Phillip. He brought 11 ships safely from Britain to the other side of the world, leading the ‘First Fleet’ into Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. It is on the anniversary of this day that we mark Australia Day each year.

The early years of settlement The early years of colonial settlement were very hard. To make sure that people didn’t starve, Governor Phillip put everyone on the same rations, including himself and his officers. His common sense and determination helped the colony survive those first difficult years.

Convicts worked hard in the early settlement. Those who completed their sentences became free men and women and moved into the community to work and raise families.

New opportunities Australia’s early European population was made up largely of English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish people. The Scottish, Welsh and Irish had often been at war with the English, but in Australia, the four groups lived and worked closely together.

Convicts and ex-convicts began to find new opportunities in the colony. Some ex-convicts set up businesses on their own as merchants. Others did well as farmers, tradesmen, shopkeepers and publicans.

Caroline Chisholm (1808–77)

Caroline Chisholm was a leading social reformer who improved the situation of single women in the early colonies. She came to Australia with her army officer husband and five children in 1838. She helped the migrant women who were living on the streets of Sydney. Within a few years, she set up 16 migrant women’s hostels around the colony.

Caroline worked hard to improve life on the ships for the people travelling to the colonies. She also arranged a loan plan for destitute people to help break the cycle of dependence and poverty.

Today, many of Australia’s schools are named after Caroline Chisholm. She was known as ‘the migrant’s friend’ and is remembered for her tireless efforts to help people to start a new life.

Governor Macquarie Along with Governor Phillip, Governor Lachlan Macquarie holds an important place in our early history. He governed the colony of New South Wales between 1810 and 1821, developing it as a free settlement, not a convict colony. He improved farming practices, built new roads and public facilities, and encouraged the exploration of Australia.

Governor Macquarie also put money into education and respected the rights of former convicts. He gave some former convicts jobs as judges and public servants.

Governor Macquarie is honoured in history for the positive changes he made to the colony. Macquarie University in New South Wales is named after him.

Convict heritage It was thought that the Governor’s position was too powerful for one man, so in 1823, the New South Wales Legislative Council was formed to advise the next Governor and reform the colony.

Great Britain stopped sending convicts to New South Wales in 1840, to Tasmania in 1852 and to Western Australia in 1868. In total, more than 160,000 convicts were transported to Australia. The divisions between ex-convicts and the settlers gradually disappeared. From the 1850s, the colonists were governing themselves and wanted to build respectable societies. Many Australians have come to be proud of their convict heritage.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples after European settlement In 1788, at the start of European settlement, it is estimated that there were between 750,000 and 1.4 million Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. This included about 250 individual nations and more than 700 language groups.

When setting up its colonies in Australia, the British Government did not make a treaty with the Aboriginal people. The British authorities believed they were legally entitled to occupy the land.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had their own economies and an ancient and enduring connection to the land. Where they had once lived under their own rule, they were now forced to accept the laws of the newcomers. The newcomers had not been invited and they were generally not welcomed.

The lives of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were profoundly changed by the arrival of British colonists. Lives were lost and land taken as the colonisers attempted to impose new social, economic and religious orders. New animals, plants and diseases were introduced.

The early governors were told not to harm the Aboriginal people, but the British settlers moved onto their land and many Aboriginal people were killed. Settlers were usually not punished for committing such crimes.

Some Aboriginal people and European settlers were able to live peacefully together. Some settlers employed Aboriginal people on sheep and cattle farms. Governor Macquarie offered Aboriginal people their own land for farming and set up a school for Aboriginal children. However, very few Aboriginal people wanted to live the way the settlers lived, as they did not want to lose their cultural traditions.

Many Aboriginal people were killed in the battles over land. While the exact number is unknown, it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of Aboriginal people died. An even greater number of Aboriginal people died from the diseases that the Europeans brought to the country. The loss of Aboriginal life was catastrophic.