Early days of European settlement

The yarn

• European settlement started when the first 11 convict ships — the 'First Fleet' — arrived from Great Britain on 26 January 1788.
• British jails were overflowing, so the British Government decided to transport convicts to the new colony of New South Wales.
• The first Governor of the colony of New South Wales was Captain Arthur Phillip.
• Early free settlers came from Great Britain and Ireland. That British and Irish heritage strongly influenced Australia's history, culture and politics.
• In 1851 a 'gold rush' began when gold was found in New South Wales and Victoria. Chinese people arriving then were the first large group of migrants not from Europe. In 10 years Australia's population more than doubled.