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AhmedJanuary 26 - Australia Day
January 25th 2007 20:11
Captain Arthur Phillip
January 26, 1788
Today marks Australia Day, the Australian public holiday celebrating the arrival of the First Fleet to the country's shores on the day in 1788. The First Fleet, eleven ships which carried close to 1400 convicts from Britain, first made it to Australian shores eight days earlier on January 18. Under the command of Arthur Phillip, the fleet landed first in Botany Bay, the area designated by Captain James Cook for colonisation in 1770. However, the are was deemed unsuitable by Arthur Phillip, and the fleet continued north to Sydney Cove where they setup camp.
Despite Britain's plans for New South Wales to be utilised solely as a penal colony, civil administration created early during the society's formation allowed the colony to expand beyond a simple prison camp. Rather, New South Wales expanded as a civil society, with many convicts gaining their freedom through various methods. Arthur Phillip was governor of New South Wales until 1793 when he returned to London under the weight of declining health.
Exploration allowed the colony to expand across the continent and to the Tasmanian island (originally known as Van Diemen's Land). By 1863, the continent had been divided into the seperate territories in which it exists today. However, it wasn't until 1901 that AUstralia became a unified country. During the federation process, New Zealand and Fiji were both considered as candidates to become a part of the federation, however both eventually opted out.
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