Wagener Family Down Under: Australian Founders Time Line

Australian History Time Line

This is a general time line for the early history of Australia, starting with the early discoveries of the land mass, and following the First and Second Fleets. The cutoff is 1901, when the various states formed the confederation we have today. The first area subjected to formal European colonisation was what is now called New South Wales, which at that time included Queensland. From this first outpost Van Dieman's Land (became Tasmania) was hurriedly populated in an attempt to avoid the French claiming it. Port Phillip Bay was then chosen as the third settlement point, leading to the establishment of Victoria, followed by what is now South Australia. Western Australia was nearly 40 years later in development.

The development of the three first areas was driven by the continuing transportation of people who had been judged criminals by the British system, and later the new colonies relied heavily on these continuing shipments for cheap labour. Although a very large number of people were shipped as convicts, there were also many others who were 'free' persons, and as the decades rolled past it became necessary to seek out such free migrants, offering them incentives to settle and develop what was seen as a vast empty land.

UNDER

CONSTRUCTION

Date
	First Fleet Chronology
1776	The American War of Independence begins. The former colonies of the Americas refuse to accept British convicts.
1781-1782	Two attempts to establish a convict colony in west Africa end in disaster, with most of the convicts dying from disease and privation or escaping.
1783 Aug	Peace with America prompts the despatch of the *'Swift'* transport. The convicts mutiny in the Channel and many escape at Rye, Sussex. The remainder are sent on to Maryland.
1784 Mar	The *'Mercury'* sails for America with 179 convicts. A mutiny again takes place, and many escape at Torbay, Devon. Those remaining on board are sent to America and eventually landed on the Mosquito Coast of Central America after being rejected by the newly independent United States.
18 Aug 1786	Lord Sydney writes to the Treasury requesting the provision of ships to carry convicts to New South Wales.
6 Jan 1787	The first group of convicts are embarked on the *'Alexander'* at Woolwich, London.
13 May 1787	First Fleet leaves Portsmouth, England for Botany Bay, the second harbour of what is now Sydney. The fleet consisted of the Navy ships *'H.M.S. Sirius'* and *'H.M.S. Supply', transports 'Alexander', 'Lady Penryhn', 'Scarborough', 'Charlotte', 'Friendship', and Prince of Wales', plus three stores ships, 'Fishburn', 'Borrowdale', and 'Golden Grove'*.
	The fleet was under the overall command of Capt. Arthur Phillip, and carried instructions to establish a penal colony at or near Botany Bay. The navy ships carried the appointed officials and the marines who were expected to maintain order, while the transports carried between them some 750 souls, men and women, who were transported for varying periods, but for whom the voyage could hardly be anything but a one-way trip.
3 June 1787	Arrival in Madiera. Water and fresh supplies taken on board.
14 July 1787	Fleet crosses the Equator.
6 Aug 1787	Arrival at Rio de Janiero. Fleet undergoes repairs, takes on fresh water and supplies. It should be noted that for some years previously the British Fleet had provided manpower for the Brazilian navy. This was a familiar port to the British navy.
4 Sep 1787	Fleet departs Rio.
14 Oct 1787	Arrival at Cape of Good Hope. Fresh supplies and livestock taken on board. Some rearrangements of navy and convict berths, with Capt. Phillip moving to *'HMS Supply'*.
12 Nov 1787	Departure from the Cape. It should be noted that in contrast to the view a modern atlas shows, the most direct route was then southwards and closer to the south polar regions, curving up to the east of what was then known as Van Diemans Land (Tasmania) and thereafter up the east Australian coastline.
25 Nov 1787	Capt Phillip divides the Fleet and sails on ahead with the four fastest ships, with the intention of being able to prepare for the main part of the Fleet.
3 Jan 1788	Coast of Van Dieman's Land sighted.
18 Jan 1788	The first division of the fleet anchors in Botany Bay, which is the southern of Sydney's two harbours.
20 Jan 1788	The remainder of the fleet arrives.
26 Jan 1788	All fleet ships move to Sydney Cove, Port Jackson, the second and northernmost harbour. There Capt. Phillip and officers go ashore, raise the flag and toast the new colony. And not a moment too soon, for two French ships commanded by La Perouse enter Botany Bay.
	This voyage was a remarkable feat, and while many convicts died on this voyage from misadventure, sickness or maltreatment, it is recorded that Capt. Phillip took good care to procure green vegetables and fruit to keep scurvy at bay, and that once at sea he allowed much more freedom for the prisoners than his Admiralty orders may have specified, thus ensuring reasonable health for all.	TASMANIAAt about the same time Capt. Bligh of *'Bounty'* fame plants three apple trees in Tasmania.
	Starting from nothing
	The colonists faced a new and unknown land, and Capt. Phillip had to establish a settlement, begin to grow food, and also take immediate steps to lay claim to Norfolk Island which lay off the coast to the North-east. It was known that this island had many useful materials including flax, and thus was expected to be a significant (and defensible) resource.
15 Feb 1788	The *'HMS Supply'* sails for Norfolk Island carrying a small party to establish a settlement.
10 Mar 1788	The La Perouse expedition leaves Botany Bay.
5-6 May 1788	*'Charlotte','Lady Penrhyn'*and'Scarborough'sail for China.
14 Jul 1788	*'Borrowdale', 'Alexander', 'Friendship'* and *'Prince of Wales'* sail for England.
2 Oct 1788	*'Golden Grove'* sails for Norfolk Island with a party of convicts, returning to Port Jackson on 10 November. The colony is now seriously low on food, and *'HMS Sirius'* is sent to Cape of Good Hope for supplies. It is worth recording that the fastest route was eastwards past New Zealand and via Cape Horn, effectively circumnavigating the Southern Hemisphere.
19 Nov 1788	*'Fishburn'* and *'Golden Grove'* sail for England. Only *'Supply'* now remains.

1825		Tasmania becomes independent of New South Wales, governed by the Lieutenant-Governor who was responsible directly to the Colonial Minister in Britain.

1840	Transportation to mainland Australia had virtually ceased by this date.	England continues to send convicts to Van Diemans Land (Tasmania) until 1853.
1884	*'SS Warwick'* Carried first shipment of Tasmanian apples to London, and the 'Apple Isle' was born.
1 Jan 1901	Australia becomes a self-governing Commonwealth, with Edmund Barton becoming the first Prime Minister.

Sources and acknowledgments
'The Founders of Australia', by Mollie Gillen - 'Tasmania 1803-1900', by George Finkel.