How many convicts were sent to Australia?
About 162,000 convicts were transported from Britain and Ireland to the Australian colonies between 1788 and 1868. They were sent to New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land, Western Australia and other settlements.
The First Fleet in 1788 carried around 750 convicts. Over the next 80 years, hundreds of convict ships made the long journey to Australia.
New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land, now Tasmania, received the vast majority of convicts. Western Australia received nearly 10,000 convicts between 1850 and 1868, at the request of local settlers who needed labor.
Who were the convicts?
Most convicts were transported for theft and other property crimes. Some were political prisoners, including Irish rebels and English protestors. Around one in six convicts were women.
Many convicts were assigned to work for free settlers or the government. After serving their sentences, they could receive tickets of leave or pardons and become free citizens.
Today, millions of Australians are descended from convicts. Historic sites such as Port Arthur, Hyde Park Barracks and Fremantle Prison are part of the World Heritage-listed Australian Convict Sites.