What was the First Fleet?
The First Fleet was the group of 11 ships that carried convicts, marines, officials and their families from England to found the British colony of New South Wales, arriving at Sydney Cove in January 1788.
The fleet left Portsmouth on 13 May 1787 under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip. It sailed via Tenerife, Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town, a voyage of about eight months and more than 24,000 kilometres.
The ships carried roughly 1,400 people, including around 750 to 780 convicts. There were two naval escort ships, HMS Sirius and HMS Supply, six convict transports and three supply ships.
Arrival
The fleet first reached Botany Bay between 18 and 20 January 1788, but Phillip found it unsuitable, with poor water and soil. He moved to Port Jackson and chose Sydney Cove, where the British flag was raised on 26 January 1788.
That date is now marked as Australia Day, although many Aboriginal people mark it as Invasion Day or Survival Day.
The colony struggled with food shortages in its early years. The Second Fleet in 1790 brought more convicts, many sick or dying, while the Third Fleet followed in 1791.
Did You Know?
Two French ships led by La Pérouse arrived at Botany Bay just days after the First Fleet.