Botany Bay

What we now know as “The First Fleet” was the departure of eleven ships under the command of Captain Arthur Philip. They departed England on the 13th of May 1787 for an eight month long trip, halfway around the world and not really knowing what to expect. They were sailed out with 1,350 people, of which 750 were convicts, on their ships to go and establish the first European settlement on Australian soil. When they arrived at Botany Bay in January 1788, it was quite clear that the area was not suitable for living and growing crops, the soil was infertile and the bay itself was unprotected and open to the elements of the sea. For this reason Captain Philip decided to go further up the coast and north to Port Jackson. On the night of the 26th of January 1788, the fleet was safely anchored in Sydney Cove, which is in the heart of what today is Circular Quay. Botany Bay on the other hand is a nice open bay, only a few kilometers from the city centre and it is remembered as the first place where “HMS Endeavour” landed after a long voyage at sea.