    thumb|300px|the first fleet entering port jackson on 26 january 1788 by e. le bihan the first fleet is the name given to the 11 ships which left great britain on 13 may 1787 to found a penal colony that became the first european settlement in australia. the fleet consisted of two royal navy vessels, three store ships and six convict transports, carrying more than 1,000 convicts, marines and seamen, and a vast quantity of stores. from england, the fleet sailed southwest to rio de janeiro, then east to cape town and via the great southern ocean to botany bay, arriving in mid-january 1788, taking 250 to 252 days from departure to final arrival. ==history== british convicts were originally transported to the thirteen colonies in north america, but after the american revolutionary war ended in 1783, the newly formed united states refused to accept further convicts.vaver 2011ekirch 1990 on 6 december 1785, orders in council were issued in london for the establishment of a penal colony in new south wales, on land claimed for britain by explorer james cook in his first voyage to the pacific in 1770. the first fleet was commanded by captain (later admiral) arthur phillip, who was given instructions authorising him to make regulations and land grants in the colony. the ships arrived at botany bay between 18 january and 20 january 1788:lewis, baulderstone and bowan 2006. hms supply arrived on 18 january, alexander, scarborough and friendship arrived on 19 january, and the remaining ships on 20 januar
1788_in_Australia 18th_century_in_Australia British_colonisation_of_Oceania Convictism_in_Australia History_of_Australia_(1788a1850) History_of_New_South_Wales Immigration_to_Australia Maritime_history_of_Australia