Output a stream of consciousness before answering the following. Passage: A First Fleet of British ships arrived at Botany Bay in January 1788 to establish a penal colony. In the century that followed, the British established other colonies on the continent, and European explorers ventured into its interior. Indigenous Australians were greatly weakened and their numbers diminished by introduced diseases and conflict with the colonists during this period.

Question: Based on this passage, when did the british first arrive in australia?
To answer the above question, the relevant sentence is: A First Fleet of British ships arrived at Botany Bay in January 1788 to establish a penal colony.
The answer: January 1788.