the first fleet arrived in australia on 18 to 20 january 1788.
the first fleet arrived in australia on 18 to 20 january 1788.
when did the first fleet arrive in australia?
18 to 20 january 1788
the first fleet was the 11 ships that departed from portsmouth, england, on 13 may 1787 to found the 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 between 1,000 and 1,500 convicts, marines, seamen, civil officers and free people (accounts differ on the numbers), and a large 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 over the period of 18 to 20 january 1788, taking 250 to 252 days from departure to final arrival.
first fleet
section::::history.:first contact.









































the first fleet encountered indigenous australians when they landed at botany bay. the cadigal people of the botany bay area witnessed the fleet arrive and six days later the two ships of french explorer la pérouse, the "astrolabe" and the "boussole", sailed into the bay. when the fleet moved to sydney cove seeking better conditions for establishing the colony, they encountered the eora people, including the bidjigal clan. a number of the first fleet journals record encounters with aboriginal people.
first fleet