New South Wales
New South Wales was founded (begun) in 1788, by the British who set up a small penal colony on the land of the Gadigal people who had been there for tens of thousands of years. The Gadigal called the place "Cadi" but the British called it Sydney. The British colony of New South Wales originally included more than half of the Australian mainland, as well as New Zealand, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. During the 19th century large areas were separated to form the British colonies of Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New Zealand.