The discovery and settlement of Australia
Australia is a land of rich and diverse history; indeed, its indigenous cultures represent some of the oldest continuous human cultures in global history, a fact which should never be overlooked when considering the country’s past. It was not until the late 18th century, however, that Europeans finally became aware of and eventually settled Australia (from the Latin australis, meaning “southern”). To be specific, it was the first transoceanic voyage of Captain James Cook—whose name is a staple in Australia due to his prominence in its history—that brought white settlers to the continent in 1770, indelibly altering the course of history for all the native inhabitants as well as for the many settlers that would arrive over the following decades and centuries to turn this into one of the most diverse and independent-minded destinations on the face of the earth.
James Cook’s ship, the HMS Endeavour, made landfall for the first time on the Australian southeastern coastline at what became known as Botany Bay (named so after botanists on board collected spectacular specimens in the area), on April 29, 1770. Nonetheless, it would be many more years until any European settlers actually laid down roots in Australia. Only in 1788, with the arrival of Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet would a permanent settlement be created intended to function as a remote penal colony for the most undesirable subjects in the British Empire. It was in this same year that Sydney, by now considered the country’s most emblematic city, was founded.
As the purpose of the British settlement in Australia was to create a penal colony that furthermore was entirely self-sufficient, the task at hand for the new settlers was enormously difficult, and just as British settlers in North America had experienced hard times so too did Phillip and his entourage. The fact that the settlers lacked sufficient knowledge of the surrounding ecosystem, were inexperienced in tasks such as carpentry and farming (not typical skills among convicts), and had to wait for two years for the next round of supplies to arrive from Britain all compounded the challenges besetting the group. Yet, as a testament to the hardiness of the incipient Australian nation, they pulled through and went on to expand and thrive and create new settlements which would eventually constitute separate British colonies.
New South Wales was the first of these, and chunks of it were subsequently rendered into distinct colonies: South Australia was formed in 1836, followed by Victoria in 1851 and Queensland in 1859. Unlike New South Wales before them, these were never intended to be penal colonies, although some of them did include such penal sites within their territory. These were years of adventure and strife, growth and competition in many senses, not only between the white settlers and the aboriginal nations, but also between vying white settlers themselves who competed to claim power and make a name for themselves.
Over the course of the 19th century, transportation of convicts gradually dropped until finally ceasing completely and the modern identity of the Australian country and nation was forged. Enormous social changes took place, spurred by events such as the various gold rushes that began in the 1850s. By the very beginning of the 20th century, the colonial era was brought to its end with the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia as a federation of all the existing governments on the island, opening a new chapter in Australia’s history—this time, as its very own country.
Australia is a land of rich and diverse history; indeed, its indigenous cultures represent some of the oldest continuous human cultures in global history, a fact which should never be overlooked when considering the country’s past. It was not until the late 18th century, however, that Europeans finally became aware of and eventually settled Australia (from the Latin australis, meaning “southern”). To be specific, it was the first transoceanic voyage of Captain James Cook—whose name is a staple in Australia due to his prominence in its history—that brought white settlers to the continent in 1770, indelibly altering the course of history for all the native inhabitants as well as for the many settlers that would arrive over the following decades and centuries to turn this into one of the most diverse and independent-minded destinations on the face of the earth.
James Cook’s ship, the HMS Endeavour, made landfall for the first time on the Australian southeastern coastline at what became known as Botany Bay (named so after botanists on board collected spectacular specimens in the area), on April 29, 1770. Nonetheless, it would be many more years until any European settlers actually laid down roots in Australia. Only in 1788, with the arrival of Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet would a permanent settlement be created intended to function as a remote penal colony for the most undesirable subjects in the British Empire. It was in this same year that Sydney, by now considered the country’s most emblematic city, was founded.
As the purpose of the British settlement in Australia was to create a penal colony that furthermore was entirely self-sufficient, the task at hand for the new settlers was enormously difficult, and just as British settlers in North America had experienced hard times so too did Phillip and his entourage. The fact that the settlers lacked sufficient knowledge of the surrounding ecosystem, were inexperienced in tasks such as carpentry and farming (not typical skills among convicts), and had to wait for two years for the next round of supplies to arrive from Britain all compounded the challenges besetting the group. Yet, as a testament to the hardiness of the incipient Australian nation, they pulled through and went on to expand and thrive and create new settlements which would eventually constitute separate British colonies.
New South Wales was the first of these, and chunks of it were subsequently rendered into distinct colonies: South Australia was formed in 1836, followed by Victoria in 1851 and Queensland in 1859. Unlike New South Wales before them, these were never intended to be penal colonies, although some of them did include such penal sites within their territory. These were years of adventure and strife, growth and competition in many senses, not only between the white settlers and the aboriginal nations, but also between vying white settlers themselves who competed to claim power and make a name for themselves.
Over the course of the 19th century, transportation of convicts gradually dropped until finally ceasing completely and the modern identity of the Australian country and nation was forged. Enormous social changes took place, spurred by events such as the various gold rushes that began in the 1850s. By the very beginning of the 20th century, the colonial era was brought to its end with the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia as a federation of all the existing governments on the island, opening a new chapter in Australia’s history—this time, as its very own country.
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7 Humorous Fun Facts about Australia!
It’s not a secret that Australia is a strange, strange country. In order to give you a little taste of their strangeness have I compiled a list of the 7 humorous fun facts about Australia!
Different ways of Backpacking Around Australia
This shouldn’t come as a surprise: Australia is a huge country. After all, it’s the only nation in the world that takes up a whole continent. When planning your backpacking trip in Oz, you need to take this into account. Wherever your itinerary takes you, there are varying options for transportation. From journeys down the East Coast to expeditions into the heart of the Outback, choosing the right method of getting there (and back) can make or break your trip. Here are some of the ways to get around Australia, with appropriate itineraries.
Backpacking Australia
Welcome to Backpack Australia! This is a site built by backpackers to guide both young and old backpackers on their great journey in our favorite country; Australia! Backpacking Australia is a wonderful opportunity to experience some of the World’s greatest nature and scenery, while only wearing thongs and a bathing shorts. If you are now thinking: “Did he just say that I would be walking around in a thong?” check out our Australian Dictionary for “thongs”!
Backpacking in Australia doesn’t necessarily require any planning, but you will save yourself for a lot of unnecessary trouble if you do some minor research and planning before you leave home. What are the top spots that you just have to visit? Where can you best learn to surf? How do you get a visum to enter the country and how the **** is it possible to drive on the wrong side of the road? Use the information available on this site and you will find answer to all of these questions! Start off with our guide on Backpacking in Australia!
Best of luck on your travels from all of us in the Backpack Australia Travel Writer Team! If you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to email us at: mail@backpackaustralia.net
Our Guide on Backpacking Australia:
Backpacking around Australia is not done in a day. For that to be said, it isn’t done in a week either. Australia is actually so big that you would have a hard time visiting all of it in a life time. So to be sure that you won’t miss out on the best places, we have created a guide that will help you stitch together your personal dream journey! Be sure to check out our Backpack Australia guide here.
Australia Attractions:
Australia is a huge country filled from top to bottom with stunning nature and exciting attractions. Diving the Great Barrier Reef, driving a 4-wheeler over the beaches of Fraser Island and partying from dusk to dawn in backpacker paradise Byron Bay is just a few examples of what Australia has to offer. Check our list over Australias Top Ten Attractions.
25 Popular Australian Slang Words For 5 Common Situations!
The Australian language is a mystery in its self. They claim to speak the language of the Queen, but I do not truly believe them. The laidback attitude that represents the country has also influenced the way they speak. You will rarely find a word longer than 8 letters that isn’t cut in half or a sentence that does not end with “mate”. The Australian slang language is a fantastic study, and to give you a head start I’ve gathered 25 words for 5 common situations. Enjoy!
Win A Spotify Invite!
Have you already backpacked Australia, or are planning to do it in the near future? Answer 5 quick questions about your trip and win a Spotify Invite!
Australia’s fascination with Big Things
If you haven’t discovered already, Australia truly is a strange country. One of the biggest cult phenomena that have spread through the country like a plague is the Big Thing statues. The Big Thing phenomena are basically just a massive amount of large plastic statues of animals, fruits, or just daily life things. So while driving through the desert in Australia, you shouldn’t be shocked if a trout by the size of a boat suddenly appears on the side of the road.
Top Ten: Australia Attractions
Backpacking Australia is a one in a lifetime journey that must be experienced! The only problem is that the place is unbelievable huge. There is so much to do and so much to see that you don’t even know where to start. To help you out, I’ve created a top ten list of my favorite Australia Attractions. Enjoy!
Backpacking Australia: Why?
Why should you travel to Australia, the old prison island thousands of miles from anywhere else? Being equally dangerous and deserted, Australia is indeed a very, very strange country. We are talking about the world leading country in venomous spiders, hungry sharks, and deadly snakes. In fact, of the ten most dangerous snakes in the world, Australia has the lot. So why would you travel to such an horrific place?