Captain Phillip and other officers looked around the shores of Botany Bay but there were no sign of the lush meadows and fertile soil described by Captain James Cook in 1770. Instead there was sandy soil unsuitable for growing crops, not enough fresh water nor sheltered anchor for the ships.
Captain Phillip quickly decided that Botany Bay was unsuitable for the new settlement. Accompanied by Captain John Hunter, Phillip sailed in a small boat to try to reach Broken Bay to see if conditions were more suitable there.
On the way they came upon what they called "the most beautiful harbour in the world". Sailing into the harbour and exploring the numerous coves, they settled on one with a fine spring of water. This cove they named Sydney Cove in honour of Lord Sydney who had been instrumental in the whole project.
This place Captain Phillip decided would be the site of the new settlement in the new colony of New South Wales.
The whole fleet arrived at Sydney Cove on the 26 January 1788. The British flag was raised and toasts drunk to Their Majesties in distant Britain and the new colony had begun.
The Aborigines watched in amazement hidden in the bush, who were these strange beings? Some thought that they were the ghosts of their ancestors from the Dreamtime.
The women and children stayed on board the ships while the men cleared bush and scrub to erect tents to accommodate the new settlers.
What did the convicts, particularly the women think of their new home, far from all that they knew? It was completely alien to them all. The new settlers were far home and most had had to leave their loved ones behind. Husbands, wives, children and other close family members and friends, would they ever see them again? How would they live in this place, where there was no white habitation anywhere? Just the endless bush and possibly hostile natives? This was the place where they would have to carve out a new home and town from the wilderness and few had the skills for it.
The first night on shore the convicts celebrated after the many months at sea, but the next morning the now Governor Phillip cracked down, demanding adherence to principles of law and order with harsh punishments for transgressors. He had to keep this collection of all types of people alive and thriving.
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