1788 - The Brutal Truth of the First Fleet

The Transport of British Convicts and Settlers to Sydney, Australia

Feb 17, 2009

David Hill offers a fascinating and factual account of the preparation and journey of the First Fleet and the establishment of a British colony in Sydney, Australia.

For many, the story of the First Fleet begins and ends with an image of convicts and naval officers arriving in Australia, with Arthur Phillip planting the British Flag in the soil of Sydney Cove.

In 1788: The Brutal Truth of the First Fleet (William Heineman, 2008), best-selling Australian author David Hill provides a comprehensive review of not only the journey and early years of settlement in Australia, but also the political motivations for transporting convicts, the background of a variety of convicts, British officers and political figures, and the many struggles experienced by the first European settlers in New South Wales.

The Story of the First Fleet

The eight month journey of eleven small ships laden with England’s offcast criminals and supplies for the establishment of a colony in New South Wales, Australia constitutes only a small part of the story of The First Fleet. In 1788, David Hill provides not only details of the arduous sea voyage, but also the years of political wrangling and preparation that led up to the embarkation of the fleet and the years of struggle, famine and difficulties after their arrival on the east coast of Australia.

Struggling with an overloaded prison system and denied access to the American colonies by the War of Independence, the British government decided to send prisoners to the new colony of Australia. The move was supported not only by key political figures but also be Joseph Banks, who had travelled with Captain James Cook on his first voyage mapping the Australian east coast.

Under the direction of Arthur Phillip, the first Governor of New South Wales, the First Fleet managed a remarkably successful journey, particularly when viewed in comparison with the Second and Third Fleet. The real struggles began after the arrival in Australia, with a severe shortage of the resources and skilled labour needed to establish a self-supporting colony.

The Early Years of European Settlement in Australia

1788 is a factual and well annotated account of the First Fleet, with information drawn from historical documents including private letters and journals, government records and books published by those who travelled with the First Fleet and spent time in Australia during the early years of the settlement.

The first six chapters focus on the preparation of the Fleet, although Hill continues to provide background information about key figures throughout the remainder of the book. The remaining twelve chapters offer an account of the journey of the Fleet and arrival in Australia and the struggles of the first settlers in finding or growing fresh food, keeping livestock, coping with the extremes of the Australian climate and maintaining contact with England.

A detailed index, chronology, bibliography and suggestions for further reading ensure that this text is not only entertaining, but an incredibly useful resource for those studying Australian history.

The Background of Australia Day

In recent years, there has been great debate about the celebration of Australia Day on the 26th January, the anniversary of the day that Arthur Phillip entered Sydney Cove and declared the settlement the property of His Majesty, King George III.

While 1788 does touch on the impact of the First Fleet on the indigenous Australians, the plight of the Aboriginals is not covered in detail although Hill does acknowledge the way the first settlers imposed themselves on both the original inhabitants of the land and the environment itself.

With the factual yet approachable style that characterised Hill’s popular first book The Forgotten Children (Random House, 2007) , 1788 is both an entertaining read and an insightful analysis of the decision to send a group of people halfway around the world in the biggest single overseas migration the world had ever seen.

Readers who enjoy this book might also be interested in Carol Baxter’s Breaking the Bank (Allen & Unwin, 2008), an account of the theft of £14,000 from Sydney’s Bank of Australia by a group of convicts in 1828.

The copyright of the article 1788 - The Brutal Truth of the First Fleet in Australian Literature is owned by Susan Whelan. Permission to republish 1788 - The Brutal Truth of the First Fleet in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.