The Founding of New South Wales: From Penal Colony to Australian State

New South Wales was established by the British in 1788 as a penal colony, chosen for its remoteness and lack of resources to deter escape. Between 1788 and 1840, ~160,000 convicts (many Irish political prisoners) were transported. Free settlers later developed agriculture and industries. The 1851 gold discovery triggered a massive immigration boom. The colony achieved self-government in 1856 and became a state of the Australian Commonwealth in 1901.