Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The convicts transported aboard the First Fleet in 1788 had been convicted of a wide range of offenses in Great Britain. Common crimes included:
The vast majority received sentences of seven years' transportation, while others were sentenced for life. The convict population was diverse—men, women, and children from all social strata, though predominantly from the impoverished working classes. Some were middle-class, and a few even came from the upper classes.
The journey to New South Wales lasted eight months under appalling conditions: overcrowding, poor sanitation, and inadequate food led to disease and death. Survivors arrived malnourished and sick.
Upon arrival, convicts were assigned to government labor—farming, construction, brick-making, and shipbuilding—or to private settlers. Work was grueling, discipline harsh, and rations meager. Escape attempts were frequent but rarely successful in the unfamiliar, hostile landscape.
Transportation continued until 1868, by which time over 160,000 convicts had been sent to Australia. Their labor built the foundations of the colony, and their descendants form a significant portion of the modern Australian population.