In this episode we are embarking on a voyage to Botany Bay with the First Fleet. On 13 May 1787 eleven ships commanded by Captain Arthur Phillip set sail from Portsmouth, England and headed for Botany Bay. On board were 1420 people of which 755 were convicts. Eight months later they arrived in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) to found the penal colony of New South Wales.

For this episode I recommend Robert Hughes’ book The Fatal Shore. This can be downloaded as an e-book from Amazon and can be purchased in bookstores in Australia. Check out a YouTube video of the Australian folk song 'Bound for Botany Bay' at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEYseM_R6Hk

And since it's the Australia Day Long Weekend also have a look at a song called 'We Are Australian" written by Bruce Woodley of The Seekers fame and Dobe Newton from The Bushwackers and sung by Australian Soprano Marusia Louwerse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtpBUQoVups

Email me at: [email protected]

Music courtesy of the talented Dan-O at: http://www.danosongs.com/

Thanks to Ken Dampier for post-production.