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Dutchman Willem Jansz
Dutchman Willem Jansz and his ship Duyfken explore the western coast of Cape York Peninsula and were the first Europeans to have contact with Australian Aboriginal people. -
Dutchman Jan Carztenz
Dutchman Jan Carstenz described several armed encounters with Aborigines on the northern coas -
Willam Dampier
Visited with west coast of Australia -
Special Instructions
Anticipating that Captain cook would discover the great souther land he was issed with special instructions to "with the consent of the natives take possession of convenient situations in the name of the King....or if you find the land uninhabited Take Possession for His Majesty" -
Captain Arthur Phillip
Captain Arthur Phillip entered Botany Bay. A total of nine ships sailed into Botany Bay over three days.
Aboriginal people watched the arrival.
Resistance and conflict between Europeans and Aborigines begins almost immediately. -
French fire upon the Aborigines
Early February the French fire on Aborigines at Botany Bay. -
First Conflict
29 May the first conflict between the First Fleet arrivals and Aborigines takes place near Rushcutters Bay, Sydney. Two convicts are killed. -
First Aborigine Captured
Arabanoo is the first Aborigine captured by Europeans.
Captain Phillip estimates that there are 1 500 Aborigines living in the Sydney Region. -
Smallpox decimates the Aborigines
April, smallpox decimates the Aboriginal population of Port Jackson, Botany Bay and Broken Bay. The disease spread inland and along the coast. -
Aboriginals Captured
November, Governor Phillip captures two Aboriginal men - Bennelong and Colebee. Colebee escapes but Bennelong is kept at Government House for five months. -
Pemulwuy spears gamekeeper
Pemulwuy spears Phillip's gamekeeper, John McEntire, and Phillip orders the first punitive expedition. Pemulwuy and his son Tedbury led Aboriginal resistance in the Sydney area in a guerrilla campaign lasting several years. -
Yemmerrawanie
Yemmerrawanie, the first Australian Aboriginal to visit Europe. A member of the Eora tribe,Governor Philip brought him back to London in 1793, and presented him to King George III, along with fellow tribe member Bennelong. His headstone reads: "In Memory of Yemmerrawanyea, a native of New South Wales,who died the 18th of May 1794, in the 19th year of his age."
