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The First Fleet
The First Fleet is the name given to the eleven ships which sailed from Great Britain on 13 May 1787 consisting of 10 Civil officers, 212 marines, including officers, 28 wives and 17 children of the marines, 81 free persons, 504 male convicts and 192 female convicts. -
The second fleet arrived
The Second Fleet is the name of the second fleet of ships sent with settlers, convicts and supplies to colony at Sydney Cove in Port Jackson, Australia. The fleet comprised six ships: one Royal Navy escort, four convict ships, and a supply ship. -
Transportation of Convicts
If convicts behaved for the full period of their probation they were then assigned to a free settler. Transportation to Tasmania was destroyed in 1853. Between 1803 and 1853 over 67 000 convicts were transported to Tasmania from Britain and the colonies. Almost one quarter of these convicts were from Ireland. -
Free Land Grants
Between 1820 and 1831 free land grants were given to settlers coming to Tasmania with letters of recommendation from the Secretary of State in London. The amount of land granted to them was decided on the value of the goods and money they brought with them. -
Assisted Immigration
In January 1854 the Tasmanian government introduced a new bounty arrangement of immigration. Immigrants were signed up for specific employers before leaving their home country. An Act passed by the Legislative Council in September 1854 required emigrants to pay back their fare within 14 days of their arrival unless they agreed to work for an employer for two years. -
Chinese Immigrants
Some Chinese had arrived in Tasmania before 1870 but not in great numbers. With the passing of immigration restrictions by the Government the Chinese population began to decline from the late 1880s. Some returned to China and others lived out their days in Tasmania. -
White Australia
All Australian colonies passed acts in the 1880s to stop people from entering and remain as settlers. It was not until the 1960s that this policy was gradually dissolved and finally stopped in 1972. -
Assisted Immigration
In 1911 an arrangement was introduced where residents of Tasmania were able to nominate a relative or friend in the UK as an assisted immigrant. Those who nominated an immigrant agreed to house and find employment for them. -
Child Migration
In 1946 the Australian and British governments made agreements that led to children being brought to Australia and placed in institutions for their care. Children were also brought from Malta during this time. -
Refugees
Since 1975 Australia has accepted refugees from a number of countries. The United Nations defines refugees as people who are outside their country of nationality or their usual country of origin.
