The First Fleet

by Rob Mundle

The first fleet - the creation of a nation. Bestselling Maritme Biographer, Rob Mundle, is back on the ocean with a blockbuster. First Fleet tells the extraordinary story of the eighteenth century convoy of eleven ships that left England on 13th May 1787 for the 'land beyond the seas'. Aboard were seafarers, convicts, marines and a few good citizens - some 1300 hundred in all - who had been consigned to a virtually unknown land on the opposite side of the world where they would establish a penal colony, and a nation. The fleet stopped at Tenerife, Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town before sailing across the notorious and challenging Southern ocean, bound for Botany bay. Somehow all 11 ships arrived safely between 18 and 20 January 1788. But it's what happened during 252 days at sea while sailing halfway around the world, and subsequently on land, that is almost beyond belief. No nation has ever been founded in such a courageous and dangerous manner. It's the basis for one hell of an adventure

Genres: History, Australia, Nonfiction, Historical, Nautical, Maritime

347 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

Rob Mundle is the author of the highly acclaimed international bestseller Fatal Storm. He has written six other books, including the bestselling Sir James Hardy: An Adventurous Life, Alan Bond’s authorised biography,Bond, and Life at the Extreme, the official record of the 2005/2006 Volvo Ocean Race round the world. He lives in Main Beach, Queensland.

Reviews

[Max Coggan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An account of the eleven ships that sailed to Australia under Captain Phillip.The journey and the early colonisation.

[Michael Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleven ships sail across the world to found a penal colony, how interesting is that? This excellent nautically flavoured history humanizes the people who made this journey, their roles on land and sea, and their suffering as supplies dwindle and there are no sails on the horizon. I felt part of the story, privy to the private conversations and thoughts of Phillip, their wise and humane governor.

[Sinta · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reading journey was almost as arduous as the First Fleet’s. Lacking a compelling narrative, you are drowned in sailing jargon and a patchwork of facts and tales. Extremely disappointing. The establishment of a colony is much more complex, with so many more lens’ than were adequately explored here.

One highlight was Mundle’s exploration of the drivers of the settlement of Australia, with some slight insight into the contributions of the English judicial system, American independence and French colonial objectives.

Mundle’s tone when discussing Indigenous Australians is off. At first, I gave Mundle some license, as he appeared to merely be sharing the opinions of the colonisers based on their journals. But he takes these attitudes and infuses his statements with them too - calling Indigenous culture ‘very basic’ and that they ‘struggled to comprehend’ things like constructing ships (despite them having canoes of their own). He gives little agency to Indigenous inhabitants of Botany Bay and Port Jackson, and infers little intelligence, purely based on the prejudiced accounts of the first colonists. Every encounter is either aggressive or innocent, as if they are children. He emphasises at one point that nothing is given in return for some glass beads, implying a lack of generosity. Perhaps nothing was given because glass beads have no functional use… why would they be interpreted as a useful gift?

Some other notes:
- Significant driver of settlement was the need for a new recipient of prisoners who had been sentenced to transportation. After American Independence, the British lost their main penal colony, and attempts to establish some in Africa failed. The need for this was driven by the incredibly harsh judicial system (e.g. transportation of 7 or 14 years for petty theft) which led to prisons overflowing in the interim (even to prison hulks)
- Also accelerated by fear that French would claim the land first, after news that the Comte de la Perouse had a secret purpose to attempt to establish a colony in New Zealand. The French were doing so in response to losses in America (which weren’t compensated with land in the New World) and to strengthen Louis XVI position, since his hold on the throne was tenuous after such a disastrous economic environment
- The King’s instructions specified that, in regards to Indigenous Australians, the fleet was to 'conciliate their affections, enjoining all Our Subjects to live in amity and kindness with them’. Also, ‘if any of Our Subjects shall wantonly destroy them, or give them any unnecessary Interruption in the exercise of their several occupations, it is our Will and Pleasure that you do cause such offenders to be brought to punishment according to the degree of the Offence.’
- Rio de Janeiro means “January River”
- No hard hooves animals in Australia before the First Fleet - all soft pawed
- Parramatta is derivative of Burramatta, meaning ‘the place where eels lie down’
- Shout out to the 21 Irish convicts who fled the settlement, thinking they could make it to China by going 100 miles North & across a river

[Richard F · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want an easy - to-read account of the ambitious 18th century project to set up a colony in the recently discovered Botany Bay, then this is worthy of a shortlist.

From the reasons behind selecting the location (a mixture of the American revolution and needing to beat the French at something, as usual), to the planning of an unprecedented voyage, to not just the journey but the following 2 years on which the colony's survival was on a knife-edge, Rob Mundle delivers all that the amateur historian needs to know.

Mundle's style may be a little too factual for some, but he manages to inject enough drama to keep you chugging along. In fact I found the details of the actual voyage the least interesting; yes there were attempted mutinies and storms to battle, but every Australian citizen knows that they made it (and should also know that after a few days in Botany Bay, Arthur Phillip discarded Cook's recommendation of a settlement there and thankfully continued North).

What I suspect many don't know (including me) is how delicately poised the settlement was for the next 2 years. Mundle's account ramps up a notch as it follows 2 emergency sailings to procure more supplies for the settlement, and details a number of decisions which could have changed history forever.

Mundle certainly paints Phillip as a hero, and pulls no punches in comparing his style of command with that of the second fleet, on which over a quarter of lives on board were lost. He also depicts Phillip's attitude to the natives as positive.

Mundle also doesn't treat too delicately the fact that the source of this endeavour was England's horrendous attitude to the poor and their crimes, and reveals Phillip's protests towards this near the end of his time in Sydney.

Regardless of the debate over this, and the notion of 'Empire', and the issues that then plagued Australia in the coming centuries, as a tale of adventurous spirit, challenge and endeavour, everyone who has asked 'how was Australia founded' should read something like this and not just stop at their school books.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great constructed narrative of the voyage of the First Fleet from England to Australia. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator brought even more life to this story. I was disappointed that the author put a lot of effort into Arthur Phillip and the English’s perspective but didn’t offer an alternative perspective or point of view to the local indigenous people. I understand that the book is focused on a naval perspective and the first fleet, but the colonial descriptions of “natives” was incredibly outdated, especially as the author provides modern reference points to other historical points. For this reason I give the book 3 stars instead of 4-5. However it was beautifully written and it was refreshing to hear the voices and people of the First Fleet.

[Mark Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn't know too much about The First Fleet, in fact I hadn't realised how close Australia came to being French! Always assuming that after Cook had landed it had been a done deal. Philip seems to have been a great leader and though maybe known in Australia, like Flinders, not well known in the UK. A fair and very readable summary of this heroic effort.

[Nat · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not the best format for me to digest this book. I usually take in non-fiction in audio format better than physical format but for some reason this didn't land.

I felt it jumped around a bit and went over too much ground. I found myself drifting off throughout.

The author notes he is not an historian, so perhaps that had something to do with it, not sure.

[Suzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read for those who have little knowledge about maritime history and Australian history. I found the voyage of the First Fleet very interesting as well as the anguish and difficulties faced by Arthur Phillip when he was tasked with setting up a colony.

[Roddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook: I’d give it 3.5 stars. May have achieved 4 if it had a different narrator. Would have preferred one that sounded as though he had sailed 1000’s of nautical miles (as the author has) rather than one who sounds like a librarian. I learned a lot though.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched presentation of Australia's First Fleet. It is easy to read, but because the author is a sailor, there is a lot of sailing jargon, which is best if you just ignore it while reading. Really liked it.

[Shirley Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introductory overview to the first European settlers journeying to and settling into Australia. The glossary of sailing terms was helpful and the list of passengers (including the name, age and crime of each convict) and supplies that the 11-ship fleet carried was fascinating.

[Rupert Grech · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just as well written and researched as his book on Capt. Cook but I found it not quite as interesting and including too much unnecessary minutiae (especially the first half).

[Dulcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A series of inextricably entwined truths, beautifully told.
Inspirational history at its finest.

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written book of an extraordinary series of events. Every Australian should read this, for a better understanding of what was involved in the founding of the country.

[Charise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, informative and entertaining. I hope to read all the other books by this author now too!

[Helen O'Sh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The First Fleet, based primarily on diaries of those aboard. Like FitzSimon, the author manages to draw together multiple sources into a fascinating tale, in the modern context.

[Richard Berkman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Australian should read this

Incredible and humbling story. Our forefathers were so incredibly tough, resilient, resourceful and brave. Not that they didn’t make some terrible mistakes. History at its best.

[Chris Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. So easy to read

[Bill Cripps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and informative, a well presented telling of an important moment in history.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty boring, nothing I haven’t heard a 100 times already

[Tony K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this and have developed a greater level of interest in Australian history.

[Alex Coates · Rating 3 out of 5]

Succinct, easy-to-read and enjoyable, but was at times lacking in detail. Mundle prefaces the book by mentioning that he is not a historian, but he does make good use of diary entries throughout.
It gives a good broad account of the First Fleet from preparations in England, to the arrival of the Second Fleet.

[Alayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating book, detailing the experiences of the First Fleet from the time they were assembled in England to the time when Governor Arthur Phillip returned to England. It gives lists of the ships, their crew and passengers, and all the supplies, and also a very long list of each of the convicts, their ages, gender, crime and sentence. There is also a comprehensive glossary of (mostly) nautical terms used in the book.

I learnt so much that I had never been taught at school, and found it to be a valuable resource for anyone interested in the beginnings of the colony. My only quibble for which I took off one star was that it was a bit too nautical - the author is an experienced yachtsman and knows boats very well, but I needed the glossary a lot, and didn't really need to know some of the terms. But an excellent book.

[Antony Dabonde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting account of the conception of the first fleet, its journey to Australia and the founding of the first settlement. There is a lot of attention to historical evidence/details and it was pretty cool learning the history of some of the iconic places surrounding Sydney.

[Peter Langston · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed Mundle's sea faring accounts. This is not his best work but can be seen as an adjunct to other similar works on the subject. He brings a sailor's passion to the narrative at sea but he labours once the Gutsy Fleeters arrive.

[BrianC75 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this while in Australia. was given to me by a friend from Tasmania whose female ancestor arrived with the fleet. Really well written with Mundle keeping the reader involved in the planning of the expedition right through to the difficulties and traumas of early life in Australia.

[Ian Perkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story - useful reading for all Australians

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always great stuff from Rob Mundle, love his books!

[Amanda Witt]

well written, not too technical but not dumbed down either. Shows the real struggle the first settlers had here, with no provisions, electricity/refrigeration or infrastructure.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nautical view of the first fleet