Convict Colony: The Remarkable Story of the Fledgling Settlement That Survived Against the Odds

by David Hill

The British plan to settle Australia was a high-risk venture. We now take it for granted that the first colony was the basis of one of the most successful nations in the world today. But in truth, the New World of the 18th century was dotted with failed colonies, and New South Wales nearly joined them. The motley crew of unruly marines and bedraggled convicts who arrived at Botany Bay in 1788 in leaky boats nearly starved to death. They could easily have been murdered by the natives, been overwhelmed by an attack from French or Spanish expeditions, or brought undone by the Castle Hill uprising of 1804. Yet through fortunate decisions, a few remarkably good leaders, and most of all, good luck, Sydney survived and thrived. Bestselling historian David Hill tells the story of the first three decades of Britain's earliest colony in Australia in a fresh and compelling way.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Australia, Historical

360 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2019

About the author

During his remarkable career, David Hill has been chairman then managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation; chairman of the Australian Football Association; chief executive and director of the State Rail Authority; chairman of Sydney Water Corporation; a fellow of the Sydney University Senate; and chairman of CREATE (an organisation representing Australian children in institutional care).
He has held a number of other executive appointments and committee chair positions in the areas of sport, transport, international radio broadcasting, international news providers, politics, fiscal management and city parks.
David came from England to Australia in 1959 under the Fairbridge Farm School Child Migrant scheme. He left school at 15, then returned to complete his Master's degree in economics while working as an economics tutor at Sydney University.

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

The subject matter of Convict Colony--British settlement in Australia from the First Fleet to the crossing of the Blue Mountains--is interesting.  Unfortunately, this book is not.  The prose is generally dry & reads like a textbook.  The audiobook version exacerbates this uninspired presentation with a lackluster "performance"; the narrator rarely takes the trouble to modulate his voice. 

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty eye-opening account about just how savage the early colony was. The transport of prisoners on the ships was particularly harrowing and makes you realise how badly the ruling classes treated everyone that they saw as beneath them.

Another thing that struck me was that the Brits knew how badly the aborigines were being treated. This is what the House of Commons said in 1836-

"The injuries we have inflicted, the oppression we have exercised, the cruelties we have committed, the vices we have fostered, the desolation and utter ruin we have caused, stand in strange melancholy contrast with the enlarged generous exertions we have made for the advancement of civil freedom, for the moral and intellectual improvement of mankind, and the furtherance of the sacred truth, which alone can permanently elevate and civilise mankind … Every law of humanity and justice has been forgotten or discarded. Through successive generations the work of spoliation and death has been carried on"

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well written account of how Australia was settled and the trials and tribulations they faced. If you have an interest in the subject you will enjoy this book. Having a handful of convict ancestors I found it a fascinating read, and one of my 7th great-grandfathers even rates one mention.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this history. Early Australian history is certainly full of rich pickings for authors.

[Ross Millar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interestingly written and quite an easy read, but a few too many simple errors.

The author presents the settlement of convicts as the only reason for the foundation of the colony, where this is just not historically accurate. There were multiple reasons, as were discussed in detail at the Select Committee which recommended proceeding with settlement. Banks and Young also advanced other reasons.

Ironically, having completely ignored geopolitical motivations for founding Sydney, Hill suggests that these - frustrating the French - were the only reasons for settling Norfolk Island. Again, this was but one of many.

In discussing French efforts to settle 'New Holland', Hill ignores Surville, unforgivable given Surville's decision to veer east rather than west on 4th December, 1769, while Cook was still well east of NZ.

Presumably, we can blame a subeditor for the comment that 5,500 is 'over 50%' of 12,000

There are many better and more accurate accounts of early settlement

[Nona · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bare and sometimes brutal account of Australia's convict beginnings.
It confirms my thoughts on the British and their terrible pompous attitude to other civilisations.
The constant request for an apology from the Australian Government towards aborigines eventually given by Prime Minister Kevin RUDD should have been directed towards the English Monarchy as well and Queen Elizabeth and all her family should have given their apology.
And further, the Queen should be giving Australians an apology for the terrible treatment her ancestor King George turned a blind eye towards. Further RUDD being related to the female convict with the reputation of having the most children, and subsequent ancestors are deserved of an apology.
This account of the settlement of the convict colony is nothing for anyone to be proud of.
This is a book every English and Australian person should read.
Recommended.

[Paul Baldowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

An accessible and perfectly reasonable exploration of the first thirty years of the settlement of Australia, from Arthur and the First Fleet through to Macquarie.

At 300 pages of accessible text, this is the Popular History version of events, and that's nothing to be mean-spirited about. Spending a third of that on the initiation and completion of the voyage felt a bit heavy focus-wise. I would have preferred a bit less of a linger on the disastrous voyage in and a little more on the complexities of the colony; but, again, there's nothing to feel too harsh about.

I have started reading Fatal Shores in the aftermath of reading this, and I'm already making discoveries that Hill never even hints at. So, I would consider Convict Colony a perfectly tasty entrée and then you can decide whether to delve any further - a taster dish for a complex menu with other chefs on offer.

[Okimura1170 · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Hill in his later in life iteration of being an author has produced a easily digestible account of the first 30 yrs of the Australian project. It is sobering to read that success was much less than 50pc with other similar British settlements of that era meeting awful fates where the whole colony perishes from starvation. In fact, it is almost miraculous after reading this digestible history that anybody in 1788 would have predicted that Australia would have such a success.
The book does not go into details of several incidents but nonetheless is a great entree into the remarkable early history of this country .
Factoid - Even after 20 yrs , 40% of the population was still dependent on government food rations !

[Ann Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasic book based on impressive research about the first fleet (onwards) and the settlement of Australia by the British. Fascinating insight into early Australian life and the extensive corruption at the time that still exists today in Government and the private sector. Interesting re the early recognition of the impact on the First Nation people. Chalkenging times for the Governors with Arthur Phillips and Lachlan Macquarie being ahead if the times with more liberal and visionary attitudes. After reading many Australian non-fiction and fictionalised accounts, I learnt so much from this book that I had not heard before. Superbly edited and difficult to put down. Read passage after passage to the husband!

[Sandra Franceschini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and readable book on the colony's first days from leaving England to arriving and settling in. The excerpts from diaries regarding the convicts themselves and also diary entries on the aborigines and their reaction to the land being built upon.

[Lformby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Doug Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, entertaining history of first years of Australia up to and including Govener Macquarie.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit repetitive in sections but a good account of the first 30 or so years of the colony.

[Rupert Grech · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent as a succinct historical account, although a little “dry” and repetitive in places.

[Nestor Jimenez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard beggining which define the foundations of a great country.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't criticise this book in any manner.

It is sublimely edited and should be required reading for all Australians on our colonial convict history.

[Honk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative!! Great starting history book for convict history in Australia

[Grant Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars! An education on the trials and tribulations of settling Australia that wasn't taught at school. I will be reading this and referring back to it for many years to come.

[Fritzov · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book about the founding of Australia started out top class but then got a bit boring so it ends up to a 3 star book.

[Benjamin Farr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A riveting read about the early colony of New South Wales and the beginnings of European settlement of Australia.

[Alice Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, sad in some parts. Recommend this book for someone interested in their Ancestirs. 😊