SYDNEY LOCAL HISTORY

In 1770 Captain James Cook landed in Botany Bay, now a southern suburb of Sydney, and claimed the east coast for England. Sir Joseph Banks, Cook’s Botanist, is credited with suggesting New South Wales be used as a penal colony to relieve Britain’s overflowing prisons.

There were about 30,000 people living in Sydney in 1840 when the transportation of prisoners from Britain ceased. By then less than 5% of the city's population were convicts.

In the 1850s gold was discovered, which drew a new wave of immigrants from Europe, North America and China. The city prospered, many fine public buildings were erected, vibrant China Town was established and by the end of the nineteenth century Sydney was one of the world’s largest cities with a population of half a million.

Following World War II, the suburbs sprawled along expanding rail lines. Sydney became home to a new wave of migrants, mostly from Italy, Greece and Eastern Europe. The next major wave of immigration were Vietnamese refugees, arriving in the 1970s.

In the 200 years since European settlement, Sydney's rapid growth has resulted in a cityscape that sees modern skyscrapers towering amongst historical buildings. This distinctive and diverse city is home to people from all over the world.