the british decided to use the land visited by captain cook as a prison colony. britain needed a place to send its convicts (people who had been sent to jail for theft and other crimes) because its gaols were full and it had just lost its american colonies in the american war of independence. in 1788 the british first fleet of 11 ships, carrying about 1500 people arrived at botany bay (sydney). arthur phillip led them as the first governor of new south wales. about 160 000 convicts were brought to australia from 1788 until 1868. free immigrants began arriving in the 1790s.