Why a failed penal colony became the global shorthand for Australian exile

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Botany Bay was meant to be the site of Britain's first Australian penal colony in 1788. Governor Arthur Phillip quickly abandoned the area, citing poor soil and a lack of fresh water. Yet, the name stuck, becoming a permanent, haunting metonym for transportation to the colonies in literature and song.

When Lieutenant James Cook arrived at the bay on 29 April 1770, he initially dubbed it Stingrays Harbour due to the abundance of fish. He later renamed it Botany Bay to honor the vast collection of plants gathered there by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander. This botanical richness, however, did not translate into a viable site for human settlement. When the First Fleet arrived under Governor Arthur Phillip in January 1788, they found the environment hostile. The soil was poor, the water supply was insufficient, and the swampy foreshores were deemed unhealthy. Furthermore, the bay was exposed to the open sea, making it difficult to anchor ships safely.

The physical struggle of the early settlers was intense. The land was covered in exceptionally strong trees that resisted standard tools, forcing the convicts to blast them out with gunpowder. Primitive huts collapsed during rainstorms, and Phillip feared the site was vulnerable to both foreign powers and the local Indigenous clans, including the Gweagal and Kamaygal. Within days, Phillip relocated the fleet to the superior natural harbour of Port Jackson, establishing the colony at Sydney Cove instead. Despite this rapid departure, the name 'Botany Bay' remained etched in the British consciousness.

For decades, the term functioned as a powerful cultural shorthand for the entire Australian penal system. It appeared in folk songs, historical novels, and even 20th-century science fiction, cementing its status as a symbol of exile. Today, the bay serves a vastly different purpose as a major cargo seaport and the site of Sydney Airport, with runways extending directly into the water. Despite this heavy industrialization, the area retains pockets of natural significance, including the Kamay Botany Bay National Park and the 'Steps' dive site, which hosts the world's largest surveyed population of weedy sea dragons.

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