New South Wales is a state on the South-East border of Australia. Here, the first Australian colonies were organized by British colonists. In 1770, Capt. James Cook claimed the land and named it after King George III. Initially, this land broadly covered from the Cape York Peninsula all the way to Tasmania (originally named Van Diemen's Land). These areas were separated by the Great Dividing Range, a series of mountain ranges that closely follows the coast of Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. Here you can find Australia's highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko. Eventually, this land was subdivided into the current area of New South Wales.

   In January 1788, the colony consisted of around 1,000 people near modern Sydney. This distant colony was namely created to relocate convicts, particularly those who were rejected by American Colonists following the revolution. However, there may be additional reasoning as to why Britain was interested in this land. Specifically, trade in India and China cultivated an interest in the Southern Pacific. In addition, Botany Bay, the initial site of Capt. James Cook was a great location for container ships for British shipping. On my dad's side, one of my relatives arrived in New South Wales shortly after Capt. James Cook. My current Australian relatives all reside in New South Wales, specifically Brisbane. Although my relative was not a convict, he arrived in New South Wales from Kent England, one of the locations of Great Expectations. 

   When convicts were being sent to New South Wales, they were able to avoid an authoritarian government. Eventually, the New South Wales Corps, the local military force, was unable to control the trade of New South Wales. Moreover, in the 1820-30s, the free colonists demanded a say in government. In response, Britain allowed for trial by jury, however, they denied motions to reform the legislature. In 1842, following the abolition of convict transportation, a representative government was introduced to New South Wales. In 1856, New South Wales allowed for a Legislative council. In the 1850s, a gold rush brought miners to Victoria. Likewise, similarly to Magwitch in Great Expectations, New South Wales locals were able to build permanent homes and build wealth through wool and cattle farming. Essentially, New South Wales had an abundance of economic opportunities for convicts. The lack of government in Australia eventually led to a type of self-government that allowed for convicts, like Magwitch, to build and maintain wealth. 

   Sadly, the British colonization of New South Wales was horrific for the Aboriginal peoples. These Australian natives have lived on this land dating back to about 46-50,000 years ago. Once the British colonists arrived in Australia there was now a competition for resources, and the settlers spread disease to the native peoples. Eventually, the Aboriginal natives took resistance to protect their land. In 1802, an Aboriginal leader, Pemulwuy, killed an Englishman which led to violent resistance. Despite attempts to protect the Aboriginal people, systemic racism led to massacres often going unpunished. In the 1830s, the Aboriginal natives were placed under supervision in an attempt to protect them, however, these efforts were forgotten after the 1850s. 

Works Cited

Brown, Nicholas. “The Growth of a Free Society.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/place/New-South-Wales/The-growth-of-a-free-society.

Byrne, Paula J. Criminal Law and Colonial Subject: New South Wales, 1810-1830. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993.