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Whilst Australia was founded by convicts, strictly speaking it was not founded for convicts. There were many reasons why the British wished to colonise Australia, and using it as a place to send convicts was an excuse more than a reason.

The British colonised Australia to expand the British empire, and prevent the French from gaining a foothold in the Australian continent or in that part of the Pacific. It was expected that Australia could provide commercial and political gains to Britain, and Britain needed a port in the East to promote trade with China and to extend its naval and commercial power.

Also, due to war, Britain needed to find an alternative supply of Flax and timber as her Baltic supply was under threat. James Cook had reported that nearby Norfolk Island might be a suitable source, so it was strategic to colonise the nearby continent of Terra Australis.

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Freeda Kris

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More answers

prisoners

people convicted of crimes

Whilst Australia was founded by convicts, strictly speaking it was not founded for convicts. There were many reasons why the British wished to colonise Australia, and using it as a place to send convicts was an excuse more than a reason.

The British colonised Australia to expand the British empire, and prevent the French from gaining a foothold in the Australian continent or in that part of the Pacific. It was expected that Australia could provide commercial and political gains to Britain, and Britain needed a port in the East to promote trade with China and to extend its naval and commercial power.

Also, due to war, Britain needed to find an alternative supply of Flax and timber as her Baltic supply was under threat. James Cook had reported that nearby Norfolk Island might be a suitable source, so it was strategic to colonise the nearby continent of Terra Australis.

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Vincent Kemmer

Lvl 13
2y ago
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prisoners

people convicted of crimes

Whilst Australia was founded by convicts, strictly speaking it was not founded for convicts. There were many reasons why the British wished to colonise Australia, and using it as a place to send convicts was an excuse more than a reason.

The British colonised Australia to expand the British empire, and prevent the French from gaining a foothold in the Australian continent or in that part of the Pacific. It was expected that Australia could provide commercial and political gains to Britain, and Britain needed a port in the East to promote trade with China and to extend its naval and commercial power.

Also, due to war, Britain needed to find an alternative supply of Flax and timber as her Baltic supply was under threat. James Cook had reported that nearby Norfolk Island might be a suitable source, so it was strategic to colonise the nearby continent of Terra Australis.

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Wiki User

14y ago
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Q: Australia was founded as a British colony for what?
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Australia was founded as a British colony for?

Australia, or New South Wales as the eastern coast was then known, was originally a penal colony, meaning it was a colony for convicts from Great Britain. Australia was first colonised by the British in order to relieve the overly full British prisons. However, only relatively small parts of Australia were used as penal settlements. Indigenous Australians inhabited the rest of the continent as well. As well as Sydney (the first settlement in New South Wakes), convict colonies were begun in Victoria, Moreton Bay (Queensland), Hobart and Newcastle. The colony of South Australia was never a penal settlement. Swan River (Perth) began as a free settlement, but convicts were sent there later as free labour.


What country once ruled Australia?

Australia was once a colony of Great Britain.


Where was Australia founded?

The continent of Australia was founded with the raising of the British flag at Sydney Cove. The first permanent settlement in Australia was founded by Captain Arthur Phillip on 26 January 1788.When the Commonwealth of Australia was founded, following the federation of the colonies on 1 January 1901, the proclamation was announced by Australia's first Governor-General, John Hope, at Centennial Park in Sydney.


What happened in 1607 AD?

In 1607, the settlement of Raleigh was founded in the Virginia colony. It was the first British settlement of its kind in North America.


Australia was first settled as a?

Australia was first settled as a penal colony, housing the excess convicts from England. However, this was not its only purpose. It was set up to become its own self-sufficient colony as the British wanted a strong presence in the Pacific. The continent also provided the British Empire with natural resources.