In 1788, nearly 1500 people on 11 sailing ships came ashore at Port Jackson in Western Australia after a grueling four month journey from England. This collection of vessels later became known as the First Fleet. This book is a captivating collection of watercolours, washes, ink and pencil drawings created during this historic time.

In 1788, the First Fleet landed in New South Wales, and European settlement in Australia began. Among those on board the eleven ships of the fleet were artists who recorded their impressions of the land, its indigenous people, its flora and fauna, and incidents or events which they considered significant.

In 1788, nearly 1,500 people on 11 sailing ships came ashore at Port Jackson in Australia after a gruelling four month journey from England. This collection of vessels later became known as the First Fleet, and those who sailed in them were the community who established the first penal colony in New South Wales and who laid the foundations for the birth of the nation of Australia. The Art of the First Fleet is a captivating collection of watercolours, washes, ink and pencil drawings created during this historic time, and now housed in the Natural History Museum. It depicts the natural history of this extraordinary land and the events that marked these initial formative years, as seen through the eyes of European settlers. The artists' drawings of the people and culture of the Eora people, the local indigenous population ofthe area, provide the only lasting visual record of their lives.

Online exhibitions of drawings by First Fleet artists; under the heading 'Ethnography', includes 69 drawings of Aboriginal people and life in the Sydney area.

Some biographers are critical of John Hunter's leadership style as the Governor of Port Jackson. Others say he was a failure at sea. Linda Groom disagrees and claims that Hunter was an outstanding seaman whose mere survival as governor was an achievement for his time. Linda Groom is Curator of the National Library of Australia's Pictures Collection.

The photographs in First Fleet serve as a time capsule of a unique time in the history of manned spaceflight.

"The life of George Raper and the discovery of his artwork of birds and plants dating from the time of the First Fleet."--Provided by publisher.