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The British First Fleet under Arthur Phillip drops anchor in Port Jackson, promp
Featured Event 1788 Event

January 26

Sydney Founded: British Fleet Arrives in Australia

The British First Fleet under Arthur Phillip drops anchor in Port Jackson, prompting the establishment of Sydney as the continent's first permanent European settlement. This arrival immediately displaced Indigenous populations and launched a century of colonial expansion that reshaped the region's demographics and governance.

January 26, 1788

238 years ago

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