Western Australia
In 1826, convicts accompanied a small military mission from New South Wales to the west coast of Australia to set up a new colonial outpost. The Swan River settlement (present-day Fremantle) was declared in 1829.
For 20 years the poverty-stricken colony faced a chronic labour shortage and struggled to attract enterprising settlers. Throughout the 1840s, while colonists in New South Wales were rejecting further convict arrivals, Swan River settlers were keen for a convict workforce. In 1850 they happily received the first shipload of convicts to Fremantle.
During the next two decades 10,000 transportees arrived in the Swan River colony. Fremantle Prison housed gangs of convict workers, who laboured on public infrastructure projects such as jetties, roads, bridges and buildings. Convicts were also hired to free settlers as agricultural and mine Workers.
The final shipment of convicts came to Western Australia in 1868, after which transportation to Australia ended. However, the convict system in Australia continued to operate until 1886 When Britain formally handed control of Fremantle Prison to the colonial government. Transported convicts remained under sentence at the Prison until 1906.
For 20 years the poverty-stricken colony faced a chronic labour shortage and struggled to attract enterprising settlers. Throughout the 1840s, while colonists in New South Wales were rejecting further convict arrivals, Swan River settlers were keen for a convict workforce. In 1850 they happily received the first shipload of convicts to Fremantle.
During the next two decades 10,000 transportees arrived in the Swan River colony. Fremantle Prison housed gangs of convict workers, who laboured on public infrastructure projects such as jetties, roads, bridges and buildings. Convicts were also hired to free settlers as agricultural and mine Workers.
The final shipment of convicts came to Western Australia in 1868, after which transportation to Australia ended. However, the convict system in Australia continued to operate until 1886 When Britain formally handed control of Fremantle Prison to the colonial government. Transported convicts remained under sentence at the Prison until 1906.