Soon after James Cook sighted Botany Bay in 1770, the British government made plans to establish a convict settlement, which was founded by Arthur Phillip in 1788. The effects on indigenous people were felt almost immediately and saw smallpox and other diseases kill around 1000 Aboriginal people, with many more dying in conflicts with the British settlers.

By the early 19th century, only a small number of Aborigines remained and plans had begun to break up their communities, described by Governor Macquarie as initiatives to ‘civilise, Christianise and educate’.

In the second half of the 19th century, Sydney experienced a number of gold rushes, beginning with Bathurst in 1851. Huge numbers of immigrant workers came to the city to work the mines, and the impacts of the subsequent wealth for Sydney saw vast improvements in the city’s transport infrastructure.

The discovery of gold in Victoria saw many new residents attracted to Melbourne and the great rivalry between the two cities began. This dispute in time led to the creation of Canberra as the country’s capital.

The result today is a cosmopolitan and ethnically diverse city. Sydney’s status as one of the world’s leading cities was confirmed with the successful hosting of the 2000 Olympic Games and has since thrived and now sees a population of well over four million people.